Our duty is to you
Here’s to all the competitors, brought together through shared service, now united in sport. We proudly celebrate their strength on this global stage.
We are committed to supporting current and former military members and their families from around the world. To honor competitors we’re thankful to serve as co-presenting sponsors of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
GOING STRONG
Harnessing the transformative power of sport.
Accessibility and sustainability to leave lasting impact at IG25.
Four nations, four artists and a first for the Invictus Games.
Sponsors bring millions to Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
“I AM” Signs Capture Spirit of Invictus Games. 33 GIVING BACK
Volunteers play critical role in Games’ success.
FUTURE SUCCESS
A hybrid Games offers competitors new challenges and goals.
Opening and Closing Ceremonies bring healing, celebration.
37 A FAIR PLAYING FIELD
A unique categorization system provides room for all competitors. 51
VENUES
Vancouver and Whistler are set to welcome competitors to world-class facilities.
Al McFarlane
Clint Eastman Francesca Colussi
WELCOME TO THE INVICTUS GAMES VANCOUVER WHISTLER 2025 PRESENTED BY ATCO & BOEING
It’s game on for the experience of a lifetime!
Scott Moore CEO Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025
Set amidst the stunning landscapes of Vancouver and Whistler and hosted on the traditional territories of the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl’wat), xʷmθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sk_wx_wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, we are celebrating the incredible Competitors and the shared values of unity, healing, and respect. These Games stand as a powerful testament to the resilience and spirit of international wounded, injured and sick service members and Veterans. They are heroes, one and all.
The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 presented by ATCO & Boeing also stand as a testament to the dedication, passion, and humanity of everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring this extraordinary event to life. From our 100+ staff - some of whom have spent years
pouring their hearts into this mission, to the over 1900 volunteers who have stepped up to support every detail, to our 50+ partners, the Games reflect unparalleled team spirit. Together, we’ve created more than just a sporting event. We’ve built a platform honouring those who have put their lives on the line for all of us in what we know will be the best Invictus Games yet.
Please take this as my personal invitation to be part of this extraordinary experience. Attend the events, cheer on the Competitors, and share the stories that move you. If you can’t join us in person, all sport events will be available to watch on broadcast and online, ensuring Canadians and supporters worldwide can tune in anytime, from anywhere.
May the Invictus spirit inspire us all.
Whistler sliding centre.
Jeremy Allen
INVICTUS GAMES FOUNDATION WELCOMES YOU TO VANCOUVER WHISTLER
Dominic Reid OBE
On behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation, I’m honoured to welcome you to the 7th Invictus Games and celebrate the 10th year of the Invictus Games changing the lives of tens of thousands of international wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and Veterans. This will be my last Invictus Games as CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, and what an incredible journey it’s been to get to this point.
Every Invictus Games has the same goal: to bring together the competitors, friends and family, and broader community in support of the participants’ journey of recovery. But each Games is also unique. The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 presented by ATCO and Boeing is located on the traditional territories of the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl’wat), xʷmθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sk_wx_wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh) Nations. We are grateful to be staging the Games on these traditional lands and for the partnership that you will all experience throughout the next ten days at our different events.
Another new aspect of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is the introduction of a Winter hybrid model bringing new winter adaptive sports to the forefront. Ten years ago, I visited Vancouver and Whistler to see the adaptive winter
sports program in action and start a plan to one day bring winter sports to the Invictus Games. I am delighted that I will finally get to watch competitors from 23 nations take part in this competition.
While the Games will take place for a short amount of time, the opportunity to introduce adaptive winter sport back to the participating nations and to benefit many others in their recovery is significant. The legacy of these Games will be far reaching.
Whether this is your first introduction to the Invictus Games – or you’ve watched or attended before –cherish every moment. They will be over quickly but I guarantee that if you watch, attend or participate in any way –you too will be impacted by the power of sport and the resilience of our competitors, that will last over a lifetime.
See you there,
Whistler, BC. Justa Jeskova
INVICTUS GAMES 2025: TEN YEARS ON AND GOING STRONG HARNESSING THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF SPORT
By Alyssa Noel
When Prince Harry attended the Warrior Games in 2013, he walked away forever changed.
“SPORT WAS THE MAGIC I WITNESSED,” he told a panel at an Invictus Games Foundation (IGF) event nearly a decade later. “Having just come back from Afghanistan myself, seeing the wounded and injured and sick, seeing the effect it had on their families, the weight and load on defence, and on the individual and on the rehabilitation programs, there just wasn’t enough being done. And, at the same time, not enough celebration, recognition of the sacrifices being made.”
There was one standout moment at those games, which are organized by the U.S. Department of Defense for wounded, ill, or injured service personnel.
“Iván Castro on a bicycle crossing the finish line to cheers from a few family members and three or four members of the media,” he told the crowd, referring to the U.S. Army officer who remained on active duty despite becoming completely blind. “To see the effect sport was having on these people’s lives was quite literally transformative. I think it was a real shame it was tucked away in Colorado Springs on an airforce base for no one else to see … I wanted to help create a larger platform for more individuals to celebrate their stories.”
And from that nugget of inspiration, the Invictus Games was born—with a shockingly quick turnaround.
Downtown Vancouver. Jon Ross Films
“What frightened me the most when Prince Harry told me about his vision was he wanted to pull it off in 10 months,” recalled Keith Mills, former IGF Chair, to the IGF panel in 2024.
Just two years earlier, Mills had served as deputy chairman of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We had no money, no people, just a really good idea,” he said. “I really didn’t understand the impact of injuries the way [Prince Harry] did. He took me down to Headley Court [a Ministry of Defence facility in the U.K.] for me to meet some of the guys who had come back from Afghanistan and Iraq. That was a profound time for me.”
After calling in favours, and a dose of hard work in record time, the team pulled off the first Invictus Games in London in 2014.
“The first Invictus Games … were meant to be it,” says Paul Saunders, digital communications manager with IGF. “It was meant to be a single event that celebrated the international wounded, injured or sick [WIS] service community and that event was so incredible and so special we were immediately presented with offers to bring the Invictus Games to Australia, Canada and the USA.”
