Windsor and London have lost the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship to the cities of Vancouver and Victoria.
"We're not disappointed, we're not discouraged, we're just going to keep moving forward and we're on and up to the next bid," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.
Hockey Canada made the official announcement Thursday afternoon in Vancouver.
#NEWS | Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia will host the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. https://t.co/jHlbJ2eGrh #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/5EwCcofoUN
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 1, 2016
"We knew from the very beginning that if Hockey Canada was looking to move this tournament back to junior hockey communities like Windsor, like London that we would be the choice. But we always knew there were other big communities that were out there bidding as well," said Dilkens. "Hockey Canada chose to leave it in a big market like Vancouver, we certainly respect that decision."
London Mayor Matt Brown also expressed disappointment, but was keen to recognize the efforts of those who put the bid together.
"What we need to do is just be so proud of the group of people that put together this bid, who were competing head to head with communities like Vancouver and also recognize that we put together a very, very good case," said Brown.
Few are likely to be surprised that the Vancouver-Victoria bid was chosen to host the 2019 tournament. Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation appear to have favoured bids from cities with arenas that can hold up to 20,000 spectators, rather than smaller arenas like Budweiser Gardens and the WFCU Centre.
But Brown doesn't see that as a deterrent to future bids from cities like London and Windsor.
"Not right now doesn't mean not ever. So, I think there's reason for optimism here as well," said Brown.
In total the two communities spent $5,000 to enter the bid competition. The sporting event would have brought the top ten Under 20 hockey teams in the world to southwestern Ontario to compete in 31 games over 11 days from December 26, 2018 to January 5, 2019.
