Team Nunavut coaches, athletes ‘relieved’ AWG back to 2 year cycle

Arctic sports athlete Naja Pearce said she’s thrilled that the Arctic Winter Games are back on a two-year cycle. 

"I was so, so happy. As soon as I saw that release, I sent it right to our group chat and I was like, we have a two-year cycle again," she said, smiling. 

In December 2025, the games' committee had moved the event to a three-year cycle, but she and others criticized that change and said it would have denied young athletes opportunities to compete. 

"They would have only had like one year in the junior and then go straight into the open category, which could be pretty tough,” Pearce said. “That's what I did because of COVID and it was really hard from going from junior heights to open heights.” 

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Max Joy, the Nunavut girls hockey coach, said their team would've been heavily affected by the three-year cycle with almost all of their athletes aging out. 

“I'm just really kind of feeling relieved because I just know how much it means, especially to those kids in small communities who almost never get the chance to compete,” he said.  

Gavin Greenley, the Nunavut boys basketball coach, echoes Joy’s sentiment and said that going back to every two years means more chances for athletes.

"I was excited because it means some kids that didn't have an opportunity they'll get a chance to go to AWG because sometimes [it] is their only major tournament," Greenley said. 

Olivia Tapatai, the Nunavut girls basketball coach, said the return of the traditional two-year cycle keep athletes motivated and in the rhythm of competing. 

“It sounds like three years is not that long off, but it