Prince Harry noticed the immediate, profound impact— not just on the competitors—but their families as well. To that end, each competitor can invite two loved ones to attend at no cost.
“Sport really does change lives and it saves lives as well,” he said in the Netflix documentary, Heart of Invictus. “I lost count of how many people—wives, girlfriends, parents, grandparents, kids—coming up to me and saying, ‘Thank you for bringing my dad back. Thank you for putting a smile back on my husband’s face.’ And to be able to see these people’s experiences, their lives being changed for the better. This is a ripple effect. They’re inspiring everybody else at the same time.”
After London, the Games took place in Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018 then, after a hiatus due to COVID-19, The Hague in 2022, before Dusseldorf in 2023.
Next up: Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 8-16. Up to 550 competitors—WIS service personnel and veterans— from 25 nations will compete in 11 sports. That includes, for the first time ever, six winter sports.
Alongside wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, swimming, sitting volleyball, and indoor rowing, competitors will compete in wheelchair curling, skeleton, nordic cross-country, biathlon, alpine skiing, snowboarding.
“A new host is chosen based on one guiding principle:
How will this city’s bid for the Invictus Games help the recovery of the international [WIS service personnel and veteran] community. We select the bid that has demonstrated the greatest recovery opportunity for the community,” Saunders says. “Any aspiring host city must demonstrate a tangible legacy plan alongside delivering an international sporting event that attracts spectators, sponsors and wider society to attend and show their respect for the armed forces men and women in recovery.”
Ultimately, the goal is to use sport to help WIS servicemen
INVICTUS GAMES FOUNDATION
The Invictus Games Foundation is a charity that helps wounded, injured, or sick (WIS) service personnel and veterans recover through sport. In addition to the Invictus Games, the IGF offers year-round sport recovery and adventurous challenge opportunities. It also runs an online community for WIS people which includes a free app and platform. At the heart of the foundation is the idea of inspiring recovery and change, and supporting long term improvements in physical and mental health.
and women find opportunities to explore their purpose and future postinjury.
A new report Beyond the Finish Line—which looks at the long-term benefits of “large-scale international competitive sport programming” to promote rehabilitation, as well as best practices for long-term health and wellbeing as countries begin to launch military sport recovery programs— found three key conclusions: the value of competitive sport, sport as a platform for personal growth, and strengthening the entire community.
“Nothing brings people together like sport does,” Saunders says. “It is an incredibly powerful tool for everyone to use in their daily lives. It’s not just for elite competitors. We have seen throughout history the power of sport through the Olympics, Paralympics,
Premier League, World Athletics, Swimming, Golf, etc. ... We could go on. The purpose of the Invictus Games is to harness that power of sport and use it to help a specific group of people, who really need some help. Sport gives someone a goal, an avenue to keep fit and a community, we have shown through our research.”
But, as JJ Chalmers describes to Prince Harry in the Netflix documentary, it can also simply lift its competitors up.
He suffered severe injuries in an IED blast in May 2011 then went on to become an Invictus Games medal winner at the London games.
“Invictus was the best week of my life,” he said. “That lives on stronger than ever. To feel like a rock star for that week, to have the red carpet rolled out for us, that’s what you did.”
Indoor rowing competitor from the 2023 Invictus Games Tim Richter
PAVING THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION INDIGENOUS
by Will Johnson
ARTIST
COLLECTIVE CREATES ICONIC BRANDING
Four nations, four artists. And a first for the Invictus Games.
THE INVICTUS GAMES Vancouver Whistler 2025 (IG25) features a unique artistic collaboration between the four host First Nations - Musqueam, Lil’wat, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh. Their iconic branding will decorate podiums, flags, banners and all the swag competitors take home.
With bold colours and minimalist Coast Salish designs, this artwork is thanks to Levi Nelson (Lil’wat), Ray Natraoro (Squamish), Mack Paul (Musqueam) and Olivia George (Tsleil-waututh). It showcases their culture, revolving around a theme of reconciliation.
“When it comes to reconciliation, people have to realize and understand that we, as Indigenous people, have not left and we’re not going anywhere. We’re acknowledging the harm that has been done, and Invictus is helping with that educational process
of healing,” says IG25 First Nations coordinator Charleen Grant.
“We are giving… lessons on who we are as Indigenous people by welcoming (everyone) at all of the Invictus events.”
The four Nations initially came together during the bidding process to host Invictus because it takes place on their unceded land. Once the bid was successful, the Nations’ decided that the only way to properly do justice to their shared culture was to each send a representative artist who could contribute.
“Throughout the process their thoughts and minds were well connected,” adds Grant. “It really is a collaboration, where all four worked together and no one part belongs to a single artist.
“Their work stands out to me as a representation of the four Nations. You look at it and it’s beautiful and bright; you see the mountains and the water… They came together to make a beautiful piece of work.”
The artwork is also a way for the four Nations to express solidarity with the Invictus competitors. Just as the Nations’ are on a journey of healing, so too are the former and current military members who are competing at Invictus.
“We’re all on the same road, we all need to come out of a dark place and find some beautiful light,” says Grant.
The centrepiece of the creation is a yellow and black globe-shaped logo, rich with Indigenous symbolism, with various geometric shapes sharing space with canoe paddles. The designs are heavily aquatic-themed, evoking the ocean and waterways of the West Coast.
Grant highlights the “I AM” slogan for the Invictus Games as something that also speaks to the four host First Nations. “To me, those “I AM” posters say, ‘I AM still here,’” she explains. “Our language is still alive, and our language is tied to the land, and with the land comes our people.
Proud partner of the Invictus Games
vancou v er whi stle r 2 02 5 Fier partenaire
des Jeux Invictus
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Thank you for your inspiration
We are proud to support the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 providing Competitors with continued recovery and rehabilitation opportunities. Their inspiring stories of courage and resilience motivate us all.
Our languages are being revived.”
In a joint statement, the artists expressed their hope that their work can bridge gaps.
