What's Happening in Leduc, AB…

Two Leduc-area athletes are set to represent Canada at next year’s intercollegiate sports’ biggest international competition.

Skip Selena Sturmay, a Leduc native, and lead Paige Papley, from Leduc County near Beaumont, have both qualified for the winter World University Games, also known as the Universiade, as part of the University of Alberta Pandas team. The Pandas qualified by winning the U Sport National Championships held this March in Manitoba, defeating the UNB Reds in the final by a score of 10-2.

For Sturmay and Papley, the tournament offers a chance at redemption. They previously represented Canada in the 2019 tournament, held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, but fell to Great Britain in the quarter finals.

The 2021 Winter Universiade will take place in Lucerne, Switzerland, and will feature student athletes in sports ranging from ice hockey to short track speed skating. Curling has been a part of the event since 2003, and Canada has medalled in every year but one, winning one men’s gold medal and two in the women’s game. International events like this can have a trickle-down effect to local curling programs and events that are popular in Alberta, often advertised through flyer printing campaigns.

The Pandas are scheduled to compete next January in Lucerne. Past events have been streamed online in Canada through institutions like the CBC and USports.