They've been building up for this all season in their respective judo dojos.
Next Thursday in Calgary, 16 judokas form Prince George will begin their quests for medals at the Canadian Open national championships.
Maxwell Young and his brother Lochlan will each represent the North Capital Judo Club coached by Sylvia Hausot when they compete in the under-16 boys under-55 kilogram class.
Seven members of the Hart Judo Academy plan to compete in Calgary, including Ioan Frizzell - under-16 boys, -38 kg; Matthias Schenk - under-16 boys, -46 kg; Koen Heitman - under-16 boys, -55 kg; Chris Nelson - under-16 boys, -60 kg; Chris Cormack - under-16 boys -66 kg; Kurtis Cormack - under-18 men, -66 kg; and Grace Northrop - under-21 women, -57 kg.
The Prince George Judo Club is also sending seven athletes to the Canadian Open, including Tami Goto - under-16 girls, -44 kg; Josh Price - under-16 boys, -55; Taylor Schaus - under-18 men, -55 kg; Ryan Russell - under-18 men, -60 kg; Branden Edwards - under-18 men, -66 kg; Levi Price - under-18 men, -73 kg; Lisa Russell - under-21 women, -52 kg.
Bruce Kamstra of the Hart Academy will serve as head coach for Team B.C. in his last national tournament in that capacity, having announced he will hand over his duties with the provincial team to a coach based in the Lower Mainland.Aline Strasdin of the Prince George Judo Club will also guide the team in Calgary as an assistant coach.
Lavanna Laass of Hart Academy, who now attends the University of Lethbridge, is unable to compete in the national tournament due to a knee injury.