“We are very proud of the work we did together, and believe this artwork is a strong representation and reflection of our Nations’ culture, lands and waters. We were able to share our ideas, experiences and cultural references, to come together for the first time to convey meaning from our Nations. We are honoured to show our work on the world stage through the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
LEVI NELSON
Levi Nelson works with oil paint and mixed media on canvas in a style best described as Contemporary First Nations Art. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, he has won a number of prestigious awards. His work is displayed permanently at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler and the University of British Columbia, as well as in private collections across North America.
RAY NATRAORO
Ray Natraoro has been carving masks, totem poems and model canoes since 1994. He apprenticed with Indigenous artists Simon Dick, Klatle-Bhi and Rick Harry. Deeply involved with his traditional culture, he is a Coast Salish language instructor and is involved in singing and dancing as part of his cultural heritage. He has been creating limited edition prints since 2007.
OLIVIA GEORGE
Olivia George has loved creating art from a young age. She has created multiple designs and logos for clients in the North Shore area, including for Mount Seymour Resort and HSBC Canada Sevens Vancouver. She is a completely self-taught Coast Salish artist, and always tries to represent a story through her work. Her style is traditional with a simple, modern twist.
MACK PAUL
Mack Paul’s work has been featured throughout Coast Salish territory. Recently they designed an Indigenousthemed Pride flag at YVR airport. A self-taught visual artist, Mack’s speciality is digital design, and they have created painted and vinyl murals for Richmond Urgent Primary Care Clinic, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services, and BC First Nations Justice Council, amongst others.
LEAVING A LEGACY ACCESSIBILITY
THE GAMES’ LARGEST and most glamorous new contribution to British Columbia sport infrastructure is a full-size basketball court donated by the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Florida Panthers for use in the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC).
AND
SUSTAINABILITY TO LEAVE LASTING IMPACT AT IG25
by David Song
This hardwood floor was originally deployed in Amerant Bank Arena, the Panthers’ home stadium in Sunrise, Florida. It formerly hosted the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, but was rendered expendable after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sent the franchise a new floor.
and paid for it to be refinished by Cascadia Sport Solutions, a company headquartered in Port Moody. Now fixed up and repainted with FIBA regulation lines, the floor has an estimated lifespan of 15 to 20 years beyond the Games.
And it’s not, by any means, the only thing IG25 is bringing to the table.
Long after the final competition of the 2025 Invictus Games, the legacy of the event will live on.
“The Panthers are huge supporters of veterans, their owner [Vincent J. Viola] being a U.S. Army veteran himself,” explains Amy Haken, Senior Sports Manager for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler (IG25). “At each home game they profile a specific veteran. When they discovered that the Invictus Games wanted the floor, they offered to donate it to us.”
IG25 shipped the court some 4,000 kilometres from Sunrise to Vancouver
Take the $750,000 in ViaSport and Community Gaming Grants supported by the Province of British Columbia. This money went towards a plethora of gear, including 41 indoor rowing ergs, 32 wheelchair curling delivery sticks and heads, 30 volleyballs, 26 wheelchair basketball chairs, 15 Nordic sit skis, 10 wheelchair curling chairs, 10 alpine sit skis, 10 wheelchair rugby chairs as well as four sitting volleyball post and net systems in addition to training for volleyball officials.
An additional $368,000 Founders Pass Grant from the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation helped purchase a range of winter sport equipment, including 11 new sit skis, legacy biathlon gear and mobi-mats
to enable wheelchair users to access snow.
All of these items will remain with local communities after the Games wrap up.
Haken’s job is to oversee the planning and operational delivery of logistical elements across each sport. According to her, IG25 set up clear relationships with local and provincial sport organizations to assess and address their respective situations.
Existing equipment has been borrowed and pressed into service wherever possible, allowing grant funds to go towards filling areas of need.
“[We hope] the competitors have the best possible experience, but
also that the Invictus legacy lives way beyond February…particularly to help grow adaptive sports here in B.C.,” Haken says.
ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION
Games venues too, have been modified for the event ahead.
The VCC will act as a primary hub for wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby and sitting volleyball contests. It is already an accessible facility, but upgrades to its audio communications devices are planned for the long term.
Wheelchair curling will take place at the Hillcrest Centre, which has installed accessibility push button doors.
Important hospitality areas in Vancouver like the Sheraton Wall Centre, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and Fairmont Waterfront are making wholesale improvements to accessibility features in their rooms and common spaces. The City of
Vancouver also repaired a large bump on Burrard Street to help with access to the Sheraton Wall Centre.
Meanwhile, IG25 and its partners have been busy upgrading competition sites in Whistler. For example, the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) received a new paved spectator area and ramp leading up to its Maple Leaf start gate ahead of the skeleton race. This will be the first skeleton race in an Invictus Games, along with other winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding.
Certain areas around Olympic Station on Whistler Mountain have been re-graded for ease of access to novice snowsport participants and sit skiers.
IG25 also paved additional roller ski areas at the Whistler Olympic Park biathlon range and fixed the venue’s accessibility push buttons.
“Because a lot of our competitors are people who have experienced injury or sickness as a result of their service, we’re trying to highlight accessibility and inclusion as part of the game,” elaborates IG25 impact
Jeremy Allen
Jeremy Allen
manager Jennifer Sandoval. “We’ve worked with the Rick Hansen Foundation to physically certify all the venues and they’ve been doing very thorough assessments. This will also become a part of the Invictus Games legacy.”
Due credit must be given as well to the True Patriot Love Foundation (TPL), which helmed the bid for Invictus to come to Vancouver and Whistler and established the upcoming Games’ local organizing committee. TPL’s website states that it is Team Canada’s largest funder at both the Invictus and Warrior Games, and that the organization will lead on “delivering legacy elements impacting the military and veteran community up to and beyond February 2025.”
THE SCOPE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Another core component of the Games’ legacy is sustainability.
Environmental stewardship may come to mind first here, and it is a piece of the puzzle with IG25 formally rolling out a sustainability and impact strategy with help from B.C.-based nonprofit Alacrity Canada. The tangible outcomes of this approach will be tracked and measured: a first for any Invictus Games.
Key metrics under review include carbon footprint, energy use, waste management, fuel reduction, transport emissions, sustainable procurement, water conservation and employee engagement during, before and after the Games. But that’s not all.
