The Pickleball Canada National Championships were special this year not only because Winnipeg hosted for the first time, but also for the performance of a team of Interlake athletes.
Lisa Bergson of Matlock and Patti St. Godard of St. Andrews were among more than 700 participants at the 2025 Myoflex National Championship, presented by HearingLife, held Aug. 19–24 at Taylor Tennis Centre.
With 32 courts running each day, many teams were lost in the crowded field of competition. The Interlake duo, however, made their presence known on day one in the women’s doubles 4.0-and-above, 60+ division.
They opened with three wins in four round-robin games to place second in Pool 1. That earned them a quarterfinal berth later that day, where they edged Charlene Bolen and Barbara Lawrie 17-15 to advance.
Their run ended in the semifinals with a 15-8 loss to Karen Kettenacker and Marjorie Blackwood, who went on to win gold.
But Bergson and St. Godard rebounded in the bronze-medal match, defeating Lyse Tremblay and Terry Aleksic 11-9, 11-9.
“You’re playing the best of Canada in your category, so when you get to medal it’s a really good feeling,” Bergson said Friday.
Bergson also captured a second bronze at nationals as an alternate with Team Manitoba in the inaugural provincial team competition. Manitoba defeated Alberta 27-25 in the bronze-medal match, while B.C. beat Ontario 32-21 for gold.
“It was great,” Bergson said. “Me and Patti, and our group from Manitoba did really well. We brought in a lot of medals, and that’s a good thing.”
Pickleball continues to grow in Manitoba, with smaller tournaments in Winnipeg, Brandon, Selkirk and rural communities throughout the year. The sport is considered the fastest-growing worldwide, thanks in part to its accessibility.
At nationals, no qualification was required — players simply registered for divisions — which contributed to the large turnout.
“It was fantastic,” said Bergson, who also helped officiate. “It’s such an exciting thing to play players from all over Canada and challenge yourself that way. It’s what you’re doing the sport for. It’s so social too, so you’re meeting people from all over Canada and hearing their stories. It’s just an amazing experience, for sure.”
