In just over 20 days, an estimated 1,000 of the world’s best swimmers are set to descend upon the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, as the 2016 FINA Short Course World Championships will be getting underway. This year marks the first edition of the biannual international swimming meet to ever take place in Canada and the nation is doing its part to make the competition one to remember.
Just announced this week, Widnsor organizers are set to hold the first-ever stand alone opening ceremony for a swimming World Championships. Details on the special ceremony are due to be released in the next few days, but organizers do know the special event will take place at the 5,000 seat Coliseum at Caesars Windsor.
Of the unique idea, the event’s Executive Director, Peter Knowles, says, “Normally it’s just done literally around or over the pool on the first day of competition. You’re pretty limited by what you can do around a pool which within 20 minutes is going to be used in competition. Here you’ve got Caesars Windsor, why not use it? Why not do something that’s never been done before?”
The opening ceremony will take place on December 5th and will feature talent local to Windsor, including producer/choreographer Melissa Williams. Approximately 1500 tickets will be available to the general public at an estimated cost of $40 each.