“What we’ve done is actually broaden our scope of sustainability to not only include the environment but also other impact areas,” Sandoval says. “We are looking to work with veterans and [evaluate] sport as a means of rehabilitation and recovery for them. Veteran well-being is very central to what we’re trying to do with our impact work.
“Also, the Games are taking place on the unceded territories of the host First Nations: the Lílwat, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam.”
Official Champion Partner
As a proud supporter of the Invictus Games since 2017, at CIBC we believe that, together
Sandoval and Charleen Grant, the Invictus First Nations coordinator, have been facilitating weekly meetings with representatives from each Nation. The goal is to weave Indigenous participation into each aspect of Games planning and programming rather than limit them to ceremonial and superficial roles.
For example, art created by Levi Nelson of Lil’wat Nation, Musqueam Nation’s Mack Paul, Ray Natraoro of the Squamish and Olivia George of Tsleil-Waututh Nation forms IG25’s visual branding: the first time individuals from each nation have united to make a single artwork for a large sporting event.
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Fisher House Foundation is honored to celebrate your incredible journey alongside your families and friends. For many, Fisher House was the starting point of your medical journey—providing comfort and care in one of our 99 no-cost lodging facilities across the U.S. and overseas.
Because a family’s love is good medicine.
SPONSORS BRING MILLIONS TO INVICTUS BUDGET
CORPORATE INVESTMENT ‘PERFECT TIE’ FOR MANY COMPANIES
By Alison Taylor
With more than $22 million raised in sponsorship dollars, corporate partners have set up Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 (IG25) for success.
THIS CORPORATE commitment accounts for more than a third of the overall $60 million Invictus budget.
Among other things, it means every single competitor at IG25 has the chance to bring two friends or family members to the Games.
The Friends and Family program is a unique opportunity at the Invictus Games, emphasizing the critical role loved ones play on the journey to recovery for wounded, ill or sick military members.
With more than 500 competitors, this program is not without significant cost - $10.7 million alone in accommodation and catering for roughly 1,500 people at IG25 (competitors plus family and friends).
For many partners however, the Friends and Family program aligns perfectly with its own company history and values, making it worth every penny of the investment.
“The fact that it’s recognized as something that’s important and necessary to do for these families as it is to do for our wounded and injured and ill… that’s a lifelong goal at Fisher House,” says Mary Considine, chief of staff at Fisher House.
“It’s just a perfect tie to what we do at Fisher House, which is bringing families together at the lowest of low times in life and also at the highest of highs.”
Fisher House is a premier partner at IG25.
Its mandate, outside the Invictus Games, is to build homes for the families of wounded and ill military members and veterans. These homes are close to military and VA (Veteran Affairs) hospitals, allowing families to stay at a Fisher House
free of charge. On any given day, up to 1,300 people can be living at a Fisher House home, which is set up as “a home away from home,” so families can focus on the important role of helping and advocating.
“Families really are the best advocates for your loved one getting the care, especially when it comes to our military and veterans, that they really deserve,” says Considine.
Like many sponsors, Fisher House has been involved in the Invictus Games since the inaugural London 2014 Games. Its commitment has grown significantly in the last decade.
“We’re not a foundation that sponsors major events,” explains Considine.
“We have our mission of building Fisher Houses
“But making sure we can be a part of this happening (the Friends and Family program at Invictus) is so important to every single person at Fisher House. It means a lot of us as well, personally.”
Working together to inspire change
Our partnership with Canada goes beyond aerospace. Through local organizations, we support veterans, strengthen Indigenous communities, further STEM education initiatives and promote environmental stewardship.
Learn more at boeing.ca/community
GLOBAL PRESENTING SPONSORBOEING
Boeing is the Global Presenting Partner at IG25. Like Fisher House, it too has deep roots helping military personnel.
“Boeing has been a proud partner of the Invictus Games since 2018 because we are committed to empowering veterans and their families in their next mission after their service ends,” says Linwood Ham, director of military and veteran affairs at Boeing. “This includes supporting rehabilitation and recovery programs worldwide that heal visible and invisible wounds, supporting transitioning military service members through employment readiness programs, and programs that foster a sense of community and belonging. We are honoured to serve all the people who rely on our products and services every day and grateful for the teammates who chose to work at Boeing after transitioning from service.”
CO-PRESENTING SPONSOR - ATCO
ATCO has been a presenting sponsor of Team Canada at the Invictus Games in the past. This year it ups the ante as Presenting Partner of IG25, alongside Boeing.
“It is a true honour for ATCO to support the inspiration Invictus Games provides to heroes from around the world who have faced the harshest of challenges,” says Nancy Southern, chair and CEO of ATCO. “The people of ATCO are proud of our long-standing commitment to the brave members of Canada’s military. Investing in the Invictus Games presents an opportunity to honour those who have sacrificed so much for all.”
The support for Invictus us a natural evolution for the long-
standing Canadian company that has deep ties to the Canadian military.
This dates back to when ATCO co-founder S.D. Southern joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a firefighter in 1941. Since that time, ATCO has provided military camps, defence support services as well as logistics and operational support.
Take its recent five year
commitment to provide facility maintenance and support services at Canadian Armed Forces sites across Canada’s North.
ATCO has also partnered with the Homes for Heroes Foundation to provide tiny home housing communities and support systems for Veterans experiencing homelessness in Calgary and Edmonton.
MARKETING MAGIC
“I AM” SIGNS CAPTURE SPIRIT OF INVICTUS GAMES
by Alison Taylor
I AM Brave.
I AM Strong.
I AM Struggling.
I AM Suffering.
I AM Determined.
I AM Unconquered.
WHAT DOES “I AM” MEAN TO YOU?
This dynamic slogan is the rallying cry of the Invictus Games, highlighted by the 10 larger-than-life “I AM” signs in Whistler and Vancouver, the openended words stacked on top of each other, heralding the Invictus Games and what they mean to all.
