The instructors of the Victoria-based World Cup Soccer Camp will return to North Vancouver Island to help local youth players in camps across several communities July 22-26.
Camps will be held during the week for players aged 6-14 in both Port Hardy and Port Alice, and for players from 4-16 years in Port McNeill and Sointula.
The week, as always, wraps up with the traditional jamboree tournament Friday morning, July 16, at the NISS track field in Port McNeill. Players from all communities, at all ages, are brought together to represent their "country" in mini games punctuated by flag-waving and wild dancing.
More information and advance registration for camps in each town is available online at www.worldcupsoccercamp.com.
Registration deadline is Monday morning, at the start of the first session of each camp.
Times an locations for each community:
• Port Hardy — 2 p.m., Port Hardy Secondary School (Info: Liz Kufaas at 250-949-7965 or Sandy Grenier at 250-949-8928);
• Port McNeill — 4-12 years, 9 a.m.; 12-16 years, 10 a.m., North Island Secondary School (Info: Sandy McKenzie, 250-956-4306);
• Port Alice — 9 a.m., Sea View Elementary (Info: Rec Centre, 250-284-3912); and
• Sointula — A.J. Elliott School (Info: Casey Swanson, 250-973-6455).
Equestrian clinic
Leanne Jones has recently built a riding arena on her Mine Road property. Now, she's bringing in noted horse trainer Steve Rother for a four-day horsemanship clinic for local equestrians.
Rother's Excel with Horses clinic will take place July 27-30, beginning at 9 a.m. each day, at the arena located at 1415 Mine Rd.
The clinic is open to people of all skill levels and disciplines, and includes both "on the ground" sessions to establish communication and confidence between rider and horse, and "under the saddle" sessions to continue those elements and improve both ridership and horse performance.
A minimum of two days participation is required, though the full, four-day clinic is recommended. Other participation options are available — if your horse is too young or not yet rideable you may take only the ground-work session. And spectators are welcome at $20 per day, with a discount for more than two days, to gain instruction from outside the rails.
For registration options, costs and info, visit www.horseteacher.com.
For local arena info, call Jones at 250-209-2679.
Grab a paddle
Registration is now under way for the annual Alert Bay 360 Eco Challenge, a human-powered paddling or rowing circumnavigation of Cormorant Island.
The challenge begins Sunday, Aug. 4, at 11 a.m. at Alert Bay's Government Dock. Individuals and teams of paddlers must be pre-registered at www.alertbay360.com, and registration packets must be picked up on-site before the race start.
Also featured on the weekend is the Paddler's Barbecue, Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Legion hall, and a breakfast buffet will be held at Pass'N Thyme Restaurant during Sunday's 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m. final registration.
Awards and prize draws will follow the challenge, at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Government Dock.
Baseball
This weekend's North Vancouver Island Baseball League playoffs may have been impacted by a double forfeit in Saturday's scheduled regular-season finale at Hyde Creek Ballpark.
The Port Hardy Cubs, who entered last week with a one-game lead over the Hyde Creek Hillbillys, did not make the trip to play their scheduled doubleheader — one of the games was a makeup of an earlier game the Cubs missed.
As no dates remained to make up the missing games before league playoffs begin Saturday, the Cubs took two losses to finish with an 8-4 record, and Hyde Creek vaulted to the top spot with a 9-3 mark.
The difference is the Cubs will need at least three games — and possibly four — to have a shot at the trophy awarded following Sunday's 1 p.m. playoff final.
As the top seed, Hyde Creek could conceivably win the tourney in just two games.
The playoffs open at 10 a.m. Saturday with Port Hardy facing third-place Port McNeill.
The winner then plays Hyde Creek at 1 p.m. Saturday.