(file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Deja Vu

Prince Albert Esso Cup cancelled for second time due to pandemic

Feb 5, 2021 | 1:52 PM

For the second time, the Esso Cup national female U18 AAA championships in Prince Albert have been cancelled.

Hockey Canada announced in a statement on Friday all national championships in the spring have been cancelled, including the Esso Cup.

“We are definitely disappointed that the Esso Cup has been cancelled for this year, but we totally understand it,” host committee co-chair Robin Wildey said. “Hockey Canada has been very open and honest with us of possibly 2021 not going ahead. We support them and we understand it.

“We want to make sure that when the event does go, we want the players, the parents, the volunteers and the spectators all to be in a safe and supportive environment,” Wildey added. “And with this COVID pandemic right now, the timing just isn’t right.”

Originally, the Prince Albert Northern Bears were going to host the 2020 Esso Cup, while the Lloydminster Steelers were set to host in 2021. After last year’s cancellation, both events were bumped back a year, with the 2021 Esso Cup slated for Prince Albert and 2022 for Lloydminster.

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In the immediate aftermath of Friday’s announcement, Wildey wasn’t sure if Prince Albert will be able to host the event in 2022, but is “optimistic” the event can be hosted at the Art Hauser Centre.

“We did send our thoughts on hosting 2022. We want to host the next Esso Cup, whenever it happens,” Wildey said. “We have an amazing set of sponsors and supporters that really believe in what we’re going to accomplish here in P.A. The board of directors that we have, our local committee has been nothing but amazing and supportive. We all have this goal to have the Esso Cup going, whenever that will happen.”

Wildey and the hosting committee have received an outpouring of support from the local hockey community throughout this long process.

“I just want to thank everybody in P.A. for their support. It’s been a long haul so far, but the messages we’re getting, the support from the city, the support from the sponsors, the support for the fans have been amazing,” Wildey said. “We want to thank them and stick by us. Hopefully in 2022, we can see their faces in the stands.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW