The Invictus Games 2025, the first to include a winter sports element, are underway in Canada.
Running to February 16, 2025 the 2025 Games are being staged in Vancouver and Whistler Blackcomb and have brought together around 550 competitors who are wounded, injured and sick military service personnel, both serving and veterans, from 25 nations, competing in adaptive sports.
The newly included winter sports include Alpine Skiing and Snowboard, Nordic Skiing, Biathlon, Skeleton and Wheelchair Curling.
Existing Invictus Games contests including Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Basketball are also being staged.
Athletes representing Team UK staged their final UK-based training camp, hosted by the Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence, at the Tamworth Snowdome before flying out to Canada.
"Winter sports is going to bring a huge dynamic change to the Invictus Games where we are going to get to experience snow sports which has a huge impact on mental health, it has a huge impact on rehabilitation and recovery as a whole," Steve Hooper, Invictus Games athlete and Captain of Team UK told BFBS Forces News, adding that the inclusion of winter sports in the games will have a "huge impact" on athletes and their journeys to recovery and rehabilitation.
"This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for us to go out and represent Team UK whilst on our recovery journeys."
The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry and first staged in 2014. Chris Martin and Katy Perry were amongst the stars performing at the opening ceremony.
