VCEC Hosts Canada’s First Ever Cheerleading Championships

Vancouver, BC (March 30, 2007) – This coming weekend, March 31 and April 1, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre will feature the first annual International Cheerleading Championships in the facility’s exhibit halls. The event – the first of its kind to be held in Canada – will present nearly 2,000 athletes competing for various cheerleading division titles.

The athletes range from ages three to 42 with teams from across Canada and the US – including 550 athletes from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. More than half are BC residents from Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley, and the Lower Mainland.

“Our goal is to produce a quality championship that unites the cheerleading community,” said event organizer Elizabeth Gigante, Director of the International Cheer Alliance (ICA) and former BC Lions Cheer Team Director and Coach. “Led by 170 coaches, our athletes have been training extremely hard for this competition and this is a unique opportunity for the province to see some incredible talent.”

Gigante continued: “The college and high school level competitions are big components of the event, and spectators will see some very advanced group stunts, co-ed pair’s stunts, and individual performances.”

The championship includes 54 programs with 147 performances on Saturday, and 97 performances on Sunday. Athletes will be judged on a variety of criteria including stunts, technical skills, and execution. The ICA is expecting more than 2,500 spectators, and the event is open to the public. Tickets are available at the door and cost $12 for a one-day ticket or $20 for two days.

“We’re really looking forward to holding Canada’s first cheerleading championship at our facility this weekend,” said Barbara Maple, VCEC President. “Although not typically known for hosting sporting events, the VCEC has held quite a few over our 20-year history including the World Weightlifting Championships in 2003, and the Davis Cup in 1990 where we converted our exhibit halls into a tennis court.”

Maple added: “And of course we’re looking forward to serving as the International Media & Broadcast Centre for the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games.”

About the VCEC
Since opening in 1987, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre has been British
Columbia’s flagship convention facility — hosting more than 300 events and 600,000 delegate days each year, and generating more than $210 million in annual economic benefits. When its major new expansion completes, the VCEC will offer a combined total of nearly 500,000 square feet of function space and will serve as the international media and broadcast centre for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2010.

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