For the second weekend in a row, hundreds of people are converging on the area for a championship event.
Over 200 athletes, coaches and families will be at Olmsted Beach on Saturday for the Eastern Ontario Division U12/U14 Regatta.
There are several races in both canoe and kayak lined up including singles and crews.
The regatta comes a week after a few hundred cyclists took part in the 2023 Provincial Road Championship.
“August continues to be a busy month for sport tourism groups choosing North Bay as their preferred destination,” says Tanya Bédard, Executive Director of Tourism North Bay. “We couldn’t be happier with the number and diversity of events. We would like to commend the local clubs on spearheading these activities as we would not be able to host these types of events without the tireless efforts from these groups and volunteers.”
The top 8 finishers in the U12 and U14 age categories at the regatta will qualify for the Ontario Championship.
15 local athletes have already qualified for the National Championship and officials say after the regatta this weekend there may be more.
Bédard says along with the regatta, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association is hosting a development camp this weekend then the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Golf Championship is here next week.
“That’s over 500 athletes alone, not including coaches or family members or spectators,” she says. “The impact is certainly tremendous for our hotels, restaurants and attractions that they can take in when they’re not on the course or on the lake.”
The North Bay Golf and Country Club is hosting the national junior boys event Aug. 14-17.
