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Prince George welcomes the world

Para Nordic championships kick off with opening ceremony
opening
Team Canada members watch the fireworks – part of the opening ceremony of the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships – from Canada Games Plaza on Friday night. – Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

With the throb of hand drums, the thunder of fireworks, and the warmth of open arms, the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships were officially declared underway.

The Prince George Conference and Civic Centre was getting a dusting of snow as the ribbon was cut, to overlay the first time a world sporting event has ever been hosted on Lheidli T'enneh territory.

The Khast'an Drummers, led by Ann Bozoki, performed a thousand-year-old song about a canoe that metaphorically brings people together after times away, then a modern Aboriginal song about how water is used in the movement of people. The beat of the drums gave a primal connection to the ultra-modern advent of para-sports.

The founding chair of the International Paralympic Committee, Robert Steadward, a Canadian and visionary sport diplomat, was on hand in Prince George to celebrate the event opening, and this coming together of people on water - frozen water.

On stage, Steadward said that some of the athletes, coaches, judges and other officials in the room would remember past Paralympic events, and if they were there for the Vancouver Games in 2010, they were in for a similar splendid experience in the welcoming hands of a British Columbia host city.

He also told Prince George that they, too, were in for a treat.

"A whole new generation of fans will witness para-sports for the first time," and how, in 10 days time, it would forever change their view of human capabilities. He also declared "the facilities and snow conditions are world class."

A skier from the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, Sage Bialuski, got a moment on stage as well. It was explained by master of ceremonies Randy Ferguson (a veteran host and broadcaster of several Olympic and Paralympic events) that she suffered severe injuries when a car struck her while training, and it took her three years to rehabilitate. Bialuski, 20, is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. She sang her original song, Know My Name, the official theme song of the Prince George championships, as a message of perseverance and inspiration.

Another local singer, Kelsey (Wheatley) Jewesson, wowed the crowd with her ringing rendition of O! Canada. The award-winning vocalist and star of such Judy Russell productions as Les Miserable and Nunsense delivered the anthem in gold-medal fashion.

Athlete Emily Young, official Jim Burbee and coach Robin McKeever pledged on behalf of their elements of sport to compete for each of those gold medals up for grabs in a spirit of fair and honest sportsmanship.

Mayor Lyn Hall said from the stage that he was "excited this evening to welcome the world to Prince George. This is our first world championship and we are so proud to host you."

Perhaps the man with greatest star power in the room Friday night was Kevin Pettersen, head of the Prince George organizing committee that won the bid and created the template for the Otway Nordic Centre to be ready to take in the 18 visiting countries plus Canada's contingent. The room was electric with heartfelt applause for his leadership in attracting these international cross-country skiing and biathlon championships.

"We knew it would be our opportunity to create magic in Prince George on the world stage," Pettersen told the crowd. "We want you to experience the territory... have an amazing time in Prince George."

That territory has, for at least 9,000 years, been the domain of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, and it is still their unceded land base. Chief Dominic Frederick personally welcomed each nation's contingent as they made their way through the official procession. He then addressed the throng of nations as they all took their place in the foreground of the Civic Centre. He drew attention to the stones each nation was asked to bring for donation to the host committee, a practice started for the provinces and territories coming to the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

"It is our way of bringing a piece of your home to ours," Frederick explained. "Now that you've brought it here, it becomes a part of this place. This is now your home. Welcome home. We welcome you to our traditional territory... make good memories of your time here."