The Walter Lundie Memorial Hockey Tournament begins Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Churchill, Manitoba. The annual event is a major highlight for the community, which is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.”
This year’s tournament is named after Walter Lundie, a local hockey star nicknamed “Geronimo” who was famous for his powerful slapshot. His granddaughter, Heather Botelho, organizes the competition which takes place at the arena inside the Town Centre Complex.
Approximately 200 players, plus their families and fans, are traveling to the Town of Churchill for the games. Some teams come from as far as Arviat, Nunavut, making a 12-hour journey by snowmobile along the coast of Hudson Bay to participate.
Local broadcasters Joe Stover and Roy Mexted will provide live streaming coverage of the tournament for those who cannot attend in person. Stover is a longtime resident and host of The How Do You Do Revue, while Mexted is the founder of Churchill Entertainment.
For the 870 residents of Churchill, the event is often described as a large family reunion that supports the local economy. The tournament continues a long tradition of using hockey to bring people together across the remote northern region.
