Updates, announcements, and photos from Lakehead Wrestling Club
Registration is now open for all LWC programs for the 2026–2027 season. We have programs for athletes from Kindergarten through high school — including our new High Performance stream. Spots are limited, so register early!
Thunder Bay athletes delivered outstanding performances at the 2026 Canadian Wrestling Championships in Montreal, earning national medals, national team spots, and valuable experience on Canada's biggest wrestling stage.
Lakehead Wrestling Club's Mike Zale represented Team Canada at the Senior Pan American Championships, earning a bronze medal and making Thunder Bay proud on the international stage.
This summer, LWC partnered with Anishnawbe Mushkiki and other local wrestling communities to run a series of camps — including an all-girls camp, a beginner's camp, and a week-long wrestling camp. We're proud to be part of summer development here in Thunder Bay.
Are you an experienced coach looking to further your development — or just starting out and want to explore what coaching is all about? LWC is looking for individuals interested in expanding their coaching development.
Moments from our athletes, competitions, and community
We're excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2026–2027 Lakehead Wrestling Club season! Whether your child is stepping on the mat for the first time or you're a returning athlete looking to compete at the highest level, we have a program for you.
Programs available this season include: Wolf Pups (K–Grade 2), Intermediate Elementary (Grades 3–5), Senior Elementary (Grades 6–8), High School Introduction (Grades 9–12, free), and our new High Performance Program for competitive high school wrestlers.
Registration is handled through TeamLinkt. Spots fill up quickly — don't miss your chance to be part of the LWC family this season!
MONTREAL, QC – Thunder Bay's wrestling community once again demonstrated why Northwestern Ontario continues to be one of Canada's premier wrestling regions, as athletes from the Lakehead Wrestling Club and Lakehead University Wrestling program delivered impressive performances at the 2026 Canadian Wrestling Championships held in Montreal from May 27–30.
Competing against the nation's best wrestlers across U17, U20, and Senior divisions, Thunder Bay athletes earned national medals, national team opportunities, and valuable experience on Canada's biggest wrestling stage.
The standout performance of the tournament came from Koen Hurlbert, who captured the U17 Men's 80 kg National Championship, earning a coveted spot on Team Canada and the opportunity to represent the country at upcoming international competition.
In the U17 division, Ava Hay battled her way to a strong 6th-place finish in the Women's 61 kg class, while Merric BeauParlant represented Thunder Bay in the highly competitive Men's 60 kg division.
The U20 division saw several Thunder Bay athletes take to the mats. Mylie Bacarri earned a bronze medal in the Women's 53 kg division and followed up her podium performance by winning a national team challenge match, securing her position as Canada's World Team Alternate. Teammates Owen Dale (70 kg), Caleb Blain (74 kg), and Carter Zuback (70 kg) also gained valuable national championship experience while competing against the country's elite junior wrestlers.
In the Senior division, Thunder Bay athletes continued to make their mark. Jakob Wildshutt delivered one of the most impressive performances of the event, earning a silver medal at 61 kg and advancing to the Senior National Championship Final in his first-ever appearance at the event. Mike Zale added a strong 5th-place finish in the Men's 65 kg division, while Brennan Laplante-Brady (74 kg) and Haley Florell (Women's 76 kg) also represented the region with determination and grit.
The team was coached by Lakehead University Head Coach Jordan Ferguson and Lakehead Wrestling Club Head Coach Justin BeauParlant, both of whom were proud of the performances displayed throughout the championships.
"We are excited about the opportunities now available to our medalists in the weeks and months ahead," said the coaching staff. "More importantly, we're extremely proud of every athlete who competed. Their performances reflected not only their success this weekend but also the tremendous growth they've shown throughout a long and demanding season."
The championships also provided a unique opportunity to celebrate Canadian wrestling history. During the event, Wrestling Canada recognized members of Canada's 1976 Olympic Wrestling Team, which competed in Montreal during the Summer Olympics.
Many wrestling fans may not realize that Thunder Bay played a significant role in Canada's Olympic preparations that year. Lakehead University served as the country's Olympic wrestling training centre leading up to the 1976 Games. LU's Head Coach Gord Garvie was the Head Coach of Team Canada that year. Among those honoured during the ceremony were Thunder Bay wrestling legends Steve Daniar and Brian Renken, who represented Canada at the Montreal Olympics.
Several former Lakehead University wrestlers who were members of that historic Olympic team were also recognized, including Egon Beiler, Terry Paice, and Mitch Kawasaki.
As another successful season comes to a close, the results in Montreal demonstrate that Thunder Bay remains a major contributor to Canadian wrestling excellence. With a national champion, multiple medalists, national team representation, and a growing group of talented young athletes, the future continues to look bright for wrestling in Northwestern Ontario.
Lakehead Wrestling Club is incredibly proud to announce that Mike Zale has earned a bronze medal at the Senior Pan American Wrestling Championships, representing Team Canada on the international stage.
Mike's podium finish at the Pan American Championships is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and the high level of wrestling development happening right here in Thunder Bay. Competing against the best senior wrestlers across the Americas is no small feat, and a bronze medal is a tremendous achievement.
We are so proud of Mike for representing not only Team Canada, but Lakehead Wrestling Club and the Thunder Bay wrestling community on the international stage. Congratulations, Mike — this is just the beginning!
This summer, Lakehead Wrestling Club partnered with Anishnawbe Mushkiki and other local wrestling communities to run a series of wrestling camps across Thunder Bay.
The camps included an all-girls wrestling camp through Girls Can, a beginner's wrestling camp for athletes new to the sport, and a week-long wrestling camp for more experienced participants.
We're proud to be part of summer wrestling development here in Thunder Bay and to work alongside community partners who share our commitment to growing the sport for everyone.
Lakehead Wrestling Club is looking for individuals who are interested in expanding their coaching development and becoming more involved in the sport of wrestling in Thunder Bay.
Whether you're an experienced coach looking to grow, or someone just starting out on their coaching path, we want to hear from you. LWC is committed to developing great coaches alongside great athletes.
If you're interested, please fill out our coaching interest form using the link below. We look forward to hearing from you!