Like the hugely popular Taylor Swift signs before them - “Willow”, “Anti-Hero”, “Swiftcouver” - put in place for the singer’s December 2024 concerts in Vancouver, and later repurposed and rearranged as holiday signs - “Merry”, “Elf”, “Noel” - the “I AM” signs are a piece marketing magic, designed to create awareness and excitement for the event, not to mention, an alwayspopular photo opp.
“That’s why we have these signs around Vancouver and Whistler, to help engage the marketplace,” explains Dennis Dong, Director of Marketing for Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
Painted bright yellow, one of the colours of the Invictus Games, and measuring 8 feet high and 10 feet wide, the signs are on display in prominent places, the largest at Jack Poole Plaza, beside the Vancouver Convention
Centre, the hub of the Invictus Games in Vancouver.
There are two signs in Whistler, one at the entrance to Whistler Village, the other at mid-station on Whistler Mountain, aptly-placed near the hub of on-mountain adaptive sports at the Jeff Harbers Adaptive Sports Centre. This “I AM” sign will remain in place post-Games, a reminder of the competition and its message.
The interactive signs were manufactured in Canada by Pattison iD, and jointly designed by four artists representing the four Host First Nations. There is also a scannable QR code plaque, in French and English, on the reverse side of the signs, directing users to: invictusgames2925.ca/IAM
At its heart, the word invictus is Latin for “unconquered.”
The “I AM” slogan comes from the last two lines of the poem Invictus by English poet William Ernest Henley: “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”
But everyone has something unique to add to “I AM” and Invictus Games organizers encourage them to share it with the world.
“Each person has a different meaning,” says Dong. His, for example, is: “I AM honoured to be a part of this journey.”
This begs the question: What’s your “I AM?”
Share support for the Games by downloading an “I AM” board from invictusgames2025.ca and posting a photo on social media with the hashtag #ShareYourIAM with the tag @invictusgames25.
Jeremy Allen
Scotiabank is proud to be the lead banking sponsor of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
CELEBRATING INVICTUS FROM START TO FINISH
OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES BRING HEALING, CELEBRATION
by Will Johnson
Let the Games Begin
IT WILL BE a celebratory moment of healing. When the Invictus Games Opening Ceremony kicks off at BC Place on Saturday February 8, the competitors representing the 24 participating nations will parade out in a two-hour televised event. For many of these current and former military members, who are suffering from PTSD and wounds both physical and mental, it will be a significant moment in their recovery.
“This is not just a sporting event.
Every one of the competitors is either injured or sick, and not only are they recovering from being wounded, they are also suffering from mental health challenges. Coming together is a big part of their journey of healing,” says Patrick Roberge, executive producer of the opening and closing ceremonies.
The Opening Ceremony will feature 600 performers, world dignitaries and celebrities — most notably Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who founded the games in 2014.
“There’s a personal connection that the Duke has with the competitors.
When he started the games he’d seen firsthand his friends and comrades injured on the battlefield and he was inspired to start the games,” he says.
The Opening Ceremony kicks off at 1 p.m., timing designed to make the event accessible for families.
Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is the first Games to be co-hosted by Indigenous Nations. Representatives from the four Host Nations created the artwork and branding for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
“What’s unique is, as our country works toward reconciliation, veterans
BC Place Stadium, Vancouver. Albert Normandin
will be sharing in their healing together with the Indigenous community,” says Roberge.
Organizers have designed the event to make it comfortable for the participants suffering from PTSD or other mental health concerns, deciding against any explosives or pyrotechnics and also providing quiet rooms for those who get overwhelmed.
Katy Perry, Noah Karan, Chris Martin and Canadian artists Nelly Furtado and Roxane Bruneau are all scheduled to perform.
BRINGING CLOSURE
The closing theme is ‘unconquered.’ After nine days of competition, the Closing Ceremony will take place on February 16 at Rogers Arena, a tribute to the resilience and perseverance the competitors have shown on the battlefield, the sports field and beyond.
No matter what the military participants of Invictus are suffering from, they’re working to show that their trauma will not define their future.
“It’s about overcoming obstacles, removing barriers and celebrating the human spirit,” says Roberge. “And that theme of being ‘unconquered,’ which is what ‘invictus’ means, is reflected in every element of the show.”
Canadian icon and gold medal
Paralympian Rick Hansen will be giving a speech on removing barriers, and that will be followed by musical performances from Jelly Roll, Barenaked Ladies, and husband/wife duo, The War and Treaty. There will also be a performance by a 100-person choir.
“One person with an amazing story is Michael Trotter of The War and Treaty. He served in Afghanistan and didn’t have a music career. He was suffering from depression when they came across a piano. His commander said ‘go play piano’ and he was able to find release,” says Roberge.
“Shortly later his commander died, and the first time Michael performed was at his funeral. Now he’s a Grammy-nominated artist.”
Roberge says one of the highlights of organizing the ceremonies was collaborating with the four Indigenous artists who created designs for the games.
“They got together and created a unique look and feel that celebrated not only the rich culture of the Coast Salish but also the Invictus Games and we’ve embraced it,” he adds. “Our set designs are all based on those themes, it’s very unique, and competitors from around the world will now get a glimpse of (this) culture for the first time.”
Rogers Arena, Vancouver. Getty Images, oasisamuel
Chris Martin, Nelly Furtado, Noah Kahan, Roxane Bruneau. All images courtesy of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025
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London Drugs has a strong tradition of supporting Canadian service members and veterans, providing funds for a number of military and veterans support organizations. Our commitment to the Invictus Games
Vancouver Whistler 2025 is no different.
“London Drugs was established by a returning Canadian veteran from WWII, and our current ownership lost a family member serving Canada in the war. We are a Canadian company, with deep Canadian roots who see the incredible personal and family sacrifices made by Canadians protecting values at home and abroad. We have employees deeply touched by the ultimate sacrifice paid by family members, whether that be physical or psychological, and continue to be paid by serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces in their service to Canada, the Commonwealth, and the world.
For London Drugs, its ownership, its employees, and its customers, this is personal. Therefore, we are always pleased to provide ways that our London Drugs communities can join us in supporting our military who make invaluable contributions for Canadians every day.
