Hundreds of gymnasts are in Bracebridge this weekend for the 30th annual Muskoka Classic, while athletes are winning on the mat, it's local business that are scoring big.

The event attracts 400 athletes to town, welcome news for businesses that have been struggling through the winter season.

"Winter has been a little slow this year because of the lack of snow,” says Marion Wentzel-Reprich, manager at Quality Inn Bracebridge. “A good winter, the parking lot would be filled with snowmobiles."

Instead, hotels are getting cancellations – making events like this even more important.

"They are our saviour basically, they get a few heads in beds and that helps a lot."

"If you have 400 athletes, we expect it will generate about 2,000 people coming to the community for the weekend,"says Randy Mattice, manager of economic development for the Town of Bracebridge.

That makes a difference during the off season,  in a town of just 16,000 residents.

"The summer season, it pretty much takes care of itself with the tourism, the shoulder seasons we're really trying to grow on that,"says David Friesen of Seasons by the River Restaurant.

The community plans on growing it's sports tourism, offering grants to sports clubs looking to host events, which seems to be working.

The Quality Suites was filled with gymnasts this weekend, next week it will be filled with young hockey players.