Team Yukon is gearing up for the Arctic Winter Games.

The Arctics run from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4 in the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo in northeastern Alberta.

These will be the first Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in five years. The 2020 Games in Whitehorse were cancelled due to COVID 19. The Wood Buffalo Games were postponed from 2022 to 2023.

Most of the events are taking place in and around Fort McMurray, but there is also speed skating in Fort McKay, north of Fort Mac. Badminton takes place at Anzac and alpine skiing and snowboarding at Vista Ridge All Seasons Park, both south of Fort Mac.

Athletes are competing in 20 sports at the Games.

Over 2,000 athletes, coaches, mission staff, and cultural delegates will be descending on northeastern Alta. for the Games.

Over 350 athletes, coaches and support staff will represent Team Yukon in Wood Buffalo.

The chef de mission for Team Yukon is Megan Cromarty.

The assistant chefs de mission are Trevor Twardochleb and Tracey Bilsky.

According to the Team Yukon AWG Media Guide, there are several notable athletes competing for the Yukon at the Games.

Dene Games athlete Tyler O'Brien will be competing in his fifth consecutive Arctic Winter Games.

There are four sets of siblings on the Dene Games team, including Angela and Isabelle Prochazka, Harmony and Myra Kendi, Kiawana, Kadin and Kashtyn Leas and Mats'äsäna Ma Primozic/Denise Griffith.

Alpine skiing also features a pair of siblings, Thomas and Tori Vollmer.

Basketball player Arian Battallones will be making her third appearance at the Arctic Winter Games.

Archer Emmett Kapaniuk will be representing the Yukon after competing for Team Canada at the Youth and Senior Pan American Games.

Archery is making its Games debut in barebow and compound classes.

Snowboarder Stian Langbakk will attempt to follow up his silver at the B.C. Provincial Series slopestyle competition by winning a signature ulu medal at the Games.

Including the 2020 AWG, table tennis coach Kevin Murphy will be attending his 15th Arctics.

Wrestlers Leah McLean and Jaymi Hinchey will be competing in three major games – CSG, AWG, and CWG – in less than nine months.

Hinchey will lead Team Yukon into the opening ceremonies as the flag bearer.

The female and male curling teams feature a set of siblings who will be coached by their fathers. Chloe and Hadley Searson will be coached by their dad Troy, while Charles and Roman Snider will be coached by their dad Michael.

The action starts Sunday with Yukon taking on Team Alaska in female and male curling at 11 a.m.

The female ice hockey team takes on Alberta North at 11 a.m. as well.

Yukon's female futsal team starts their Games versus Team Alaska at noon, followed by the male futsal team in action against Alaska at 1 p,m. Both games feature players born in 2007 or later.

In a press release, Team Yukon Chef de mission Megan Cromarty stated "The Arctic Winter Games are an important opportunity for Yukoners to enjoy sport, compete to their highest ability, make friends and experience cultures from across the Arctic. I am proud of every athlete that will be representing Team Yukon. I’d also like to thank the coaches, officials, 2023 Host Society and volunteers who help make this unique event possible."

Team Yukon will have three flights departing Whitehorse on Jan. 28.

The Star will have extensive coverage of the Yukon results at the AWG next week.