Bobsleigh congress coming to Jamaica in 2021

Jamaica has been selected to host the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) annual congress in 2021, president of the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, Chris Stokes, told The Gleaner.

The congress, which will see its 92nd staging in 2021, will see delegates from over 40 nations converge on the island to discuss the sport’s most topical issues.

Jamaica last hosted the event in 1999, and Stokes said the local federation will be using the opportunity forge more relationships in the sport as it seeks to increase its influence worldwide.

“This is very important for us because it is a part of our mission to exert our influence in sport administration globally, as well as developing and excelling in competitions. And it will also be an opportunity to showcase Jamaica and network on home territory heading into the 2022 congress, which is an election year for the IBSF,” Stokes said.

INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE

Jamaica, which came to international prominence in the sport when the male four-man team made the country’s debut at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, bid for the event at the recently concluded congress in the Czech Republic, with Director of Tourism Donovan White and Stokes making presentations.

“We worked very closely with Donovan White and John Woolcock of the Jamaica Tourist Board to put a presentation together at this year’s congress, and we were successful as China was awarded the 2020 event and Jamaica getting the one in 2021,” Stokes explained.

“The bobsleigh family is really looking forward to coming to Jamaica for the congress and all the entertainment, beauty and the networking activities that happen around that.”

Jamaica also qualified a team in the women competition to the 2018 Winter Olympics.