Many London Drugs stores and their employees and customers are connected to Canadian Forces communities, and members from the Royal Canadian Legion and Canadian Forces are connected to London Drugs team members, making them an important part of the London Drugs family. By being the exclusive retailer, we can share the spirit of the Games across 79 stores and London Drugs communities in Western Canada.”
Clint Mahlman, President and COO, London Drugs Limited
GIVING BACK VOLUNTEERS
PLAY CRITICAL ROLE IN GAMES’ SUCCESS
by Alison Taylor
WHEN
HE WAS SEVEN years old, Nenad Srdjenovic’s family fled their country with two suitcases in hand. They left everything behind - their home, their extended family and friends, their lives as they knew it.
It was 1991. Two days later, the Yugoslavian border closed and war broke out within. What came next is one of Europe’s deadliest conflicts since World War II.
Had his family remained, life for Srdjenovic, who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, would have been much different. Instead, the family was given refugee status in Germany and later settled in Canada.
Imagine then, more than 30 years later, as Srdjenovic readied for his volunteer role at the Invictus Games Vancouver and Whistler 2025 (IG25), what it was like to hear from Team Canada competitor Rob Pullen, who served in the Canadian Infantry in 1993. At a press
conference in the lead up to the Games, Pullen recounted his story of saving a two-year-old boy and his family while clearing a village in the southern part of Croatia, part of the former Yugoslavia. Srdjenovic realized the little boy could have been him, that it could have been his family rescued in war. That connection resonated deeply and reinforced the importance of his volunteer work at IG25.
“It’s full circle for me,” he says, his voice thick with emotion, “being able to give back to the veterans who have put their lives on the line for our freedom and our safety.”
Srdjenovic is one of 1,900 volunteers who will play a critical role in IG25. They will greet competitors and family at the airport, help competitors and families navigate the transportation system, and help with the operational aspects such as timing and score-keeping, among many other things.
“They’re involved in every single aspect of the delivery of the Games,” says Jill Wurflinger, IG25’s volunteer program manager. “They are the face and the heart of the Games. And we absolutely could not stage the Games without this volunteer support.”
Volunteers have given their time, their energy and their resources for many reasons. But at the core is one
Courtesy of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025
common thread - the desire to say “thank you” to the men and women who have served.
Take Bob Nath, who retired from the Royal Fiji Military Forces, serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL. He now volunteers extensively in Vancouver.
“Volunteering is an undervalued form of currency, and I recognize its importance,” he says. “By contributing my time, I help support the success of the community.”
Many volunteers come too with previous volunteer experience from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. And many have seen first hand the transformative power of sport.
“We have a legacy in Metro Vancouver and the Sea to Sky (corridor) of understanding the power of sport,” says Wurflinger. “It’s a legacy from 2010 and I think a lot of people wanted to be part of supporting people using sport to stay connected, to be a part of community.”
It’s one of the reasons why twin brothers Emil and Nikhil Damji are volunteering, two of the youngest volunteers at 18 years old.
Says Emil Damji: “Sports can often be quite exclusive and inaccessible to competitors with disabilities. The Invictus Games creates an opportunity to both celebrate veterans from around the world and gives them a chance to compete and find joy through sports which may not always be accessible to them.”
Sredjenovic too has felt that transformative power.
In 2023, he had the chance to ski in Whistler with the Whistler Adaptive Ski Program (WASP). “I’ve always wanted to ski and never knew I would be able to,” he says. “It’s an awesome liberating feeling to be able to slide down a mountain slope.”
Team Canada’s Rob Pullen will be competing in Alpine Sit Ski, Wheelchair Basketball and Indoor Rowing.
The Invictus Games, Sredjenovic adds, is a moment of togetherness, a celebration of different abilities, for competitors, family and friends, volunteers and the public.
And, he adds: “It shows that humanity will always outshine any of the darkness that is happening in the world.”
4,500 applications to volunteers
1,900 chosen
From 18 countries Speak 36 languages
15%
Have military affiliation (either active or a veteran)
Youngest 18 years old
Oldest 85 years old
Volunteers. Jon Suk
Topimageby Jon Suk. Middleimagecourtesyof Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. Bottomimageby Tim Richter.
FRIENDS OF THE GAMES
GLOBAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT
INVICTUS AIMS TO CREATE FAIR PLAYING FIELD
A UNIQUE CATEGORIZATION SYSTEM PROVIDES ROOM FOR ALL COMPETITORS
By Alison Taylor
Meet Dr. Helen Blamey, lead categorizer for the Invictus Games Foundation.
SINCE THE FIRST Invictus Games in London 2014, where she coached Team U.K. in rowing, Blamey has been involved in assessing thousands of competitors and finding the right, and more importantly, the fairest
place for them to compete on the Invictus playing field whether on the court, in the pool, and now for the first time ever, on the snow.
It’s been a decade of extensive work, developing a system that meets the needs of a broad range of competitors - work that complements Blamey’s career as a doctor as well as a classifier of several Para-sports.
“In Paralympic sport, you spend a lot of your time saying ‘no’ to people because that’s just the way the
system works,” explains Blamey.
There are, she adds, many hoops to jump through in Paralympics as well as an extensive medical history to provide as evidence. In many ways, this can be a barrier to participation.
The Invictus Games is just the opposite.
“You spend all of your time working out how to say ‘yes’ to people,” she says. “It’s brilliant.”
At the heart of the Invictus Games philosophy is the idea that there are no barriers; it’s open to all wounded, ill or injured military members or Veterans.
The Invictus categorization system recognizes that there are many different impairments.
“It’s not really possible to list every single impairment that would be eligible in a certain category,” says Blamey. “We rely on our categorizers’ clinical assessments and their professional judgment and their experiences.”
Volunteer doctors and
Dr. Helen Blamey assesses members of Team Nigeria during the categorization process for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. Courtesy of Dr. Helen Blamey.
physiotherapists aim to visit every participating nation before the Games, barring the handful of countries such as Israel, Ukraine and Afghanistan. There, they assess competitors. The idea is to have most of these assessments done pre-Games time in an effort to reduce anxiety for the competitors in the lead up to the Games and allow them to focus on their events.
