Open National Championships, 2022 to 2024 Canada’s Largest Judo Tournament Returns to Montreal

Montreal, November 3, 2020 – Judo Canada, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal and Judo Québec, is proud to announce that the 2022 to 2024 Open National Championships will be held at Montreal’s Claude-Robillard Sports Complex.

Canada’s largest judo competition attracts nearly a thousand participants every year. Since 2016, it has been held in Calgary and Edmonton, although the 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19.

“Judo Canada is very pleased that its largest event is returning to Eastern Canada. The Open National Championships are fertile ground for the development of young athletes,” noted Nicolas Gill, Chief Executive Officer and High Performance Director of Judo Canada. “Because the pandemic situation is continually evolving, the final format of the competition has not yet been determined. We’re remaining open to all possible options so that we can adapt easily and, we hope, make this our judo relaunch event in 2022.”

Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal, is proud to have been involved in the successful bid. “Tourisme Montréal is gratified that for the first time in over 20 years, Montreal has been selected by Judo Canada as the host city for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Open National Championships. This is the result of a joint effort with our partners, notably Judo Québec. As a major judo centre and as Canada’s premier sports city, Montreal continues to demonstrate its ability to host large-scale sporting events.”

Judo Québec president Patrick Kearney shares Lalumière’s views. “Judo Québec is delighted to be hosting the Open National Championships for three years. This event will help raise the profile of our sport in Quebec and allow our athletes to access high-level competition at a lower cost. Judo Québec will work closely with Judo Canada to put on a high-quality tournament.”

“Judo Québec and its partners are glad to lend their expertise in the area of competition organization to the National Open Championships,” concluded Gérald Poirier, co-president of the organizing committee.

The 2021 edition of the Open National Championships is scheduled to take place from May 13 to 16 at the University of Alberta’s Van Vliet Complex in Edmonton.

Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada
Information:
Patrick Esparbès
Chief Operating Officer
Judo Canada
(514) 668-6279
p.esparbes@judocanada.org