TEAM NUNAVIK-QUÉBEC. Arctic Winter Games, Fairbanks March 15-22, About Team Nunavik-Québec. Full Summary Report. March 24, 2014.

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1 Monday March 24, 2014 Full Summary Report Arctic Winter Games, Fairbanks March 15-22, 2014 About Team Nunavik-Québec Team Nunavik-Quebec brought 62 athletes and five cultural performers to the 2014 Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks, Alaska. This is the region s largest ever contingent and close to 200 athletes competed for a chance to make the team. Athletes were selected according to their physical performance during the trials, their outstanding team spirit, sportsmanship, fair play and a desire to adopt a healthy and safe lifestyle. Along with the usual sports of Arctic Sports, Dene Games, Badminton, Table Tennis and Snowshoe, the team added a sixth sport this games, an all-female cross-country ski team. Nine of Nunavik s 14 communities were represented at the Games. Check TNQ s FB Page, YouTube and Instagram pics and Team Nunavik-Québec

2 Happy, hard-working Chefs! 2014 Ulu Count TNQ would like to thank Chef de Mission Nancianne Grey and her Assistant Chef, Ben Whidden, for doing an exceptional job during their first Games. Without their leadership, things would not have gone so smoothly during this exciting, but busy and stressful week. Total 31 Gold 7 Silver 11 Bronze 13 Maggie Emudluk KRG Chairperson Thank you to Fairbanks volunteers, TNQ staff and coaches I'd like to thank the volunteers and people of Fairbanks, Alaska for making our team feel very welcome all week and showing us what can be accomplished when a community pulls together to host a great event like the Arctic Winter Games. Our athletes and staff also deserve a lot of credit for representing our region in a way we can all be proud of. As we head home to our communities, I hope the positive momentum we've built will continue growing until the next games in Nuuk, Greenland in 2016 and beyond.

3 Athlete profiles Naomi Sala Dylan Gordon At her first AWG, Naomi finished with four Ulus in Dene Games (silver in Snow Snake and All-around, bronze in Stick Pull and Hand Games), as well as two Fair Play Pins. To top things off, she finished third at a competition called AWG s Got Talent. Way to go, Naomi! Dylan won three Ulus at the games, two of which were gold! He won gold in Kneel Jump and All-around and silver in Arm Pull. Great work, Dylan!

4 Major Exposure Time to trade! TNQ s very own Arctic Sports athlete, Aqujak Snowball, received some very special exposure during the Games as he was featured on all of the signs and banners for Arctic Sports, as well as on the side of a number of vehicles, as well. The team was very excited to see this! Pin trading is very popular at the AWG. Nunavik artist Jennifer La Page won the contest to design this year's TNQ pin. After studying the pins from previous games, she decided to create something that represented traditional Inuit culture, but with a simplified look. She made a last-minute decision to enter the drawing contest for the pin s design and we re glad she did!

5 Nunavik culture remains strong! This year s cultural contingent from Kangiqsujuaq shared an impressive Brazilian-style drumming performance at a number of venues at the games. Their performance drew interest from a variety of media outlets covering the games.

6 Star students! After working hard to raise the money, and thanks to organizations such as the Kativik Regional Government, Makivik Corp., Brighter Futures and others, these Kangiqsujuaq students were able to come to Fairbanks to cheer on TNQ as fans. Top row (l to r): Long Shirley Sakkiagak, Jessica Pilurtuut, Kaudja Alaku, Sarah Alaku, Madeline Yaaka. Bottom row (l to r): Christina Garrett (teacher), Jimmy Uqittuq, Andy Nappaaluk, Paulusi Nuktie, Juily Tertiluk. We had to fundraise. We had to do a lot of work, said Yaaka. We made earrings sometimes, we did bake sales, we did burger and fries nights, we did take out. We raised $4,000, and in a community of 700, that s a lot.

7 Playing fair at their first games First-ever Nunavik winner of AWG Presidential Scholarship Name: Julia St. Aubin Sport: Snowshoe Snowshoe athlete Julia St. Aubin has been awarded the first-ever AWG Presidential Scholarship. After writing an essay about the AWG, St. Aubin was told she was the Nunavik recipient of the $500 scholarship to the University of the Arctic, a network of circumpolar universities, colleges and organizations which promote education across the North. A winner was selected from each of the nine AWG contingents with hopes to continue the scholarship at future games. This was TNQ s first-ever cross-country ski team composed entirely of females. The girls competed hard all week and all of the girls on the relay team recognized by their competitors with a Fair Play Pin, which recognizes athletes who demonstrate outstanding respect for teammates and fellow athletes during the games. PHOTO: Johnny Kasudluak

8 Keeping the region informed during AWG TNQ employed a skilled team of communications professionals to make sure the region was kept up to date on a variety of platforms. Interviews with athletes, coaches and parents were gathered on a daily basis and later aired on local radio stations TNI and CBC Tuttavik. Photos were also sent to papers, such as Nunatsiaq News and the region likely had one of the games most active Facebook pages with regular posts of action photos, videos and results, not to mention about 1,300 members!

9 A few photos of TNQ

10 TNQ photos cont d 2016: AWG goes to Nuuk, Greenland FAST FACTS Population: 16,454 (2013) Distance from Kuujjuaq: 1,117 kilometres NE World s Northernmost Capital City The Greenlandic language is closely related to Inuktitut