Categorizers keep three core principles of the Invictus Games categorization at hand when assessing:
1. Is it fair?
2. Is the competitor disadvantaging other competitors by being in the category, or being disadvantaged?
3. Is the competitor’s impairment causing scapable activity limitation to listed impairments in the category?
It is a dynamic system based on flexibility.
“As the Invictus Games has evolved in the last decade, so too have the various impairments of competitors,” says Blamey. “There are more competitors now in the “open” category, encompassing people with psychological injuries or physical impairments that are quite minor.
“They compete in versions of the sport that aren’t adapted. The really cool thing about our system is that
Ideas for People and Planet™
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we allow people with pain-based impairments and functional disorders (impairments you can’t see on a scan or an x-ray).
“We’re really lucky. It’s a unique opportunity.”
The system relies on honesty and integrity from all competitors. As active members of the military or veterans, the competitors, by nature, are used to working hard to reach goals.
“These people all want to compete with integrity and to have valid competition,” says Blamey.
In addition, the focus of the Invictus Games isn’t the medals, or which team triumphs over all.
“It’s about everything you gain on the way to this experience; how you want to experience the journey on the way to that goal,” says Blamey.
“It’s life changing: that post-traumatic growth that people get through sport as a direct result of all the things you do behind the scenes. I don’t think there’s anything more powerful than using sport as a vehicle for people’s recovery and rehabilitation.”
NEW CATEGORIES
This year marks the first hybrid Invictus Games with six new sports:
ALPINE SKIING
SNOWBOARDING
BIATHLON
NORDIC SKIING
SKELETON
WHEELCHAIR CURLING
This brings a host of new categories to the Games. Take alpine skiing. One hundred and sixty-five skiers will compete in 18 different categories, including six sit-skiing categories. Time factors will also apply in this sport in addition to some of the other snow sports, another first for the Invictus Games. This means that though a competitor may cross the finish line first, the time will be factored for the final result.
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13:00 - 15:00
08:20 - 13:35 WCB POOLS 15:45 - 16:30 SEMIFINALS
CEREMONY 18:20 - 21:15 WCB POOLS 12:05 - 13:45 14:45 - 18:45 SKE DAY 1 ASK
GAMES SCHEDULE
WCU - Wheelchair Curling
WCB - Wheelchair Basketball
SKE - Skeleton
NOR - Nordic Cross-Country
BIA - Biathlon
ASK - Alpine Skiing
ASB - Alpine Snowboarding
WCR - Wheelchair Rugby
SWI - Swimming
WAV - Whistler Blackcomb UBC - UBC Aquatic Centre
KEY - OTHERS NOV - Novice INT- ADV - Intermediate Advanced KEY - SPORTS
SVB - Sitting Volleyball
IRO - Indoor Rowing
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Together with our valued clients and colleagues, we are honoured to support this extraordinary event, and the courage and resilience of the competitors who inspire us all.
IG25 A BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE WINTER SPORTS COMPETITION
A HYBRID GAMES OFFERS COMPETITORS NEW CHALLENGES AND GOALS
By Alison Taylor
All eyes are on the West Coast mountains this February as Invictus competitors take to the snow and ice for six new winter sports at the 2025 Games.
THIS IS THE FIRST time alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling will be showcased, setting the stage for a unique eight-day event - the very first winter hybrid Games. What that means for future Invictus Games remains to be seen but it makes the 2025 event one for the record books.
“We were able to put together a very multilayered bid,” explains Nick Booth, CEO for True Patriot Love, Canada’s national foundation for the military and Veteran community, which spearheaded the 2025 bid as well as the successful 2017 bid in Toronto.
The Vancouver Whistler proposal was one of eight bids considered by the Invictus Games Foundation, and ultimately successful with its hybrid winter sport proposal.
“We knew that there was an opportunity to differentiate (from the other bids) by adding winter sport but it was more than just differentiation,” says Booth, of the reasons for its success.
”There’s lots of good academic evidence that exposure to mountain sports, exposure to the fresh air environment, and a managed degree of risk is really good for people’s rehabilitation and recovery.”
This was also an opportunity to showcase Canada’s winter facilities.
Whistler will showcase all new winter events, except for wheelchair curling which will take place at Vancouver’s Hillcrest Centre. All Whistler facilities - Whistler Blackcomb, the Whistler Sliding Centre, and the Whistler Nordic Centre - were used during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler. The venues have been used extensively, both at the highest level of competition as well as recreationally.
Whistler, BC. Courtesy of Tourism Whistler, Ben Girardi
“We did a feasibility study on the Games,” adds Booth. “We looked at all the different options within Canada. We looked at different cities. But the opportunity to use the facilities from the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver and Whistler meant that we had world class facilities but we also didn’t need to spend a significant amount of money on capital expenditure, which allowed us to keep the cost of the Games to a reasonable amount as well as optimize any additional funds into a legacy program.”
Whistler, for its part, was ready to welcome Invictus. The resort municipality put forward $240,000 to help activate and animate the Village during the event in an effort to add to its success.
“Whistler was built with winter sport hosting at the very front of our mind,” says Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton, pointing to the Village nestled at the base of the mountains,
built by design to showcase Whistler and Blackcomb.
“We’re incredibly proud to be the first host of the hybrid Games.”
Another factor that perhaps tipped the scales for the hybrid Games is the opportunity of introducing and honing winter skills for service members.
”The winter skills are really important to our military, particularly Canada’s role in protecting the North,” adds Booth. “There were layers to this (bid) that I think really allowed us to stand out.”
THE WINTER COMPETITORS
Winter sports will be new to some competitors. There will be a novice/ beginner category in alpine skiing, for example. This is part of the beauty of the winter programintroducing new opportunities to service members or veterans who may have never had the chance to ski on snow or slide on ice.
The Invictus Games, reminds Booth who has been a part of the Games since its inception in London 2014, are not about winning.
