The Invictus Games Arrive in Vancouver
The 2025 Invictus Games are set to kick off today in Vancouver with an Opening Ceremony being held at BC Place. The events will be split between Vancouver and Whistler. This is the first time the games will include winter sports. The competition will conclude on February 16th, with a massive party at Rogers Arena.
History of the Invictus Games
The games are a passion project of Henry Charles Albert David or as he is officially known Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. Prince Harry was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007-2008 and again in 2012-2013. He was the first royal to serve in combat since his uncle, Prince Andrew.
At the completion of his first military tour, Harry returned to the UK alongside several wounded soldiers. After hearing their stories and learning about visible and invisible injuries, Harry began to look for ways he could help service men and women reenter and thrive in civilian society.
He attended the Warrior Games for wounded military personnel in 2013 and concluded that sport could be a path for assisting recovery. In 2014, Harry created a similar event in London titled the Invictus Games. The name comes from the Latin word meaning unconquered. The games’ purpose is to demonstrate the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and demonstrate life beyond disability.
Vancouver and Whistler Will Host
The 2025 Invictus Games, like the 2010 Winter Olympics, will be split between Vancouver and Whistler British Columbia, Canada. This is the seventh games and the second time it will take place in Canada. It is the first year that winter events will be included.
Whistler will utilize the Olympic Sliding Centre and Alpine Venue as well as the Whistler / Blackcomb Mountain. The new winter events being held at these three locations are: alpine skiing, alpine snowboarding, Nordic skiing, biathlon and skeleton. The sixth winter event, wheelchair curling, will take place in Vancouver at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre.
Vancouver’s other events include the core disciplines of indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. Most of these events will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre, while swimming will be held at the UBC Aquatic Centre.
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Chris Martin of Coldplay will headline the Opening Ceremony at BC Place in downtown Vancouver on February 8th. Other guests include international superstar Katy Perry, Noah Kahan and homegrown heroine, Nelly Furtado. The Closing Ceremony will take place next door at Rogers Arena and will include Jelly Roll, The War and The Treaty and Barenaked Ladies.
All events and ceremonies will be take place on the unneeded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam, Tsleil- Waututh and Lil’wat First Nations. The involvement of the first peoples can be seen in this year’s Invictus logo and the design of the medals. Both include the eye of the creator symbol, an oval bordered by presents and trigons.
Winter Activities in Vancouver
The weather looks to be cold but clear over the next few weeks, giving athletes and spectators plenty of opportunities to explore Vancouver. One of the best ways to see the city is with a Vancouver Bike Tour. Tours run daily at 9:30PM. All tours start and finish at English Bay Bike Rentals.
