Canada facing uphill battle at Worlds
More than 700 people are in the Yukon as teams from 16 countries compete over the next week and a half.
Elite softball players from around the world are in Whitehorse for the 2012 Women’s World Fastpitch Championships, with teams from 16 countries playing over the next ten days.This year is the first time decades that softball will not be included in the Olympics so some international eyes will be on Whitehorse to see who takes the top spot at the tournament.
“With them trying to get back into the Olympics this is an even bigger deal. The international Olympic Committee is going to be taking a look at things and considering whether they should put them back into the Olympics, so this is the highest caliber of softball that you are going to see anywhere in the world, here in Whitehorse,” said Echo Ross, who is part of the local organizing committee.
There are 278 athletes and coaches in the Yukon but that number doubles when family, friends and fans who’ve flown in are included.
“We’ve got pretty much every hotel in town full right now,” said Ross. “It’s a bit of a challenge because … summer is the busiest month here.”
Debbie Mygind is a coach from New Zealand and a 1982 world champion pitcher.
She said Whitehorse is likely the smallest location ever to host the worlds.
“It was a little bit surprising but we knew about the boys tournament that was here a couple years ago.”