“Soldiers, sailors, aviators are, by definition, competitive, but the Invictus Games is about inclusion and accessibility,” he says. “And so, when we put events on like skiing and snowboarding, sliding and skeleton, we knew that a number of the competitors had never done that before. That’s part of the attraction. What you’re really trying to do here is inspire people’s recovery journeys. The brave men and women who serve in uniform in all the different 23 nations that are taking part will have proudly served their country and will be suffering from either physical or psychological, or both, injuries. What Invictus is about is inspiring them on that journey of recovery, getting them out of their dark place, off the sofa, out of the basement and trying new things.”
Whistler Sliding Centre. Courtesy of Tourism Whistler
The long-standing Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP) is lending its expertise and equipment to the event. It will play a key role in putting on training days on the snow in the days before competition.
”Our team is well equipped to understand the subtleties of what these competitors need,” says Sian Blythe, WASP executive director.
WASP has been a part of Whistler for almost three decades.
“It has given the Sea to Sky community an adaptive playground for individuals with physical and neuro diverse disabilities,” she adds.
That in turn has grown into a program offering these opportunities, from skiing and snowboarding in the winter to kayaking, biking and hiking in the summer, to people around the world. They can come to Whistler where they have the opportunity to be independent in recreation.
MEASURING SUCCESS
Time will tell if there will be another hybrid Games in the wake of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. But the groundwork has been set, due in no small part to the work of True Patriot Love.
The foundation has established the Invictus Games Legacy Program for 2025. Among other things the program will increase access to yearround adaptive sports. It will share global best practices and provide a foundation for future winter hybrid Games.
“Success can be many things,” says Booth. “At its heart, the most important measure of success is that the competitors and their families have a truly great experience.
”But the wider impact also is about reconnecting the Canadian public and indeed beyond Canada, with their armed forces. The world we live in is increasingly challenging
as we all know, and we rely upon our volunteer military… and it relies on men and women stepping forward and proudly serving. I think there’s a moral contract that if somebody does that you then have an obligation to look after them afterwards.”
Whistler too is looking to grow from the experience.
“We learn a tremendous amount about ourselves when we host,” says Mayor Crompton. “It’s great as a community to be a part of their healing journey.”
And, there is no denying the healing power of the mountains, adds Blythe.
“They have such a special place in our world.”
She has seen it at work first-hand through WASP. Seeing someone navigate down the mountain in a sit ski, doing something they never thought they would do, or never thought they would be able to do again, opens the doors of possibilities. Suddenly, the difficult daily things become possibletransferring into a car, finding accessible parking, among so many other things.
”It’s that breakdown of the barriers we have inside our heads,” she adds.
It’s transformative.
Booth recalls the last training camp for Team Canada in January 2025 where he was speaking to someone on the medical team who commented on the difference in the competitors from the first training camp in March 2024 to then 10 months later. Back then: ‘They had no light in their eyes; but now, their eyes are aflame.’”
It remains to be seen if the winter sports will live on at Invictus. But Vancouver and Whistler will provide a blueprint for future success.
”It may be hard to replicate,” admits Booth. “But then it becomes a very special and unique experience. I hope it’s not the last one.”
Jeremy Allen
MAJOR VENUES READY FOR INVICTUS
VANCOUVER AND WHISTLER ARE SET TO WELCOME COMPETITORS TO WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES
by Alyssa Noel
THE VENUES set to host this year’s Invictus Games are located in two different—though equally scenic— locations: one is a city, the other a town. One is on the oceanfront, the other is tucked away in the Coast Mountains. But both Vancouver and Whistler have plenty experience welcoming world-class events, including the 2010 Olympics.
LET’S BREAK IT DOWN.
The Vancouver Convention Centre couldn’t be better situated for visitors. It’s right on the waterfront and central to hotels, nightlife, beaches and shopping. It’s set to welcome competitors competing in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, indoor rowing and sitting volleyball.
Home to the Vancouver Curling Club, the Hillcrest Centre boasts eight sheets of ice. This will be the spot for wheelchair curling during the Invictus Games.
Swimming events, meanwhile, will take place at the UBC Aquatic Centre. One fun fact about the venue? It replaces the 5 cm of daily evaporated pool water with rainwater collected from the building’s roof, along with other green initiatives.
Canada Place, Vancouver. Courtesy of Destination BC
Just north of the city, down the winding, scenic Sea to Sky highway, you’ll find Whistler Blackcomb (WB), North America’s largest ski resort. With an excellent snow year underway, Dane Gergovich, Senior Manager of Communications with WB said conditions are on track for the game’s alpine skiing and snowboarding competitions.
“Historically in Whistler, we have seen good snow accumulation during the month of February, giving us favourable conditions,” he says. “Obviously, weather can change, especially during La Nina years, but we are confident that conditions will be in a good place to welcome Invictus competitors in February.”
Spectators can watch all the alpine events for free, either via ski or snowboard to the Olympic Learning Area or down in the Lower Olympic area, adjacent to the course.
Down in Whistler Village, the public can stop by to check out a screen broadcasting the intermediate/ advanced event in Skier’s Plaza. Keep in mind the Whistler venues are all outdoors and spectators should dress for the winter weather.
At the nearby Whistler Sliding Centre, spectators can watch skeleton competitors on the “fastest track in the world,” says Bruce MacMillan, Managing Director of Business Development at Whistler Sports Legacies, which runs the sliding centre and Whistler Olympic Park. “All three sliding sports are still actively using the facility—bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge. The facility is located on Blackcomb Mountain, just a short distance from Whistler Village.”
Those who want to venture off the beaten track can head down the picturesque Callaghan Valley Road to Whistler Olympic Park, where Nordic skiing and biathlon
events will take place.
“Whistler Olympic Park is a world-class destination for outdoor recreation activities and Nordic sports, located just south of Whistler in the stunning Callaghan Valley,” MacMillan says. “Established for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the park’s facilities are now enjoyed by both high-performance competitors and recreational guests alike.”
Rounding out the venue list, the opening and closing ceremonies take place at different Vancouver locations: BC Place and Rogers Arena, respectively.
Both downtown venues host the city’s biggest concert and sport events throughout the year, making them the perfect locations to kick off and close down the Invictus Games Vancovuer Whistler 2025.
Left, Hillcrest Centre. Right, UBC Aquatics Centre. Courtesy of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025
BC Place Stadium, Vancouver. Albert Normandin
