This August, Edmonton will be home to the 2016 International Gay and Lesbians Aquatics Championship (IGLA), running from August 8^th to 14^th. GayCalgary was lucky enough to chat with both co-chair Mike Stansberry, and Making Waves Co-President Craig Volkerink, about the exciting games.

GC: The event is almost here! What thoughts are going through your mind?

MS: It sure is coming up fast! There is still a lot to do, but everything is coming together nicely. I’m sure it will go by just as fast.

CV: Planning for IGLA has been two years in the making; I cannot wait for the event to get underway.

GC: What new changes can attendees expect to see this year?

MS: Expect Edmonton to host a world-class international event with amazing hospitality, amazing social events and an amazing experience.

CV: ... A world-class facility in a destination many would not normally have travelled to. As Edmontonians know how fantastic our city can be, we are excited to share it with the world.

GC: What changes have been instilled since the last event?

CV: Last year’s event in Stockholm ran into a number of challenges. The number of attendees was greatly underestimated and, because of this, some swim events ran two people per lane. For the water polo tournament, games were shortened and registration was cut off early, as there were too many teams. This made for some very long days at the pool, starting at 8am and running until 10 in the evening. For our event, we booked the entire aquatics facility for the week – even in advance of Stockholm. We have now planned in advance for events to be spread over the week and accommodating the number of athletes in attendance.

GC: What do you hope the community receives from organizing this event and hosting in a safe environment?

MS: We hope that the community is proud that we are hosting an LGBT sporting event that highlights our spirit. We helped to put Edmonton on the map as an international LGBT sports tourism destination. We still have a lot of work to do, but this was a giant leap forward.

CV: I have received a lot of flack recently both from the gay and ‘non-gay’ world. They ask me, "Why does it have to be gay?" I think that for [a] community traditionally marginalized from sports events like this, [the event will] encourage and foster participation. The skills and confidence you build from an event like IGLA are carried forward to other events around the world. Our Making Waves members compete in many other events across Alberta – not just LGBT ones.

There is an interesting phenomena, of sorts, called a ‘minority threat syndrome’: when you’re aware you are a minority in a sporting event, it has been shown you do not perform as well as you would when competing amongst your peers. IGLA removes this obstacle, and who knows, [it] might even result in a world record!

GC: What are some of your favourite memories from previous years?

MS: Where to begin! My first championship was in Toronto, in 2001 (the last time these championships were held in Canada). It was also the first time that Making Waves/Edmonton sent swimmers to the event. We were small, but mighty back then! My second championships were held as part of the Gay Games in Sydney in 2002 (IGLA championships are hosted in the off Gay Games years).

CV: My favourite memories from years previous happened beyond the pool. Aside from competing, there is a huge social component to the event. We have all made friends with fellow gay competitors around the world, and I’m excited to see some of them on my home turf. For IGLA this year, we have 15 social events that include happy hours, hosted dinners, a wine tasting, and two epic dance parties: Heaven and Hell, and Pure Pride: Aqua.

GC: What is it about IGLA that stands apart from the crowd and makes this such a diverse, must be there event?

MS: This is a great event for spectators, because it highlights four different aquatic sports at the same time (diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and open water swimming). The open water event also stands apart because Alberta rarely hosts open water competitions. The 4K and 1K Open Water event is open to the public and registration closes on August 7th, 2016. We have a lot of triathlons, but few sanctioned open water swim events.

On Saturday, August 13th we bring it all together! The swimming competition concludes: we have the semi-final and final Water Polo matches, a dive and synchro exhibition, and the Pink Flamingo performance! Everyone is invited! Come out! It’s a great way to meet new people, have a lot of fun, and consider swimming or joining the Making Waves polo team in the fall. IGLA has everything! Happy hours, parties, guest stars and an opening reception at the gorgeous City Hall building for participants and volunteers. Registration is open until August 7th for the 1k and 4k Open Water swim held Sunday morning, August 14th at Lake Summerside. Prepare for some summer fun Edmonton.