Celebrating the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, this year’s annual Winterlude in the nation’s capital region features a majestic snow sculpture that pays tribute to the beautiful game.
Renowned sculptors have chipped away at a 3.7m x 3.7m x 4.9m (tall) snow block to create a frozen masterpiece in honour of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. The snow sculpture was on display on 30 January with the launch of Winterlude’s Opening Ceremony at Snowflake Kingdom, otherwise known as Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, QC.
This summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ runs 6 June to 5 July in six host cities from coast to coast across Canada. In Ottawa, there will be nine matches on six days, with former world champions Germany and Norway among the countries visiting Canada. Tickets to this summer’s competition are available at FIFA.com/Canada2015.
Hosted by Canadian Heritage, Winterlude is an annual two-week winter festival in the nation’s capital region that celebrates the fun urban outdoor activities that Canada’s unique northern climate and culture have to offer. Attracting residents and tourists alike, Winterlude unites roughly 600,000 people in Ottawa-Gatineau each February – snow, hail or shine. Traditional Winterlude activities include international ice sculpture competitions, snow slides and mazes at North America’s largest snow playground. It also features a variety of entertainment and culinary events that are all accessible on skates via the Rideau Canal, the largest skating rink in the world.
The 37th edition of the festival, Winterlude 2015, will take place from 30 January to 16 February. This year, the festival’s theme is dedicated to the Year of Sport, a pan-Canadian initiative proclaimed by His Excellency The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada last October.
Ready to welcome the biggest women’s sporting event in the world to Canada’s Capital, the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ National Organising Committee will highlight the world’s game throughout the festival.
The soccer snow sculpture will remain on display alongside several other sculptures in the Sport Zone of Snowflake Kingdom throughout all of Winterlude 2015. Shuéme, the competition’s official mascot, will also be on site to rally tournament volunteers and Winterlude-goers in a series of friendly matches for “Soccer in the Snow”.
For the rest of Winterlude, soccer fans can skate on the Rideau Canal from downtown to Ottawa Old South and get a feel for Lansdowne Stadium, where Germany, Thailand, Norway and Côte d’Ivoire will kick off the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ on 7 June. Other nations visiting Ottawa in 2015 are Mexico, France, Korea Republic and Spain as well as yet-to-be determined finalists in the Round of 16 (on 20 and 22 June) and Quarter Finals (on 26 June).
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