Laval will host the 2023 Canadian U23 Wrestling Championships and the selection trials for the senior world team (non-Olympic weight classes)

OTTAWA – Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is pleased to announce that Laval, Quebec, has been awarded the right to host the 2023 Canadian Under-23 (U23) Wrestling Championships and the senior world team selection trials (in non-Olympic weight classes). The event, which is being held for the first time, will take place on May 27 and 28 at Place Bell, in partnership with the Quebec Olympic Wrestling Federation (FLOQ) and Tourisme Laval Laval SportCité.

“WCL is very excited to return to the province of Quebec and the city of Laval for the first edition of this event,” said Tamara Medwidsky, WCL’s Executive Director, who added: “The province has a rich history of wrestling, and hosting this event there will only further enrich that history.” We should see some great bouts as the athletes compete for the chance to be recognized as Canadian champions and represent their country at the 2023 World Championships.”

“Hosting the 2023 Canadian Under-23 Wrestling Championships and the World Team Trials (non-Olympic weight classes) in Laval is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our high-caliber sports facilities and for our attractions and hotels to demonstrate their hospitality and expertise. As such, this event will generate significant economic, tourism, and social benefits. Laval SportCité is proud to have helped bring such a prestigious competition to Laval,” said Geneviève Roy, President and CEO of Tourisme Laval.

“On behalf of myself and the entire Olympic wrestling community in Quebec, we would like to thank Wrestling Canada Lutte for awarding us the 2023 Canadian Under-23 Wrestling Championships and the World Team Selection Trials (non-Olympic weight classes),” said Jean-François Daviau, president of FLOQ. “FLOQ is thrilled to host Canada’s top wrestlers and looks forward to providing them with an experience that will positively impact their careers and athletic development. Olympic wrestling is part of a long-standing tradition in Quebec that continues thanks to the partnership with Wrestling Canada. We eagerly await your arrival, and until then, we wish you every success!”

The Canadian Under-23 Wrestling Championships will be a first for WCL. The event will crown national champions in all twenty WCL weight classes (ten in men’s freestyle wrestling and ten in women’s freestyle wrestling). The winners will also qualify to represent Canada at the 2023 Under-23 World Championships, to be held October 23–28 in Tampere, Finland. This is an opportunity for athletes under 23 to hone their skills at another national event, as traditionally, the team was selected based on the performances of athletes under 23 at the Canadian Senior Championships.

“It’s very special and exciting for me that a tournament is being held in the city where I grew up,” said Martine Dugrenier, director of the FLOQ and a member of the host organizing committee. She added, “Laval has been very supportive of me throughout my athletic career, so it’s special for me to organize a wrestling event in collaboration with Laval.”

The Senior World Team Trials (in non-Olympic weight classes) offer a second chance for senior athletes who may not have achieved a top finish at the 2023 Canadian Senior Championships (formerly the Canadian Wrestling Trials) in one of the 12 Olympic weight classes. The weight classes to be contested at the event are as follows: Men’s Lightweight 61kg, Men’s Lightweight 70kg, Men’s Lightweight 79kg, Men’s Lightweight 92kg, Women’s Lightweight 55kg, Women’s Lightweight 59kg, Women’s Lightweight 65kg, and Women’s Lightweight 72kg. The winners in these weight classes will join the qualifiers from the 2023 Canadian Senior Championships on the team that will represent Canada at the Senior World Championships, September 16–23, in Belgrade, Serbia.