lululemon to host most Canadian hockey tournament ever at Lake Louise

Calgary’s backyards, streets, and ponds are no strangers to a good old game of shinny, but there’s one place in the province that is absolutely picture-perfect for some outdoor puck — Lake Louise.

Nestled into the Rocky Mountains and flanked by Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the lake becomes a hotspot for photographers and skaters alike as soon as winter hits (though, really, it’s a hotspot for the former all year-round), so it’s no wonder that it’s the location of lululemon’s Outdoor Classic.

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lululemon Outdoor Classic (photo provided by lululemon)

The 2020 mid-week hockey tournament marks the second year that lululemon has played host, while the weekend tournament has been a staple in Banff as the Lake Louise Pond Hockey Classic since 2009.

The lululemon Outdoor Classic will see a number of the company’s ambassadors travel to Banff to partake in the event, including Canadian national soccer team goalie and Alberta native Stephanie Labbé, as well as Alberta-based alpine skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis.

lululemon Outdoor Classic (photo provided by lululemon)

Michelle Davies, VP of Athletes and Influencer Programs, spoke about the upcoming event in a phone interview with Daily Hive.

“This is an example of [an event] where we get to lean into our Canadian roots — which I love — in one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Davies said in the interview.

lululemon Outdoor Classic (photo provided by lululemon)

She noted that the idea for the lululemon Outdoor Classic came about thanks to their stores in the area seeing the possibility of a collaboration between Fairmont Lake Louise and lululemon.

“Our stores were really passionate about this opportunity. They pulled in the team and said, ‘We’ve got to do this,’ and we listened,” she said.

“They know what our guests, in their regions and communities, want most.”

The stores are also a large part of ambassador recruiting, Davies said, with around 2,000 store ambassadors representing the company around the world.

lululemon Outdoor Classic (photo provided by lululemon)

However, lululemon also has around 60 global ambassadors, a team made up of athletes and trainers who may not be rooted in any one community full time given the amount of travelling they do.

Davies noted that ambassadors are a large part of the events that the company hosts, such as Banff’s Outdoor Classic and Vancouver’s immensely popular SeaWheeze Half Marathon.

“We really lean into them for these large-scale experiences that we’re talking about — they often make up really the talent at those experiences,” Davies said.

“They’re teaching our yoga classes and leading our runners through our training programs.”

lululemon Outdoor Classic (photo provided by lululemon)

The lululemon Outdoor Classic takes place from February 19 to 21 at Lake Louise, while the Lake Louise Pond Hockey Classic will be held from February 22 to 23.

Those hoping to partake in next year’s Pond Hockey Classic can add their team to a waitlist — though spots are highly coveted, with preference given to returning teams.

Anyone interested in seeing highlights from the lululemon Outdoor Classic can check it out at @fairmontcll, @lululemonmen, or @dailyhivecalgary on Instagram.