2025: The year in local sports

East Winnipeg

Lizzie Lanes provides bowling fun for Windsor Park

Almost 10 years after its predecessor, Windsor Lanes, closed its doors for good, Lizzie Lanes bowling alley opened a revamped version of the space at 678 Elizabeth Rd. in Windsor Park in December 2024. The beginning of 2025 was a strike for the business, as the surrounding community took to the new lanes with stride.

“It’s been really great,” said Jodie Patrick, who co-owns the space with her husband, Jeffrey, early in the year.

Alongside bowling, Lizzie Lanes was, for a time, the home base of the Winnipeg Cribbage Group, organized by Lyndon Demers. It also has a stage and space for people to lounge and connect with their neighbours.

Miles Mac girls win provincial curling title

Miles Macdonell Collegiate won the varsity girls’ championship in Beausejour, Man., on Feb. 15, going undefeated in six games to defeat Pointe-des-Chenes 8-6 in the final. The team included lead Evan Armstrong, skip Robyn Buchel, third Addison Connon, second Lily Teeuwen, and alternate Isabel Yague Sureda.

CJS wins MWHSHL championship

The Collège Jeanne-Sauvé Olympiens girls’ hockey team finished the season top of the tree.

The St. Vital-based team won the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League’s Division 1 championship, beating the Glenlawn Lions 2-1 in the all-St. Vital best-of-three final series.

The Olympiens lost the first game 4-1 on March 18, levelled things with a 3-2 win on March 20, and won the decisive game 2-0 on March 21. All games were held at Seven Oaks Arena.

Reivers take AAAA boys basketball title

The Kildonan East Reivers captured the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s AAAA varsity boys’ provincial basketball championship on March 24, running and gunning their way to a 67-52 victory over the Dakota Lancers in the final at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.

Reivers forward Settimo Yugu was named the most valuable player of the provincial tournament.

St. Boniface crowned MMJHL champions

The St. Boniface Riels were practically perfect through the 2024-25 Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League playoffs, sweeping the St. Vital Junior Victorias in four games in the quarter-finals, then sweeping past the Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins in the semifinals.

With the championship on the line, St. Boniface kept the wins coming, going up three games to none against the Transcona Railer Express in the finals. Transcona won Game 4 3-2 on April 17 to keep the dream alive. But St. B responded on April 19 with a commanding 5-1 victory to take home the club’s sixth league title.

The Riels finished the regular season in fourth place with a 31-11-3 record and 65 points.

Team Manitoba brings home 34 medals from Canada Summer Games

Team Manitoba wrapped up the 2025 Canada Summer Games with 34 medals — 12 gold, 10 silver, and 12 bronze — on Aug. 24 in St. John’s, N.L.

Team Manitoba medal-winners included St. Vital-based swimmer Maxine Lavitt, who had the experience of a lifetime, bringing home five medals: a silver in the 100m freestyle para women’s race; a silver in the 100m backstroke para women’s race; a gold in the 100m breaststroke in the para women’s race; a gold in the 50m freestyle para women’s race; and a silver in the 200m para women’s relay race.

Elmwood High School wins AAAA Tier 2 football title

In the Winnipeg High School Football League AAAA Tier 2 final, Elmwood defeated the West Kildonan Wolverines 35-6 on Nov. 10. The Giants went 6-1-0 in league play this season, capping the season off with victory in the final at the Fort Garry Lions Football Club field.

Kulyk, Kinley among 2026 inductees to Manitoba Baseball HOF

Ed Kulyk and Al Kinley are among the list of 2026 inductees to the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. Both have been involved with the Elmwood Giants organization for many years. Kulyk is being inducted as an individual, Kinley as an honorary life member.