By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer
August 26 — Introducing Vancouver Rise FC
Women’s professional soccer has a new home in Vancouver. The Northern Super League (NSL), which begins play in April 2025, will have teams playing in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. At an event in late August, the team name was announced as Vancouver Rise FC. The club noted the importance of their name as “a beacon of empowerment and progress, inspiring the next generation to rise above and chase their dreams.” While the team has not yet announced a home base, Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium has been eyed as a contender. The Rise social media accounts have also teased the potential involvement of Canadian soccer legend, Christine Sinclair.
August 27 — Williams Racing replaces underperforming Sargeant with junior driver Colapinto
After scoring no points in 15 races this season — and suffering a big crash during the Dutch Grand Prix practice sessions — American Logan Sargeant lost his seat at the British-based team. Sargeant was the only American on the grid, and only scored one point during his year and a half racing in Formula 1. Auto racing team Williams Racing replaced him with Argentinian Franco Colapinto, a member of their Williams Driver Academy who was sixth in the Formula 2 standings before being promoted to the top series.
August 31 — Nathan Rourke wins again in the CFL
After not finding a place in the NFL since leaving the BC Lions as the 2022 CFL Outstanding Canadian, Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke made his return to the CFL. He returned in the absence of the regular Lions starting quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr., who was injured during a 25–0 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 21. Rourke earned his first win at the 2024 Touchdown Pacific event — a Lions home game hosted in Victoria instead of Vancouver — where he had 21 completed passes for 30 attempts, and threw 325 yards in the 38–12 win against the Ottawa Redblacks.
September 3 — Leon Draisaitl re-signs with the Edmonton Oilers
Previously eligible for free agency at the end of 2024–25 NHL season, the German center re-signed in Alberta’s capital for eight more years. Draisaitl’s new contract is worth $112 million, with an average annual value of $14 million — currently the highest in the league. Draisaitl scored 850 points in 719 regular season games with the Oilers, and has earned 108 points in 74 playoff games. This re-signing comes after Draisaitl scored 31 points in 25 games during the Oilers’ run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games.
September 5 — NFL season kicks off in Kansas City
The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27–20 in the NFL’s season-opening game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had 20 completed passes for 28 attempts and threw 291 yards, while Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had 26 completed passes for 41 attempts and threw 273 yards. And yes, Taylor Swift was in attendance.
September 6 — The Woodhalls are golden
On August 8, Tara Woodhall-Davis earned her first Olympic gold medal by reaching a 7.10m distance in women’s long jump in Paris. Nearly a month later, her husband Hunter Woodhall sprinted to gold in the men’s 400m T62 final at the Paralympics in the same stadium, the Stade de France. The couple also document their respective athletic journeys on their YouTube channel, Tara and Hunter.
