Singlets and swimsuits will be making their way to Carson City as two regional tournaments are being hosted here this weekend.
The USA Wrestling of Nevada 2017 Folkstyle Championships is expected to bring in 600 competitors Saturday and Sunday at the Carson City Multi-Use Athletic Center.
The 2017 Pacific 14 and Under Junior Olympics Swimming Championships will be today through Sunday at the Carson Aquatic Facility. About 300 swimmers and their families will be in town.
“This is the time of year when the sports tourism season kicks off,” said Kyle Horvath, marketing manager of the Carson City Visitors Bureau. “It starts with swimming and wrestling then immediately jumps into baseball, softball and soccer with the Comstock Shootout in April. Our fields are in great shape this time of year.”
Wrestlers from across the state will compete to determine the 2017 Nevada state champion within seven age divisions and 60 weight classes.
Wrestling begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with wrestlers between the ages of 4 and 8. The second session is 9-10-year-olds and the girls divisions for both high school and middle school.
Sunday will begin at 8 a.m. with middle and high school wrestlers.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children.
Three Carson Tigershark swimmers have qualified for the Junior Olympic event. Matteas Klatt, Katarina Klatt and Nick Melsheimer will compete in the meet. Prelims will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and finals, deciding the top eight in the region, begin at 4 p.m. each day. For more information on the meet contact Becki Boehnke, team manager, at 775-721-6142 or becki@tigersharks.org or check out the team’s website at www.tigersharks.org.
Carson City brings in about 25 sports tournaments per year, according to Joel Dunn, executive director of the Carson City Visitors Bureau.
“Sports tourism drives 10 percent of our overall visits annually,” Dunn said. “It accounts for roughly 70,000 people coming to Carson City every year, which is a boon to our local businesses.”
For information on the swimming championships, go to www.teamunify.com/TabGeneric.jsp?_tabid_=79039&team=pcct. To learn more about the wrestling torunmament, go to www.usanevadawrestling.org or watch the livestream via the Trackwrestling video network.