In the News
Media Kit
Want to find out some basic information about the sport and our event? Download our Media Kit. It contains photos, logos, content and more!
Media Kit - Download (ZIP, 2MB)
Want to do a story on the event? Want to arrange an interview with one of the individuals responsible for bringing the event to Edmonton. Email media@snowbattle.ca and we'll respond right away.
Media Release
Download the Following Press Release - (PDF)
SNOW BATLLERS READY TO VIE FOR THE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Feb. 24 – It used to be that you would get in trouble for throwing a snowball at someone. Now there’s a competition for it.
A group in Edmonton is bringing the first ever Canadian Yukigassen Championships to Fort Edmonton Park on the weekend of March 4-6, 2011. Japanese for “Snow Battle,” Yukigassen is a sport seemingly designed with the Canadian in mind; a fully competitive snowball fight. OOMPH! Events Inc., a local event and conference management firm, are working in partnership with Yukigassen Canada to introduce the sport to Edmonton.
Over 90 teams have registered for the weekend that expects roughly 1,000 competitors and volunteers to participate in the snowy sport. “Registration has been incredibly strong,” says Dave Hennessey, Director of Yukigassen Edmonton, “it just goes to show that that Edmontonians and Canadians have adopted this game as their own and have jumped at the opportunity to take part in the festivities.”
Organizers hope that Yukigassen becomes an annual draw for Edmonton to help pull in tourism and also contribute to the “Festival City” moniker that has been attached to the city. “There are teams registered from Calgary, Saskatoon, Kelowna, Regina, Penticton, Prince Albert, Edson,” says Hennessey, “and we are even hosting four senior officials from the Japanese World Yukigassen Federation for five nights in our city. It’s a great way to showcase Edmonton to the rest of Canada and even the world.”
Yukigassen is a sport for all ages and skill levels. Started over 20 years ago in Japan, the sport has experienced a boom in popularity taking it to 8 different countries including Sweden, Finland, Australia, the USA, and now Canada. Edmonton’s tournament will feature a corporate tournament as well as a public tournament including men’s, and co-ed divisions. Winning teams will be declared the first ever “Canadian Champions” of Yukigassen, and while Japan has yet to recognize co-ed teams, the winner of the men’s division will gain the right to participate in the World Championships in Japan (while the organizers point out it will be up to the team to get themselves to Japan… for now)
Two teams of seven people start on opposing sides of a 10m x 40m snow made court. Games consist of three three-minute periods and each team has 90 snowballs per period at their disposal. The game runs only 9 minutes long but can feature the astounding number of 540 snowballs being thrown in opposite directions. To make this number of snowballs there is a special “snowball making apparatus” that makes 45 fluffy white spheres of destruction out of a couple shovel-full’s of snow and a minute’s worth of elbow grease.
Yukigassen Edmonton will also be taking a charitable approach by partnering with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Alberta Cancer Foundation to raise funds for research right here in the City of Edmonton. Corporate Teams can “bid” on an Edmonton Eskimo, and the highest 4 contributors to the Alberta Cancer Foundation will win the services of an Edmonton Eskimo on the field of (snow) battle! The four athletes up for auction are:
- Mathieu Bertrand: 6’3’’ and 240 lbs
- Aaron Fiacconi: 6’3’’ and 300 lbs
- Kyle Koch: 6’0’’ and 300 lbs
- Elliott Richardson: 5’8’’ and 200 lbs
Spectators and those interested in volunteering are encouraged to visit www.snowbattle.ca for more information. Donations can be made on behalf of teams at www.albertacancer.com/yukigassen.
To arrange an interview or for further information contact: Name: Dave Hennessey
Company: OOMPH! Events
Email: david@oomphevents.com
Phone: 780.669.2778 ext. 204
Mobile: 780.966.0642
Oomph Events is an event and conference management firm based in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
In the News
Media Kit
Want to find out some basic information about the sport and our event? Download our Media Kit. It contains photos, logos, content and more!
Media Kit - Download (ZIP, 2MB)
Want to do a story on the event? Want to arrange an interview with one of the individuals responsible for bringing the event to Edmonton. Email media@snowbattle.ca and we'll respond right away.
Media Release
Download the Following Press Release - (PDF)
SNOW BATLLERS READY TO VIE FOR THE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Feb. 24 – It used to be that you would get in trouble for throwing a snowball at someone. Now there’s a competition for it.
A group in Edmonton is bringing the first ever Canadian Yukigassen Championships to Fort Edmonton Park on the weekend of March 4-6, 2011. Japanese for “Snow Battle,” Yukigassen is a sport seemingly designed with the Canadian in mind; a fully competitive snowball fight. OOMPH! Events Inc., a local event and conference management firm, are working in partnership with Yukigassen Canada to introduce the sport to Edmonton.
Over 90 teams have registered for the weekend that expects roughly 1,000 competitors and volunteers to participate in the snowy sport. “Registration has been incredibly strong,” says Dave Hennessey, Director of Yukigassen Edmonton, “it just goes to show that that Edmontonians and Canadians have adopted this game as their own and have jumped at the opportunity to take part in the festivities.”
Organizers hope that Yukigassen becomes an annual draw for Edmonton to help pull in tourism and also contribute to the “Festival City” moniker that has been attached to the city. “There are teams registered from Calgary, Saskatoon, Kelowna, Regina, Penticton, Prince Albert, Edson,” says Hennessey, “and we are even hosting four senior officials from the Japanese World Yukigassen Federation for five nights in our city. It’s a great way to showcase Edmonton to the rest of Canada and even the world.”
Yukigassen is a sport for all ages and skill levels. Started over 20 years ago in Japan, the sport has experienced a boom in popularity taking it to 8 different countries including Sweden, Finland, Australia, the USA, and now Canada. Edmonton’s tournament will feature a corporate tournament as well as a public tournament including men’s, and co-ed divisions. Winning teams will be declared the first ever “Canadian Champions” of Yukigassen, and while Japan has yet to recognize co-ed teams, the winner of the men’s division will gain the right to participate in the World Championships in Japan (while the organizers point out it will be up to the team to get themselves to Japan… for now)
Two teams of seven people start on opposing sides of a 10m x 40m snow made court. Games consist of three three-minute periods and each team has 90 snowballs per period at their disposal. The game runs only 9 minutes long but can feature the astounding number of 540 snowballs being thrown in opposite directions. To make this number of snowballs there is a special “snowball making apparatus” that makes 45 fluffy white spheres of destruction out of a couple shovel-full’s of snow and a minute’s worth of elbow grease.
Yukigassen Edmonton will also be taking a charitable approach by partnering with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Alberta Cancer Foundation to raise funds for research right here in the City of Edmonton. Corporate Teams can “bid” on an Edmonton Eskimo, and the highest 4 contributors to the Alberta Cancer Foundation will win the services of an Edmonton Eskimo on the field of (snow) battle! The four athletes up for auction are:
- Mathieu Bertrand: 6’3’’ and 240 lbs
- Aaron Fiacconi: 6’3’’ and 300 lbs
- Kyle Koch: 6’0’’ and 300 lbs
- Elliott Richardson: 5’8’’ and 200 lbs
Spectators and those interested in volunteering are encouraged to visit www.snowbattle.ca for more information. Donations can be made on behalf of teams at www.albertacancer.com/yukigassen.
To arrange an interview or for further information contact: Name: Dave Hennessey
Company: OOMPH! Events
Email: david@oomphevents.com
Phone: 780.669.2778 ext. 204
Mobile: 780.966.0642
Oomph Events is an event and conference management firm based in Edmonton, AB, Canada.