Thousands arrive in Barrie for massive hockey tournament this weekend
Five thousand visitors will converge on the City of Barrie this weekend for one of Ontario's largest in-season female hockey tournaments, Sharkfest.
The Barrie Women's Hockey Association (BWHA) announced 124 hockey teams from across Ontario, and one from Manitoba would join 25 Barrie Shark teams from Thursday to Sunday.
Tournament director Jason McKenna said Sharkfest 2020 was called off because of COVID-19. "We have two years of excitement built up from our teams and volunteers," he added.
Over 2,000 players will hit the ice on 11 rinks in Barrie and Innisfil.
"Demand to come to Barrie was so huge we had to grow to a fourth day for the first time," McKenna said.
The event is anticipated to bring "brick business for restaurants and stores between the games."
Participating teams will arrive from Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, Sarnia, Timmins, Temiskaming Shores, London, Niagara, plus dozens of teams from Greater Toronto and Hamilton.
The tournament also expects a Manitoba team that includes players from Winnipeg and surrounding areas.
"With a tournament this large, it takes an army of dedicated volunteers working hard throughout the year and putting in countless hours this weekend to make this event successful," noted BWHA President Rob Whitehead.
Last weekend, the City of Orillia welcomed 60 teams from across the province for the Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC Winter Classic hockey tournament.
Roughly 1,000 visitors arrived in Simcoe County for a weekend of competitive hockey.
The tournament in Barrie this weekend will take place despite surging COVID-19 case counts across Simcoe Muskoka.
On Wednesday, the health unit reported the highest daily case count in more than six months, with most cases listed in Barrie.
Spectators must show proof of vaccination in Barrie arenas.
Sharkfest starts Thursday evening and continues until the final medals are handed out Sunday evening.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PM Trudeau names Anita Anand transport minister after Pablo Rodriguez quits cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tapped Treasury Board President Anita Anand to take on additional duties as Canada's minister of transport on Thursday.
Tensions flare between Poilievre and Singh in the House after NDP says it will back Trudeau Liberals
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh got into a heated exchange in the House of Commons on Thursday, just minutes after Singh announced his party would not be supporting the Conservatives' first non-confidence motion against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
Canadian women among those who allege Harrods boss sexually abused them
CTV News has learned there are multiple Canadian women alleging they were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed.
The RCMP has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including 3 submachine-guns
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including more than 120 handguns and at least five fully automatic weapons like machine-guns.
Shohei Ohtani becomes the first major league player with 50 homers, 50 stolen bases in a season
Shohei Ohtani became the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, with the Los Angeles Dodgers star going deep twice to reach the half-century mark and swiping two bags to get to 51 against the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Missing six-year-old boy disappeared after school breakfast program: Manitoba RCMP
Shamattawa RCMP are searching for a missing six-year-old boy who hasn’t been seen since Wednesday morning.
Woman dead, toddler uninjured following B.C. police shooting, watchdog says
B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating the death of a woman who was shot by the RCMP after allegedly barricading herself in a room with a toddler early Thursday morning.
'It's disgusting': Quebec minister reacts after body of boy, 14, found near Hells Angels hideout
The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.
Francois Legault wants the Trudeau government to fall
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is calling on the Bloc Quebecois to topple the Trudeau government next Wednesday and trigger a federal election.