Vipers member Joveen Thengumplly Subin (above) preparing for a match | Photo Credit: Renfrew Vipers Amateur Wrestling
Each year the Canada East Wrestling Festival corrals excited wrestlers to give it their all in the final tournament of the season.
Last year the event was hosted by the Vipers right here in Renfrew at the myFM Centre, but for 2026 Renfrew’s youth wrestlers are headed to Windsor, Nova Scotia.
Team manager, Theresa Villneff, said the club put in a lot of work ahead of time to ensure as many kids as possible could take part.
Club president, Curtis Haaima, said keeping things affordable is one of the club’s main objectives.
The Vipers are a team made up of members from the Renfrew Amateur Wrestling Club, an organization celebrating 35 years of continuous operation.
Both Haaima and Villneff were wrestlers during their amateur years; supporting the sport today ensures today’s youth will continue participating in local programs.
Haaima said the aim of the club is not to “turn and burn,” they want potential wrestlers to genuinely enjoy the sport right here in Renfrew.
Although the Canada East Wrestling Festival is formatted like a tournament, there were no qualifiers, it’s an event to showcase the passion for youth wrestling.
The team will be staying in Halifax, but a journey is more than just the destination, and with over 1,500 kilometres to cover there is lots to see along the way.
Villneff planned some road-side stops to allow the team to stretch their legs along the way and one stop takes Villneff back to her wrestling years.
Last year the Canada East Wrestling Festival was hosted here at the myFM Centre in Renfrew and other years it has been all over Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
Villneff also said the trip is about more than just wrestling.
Weigh-ins for the tournament are tomorrow, May 8, and competition runs Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
