Story 15: Team QCH Takes On The Winter Games!

With the 2026 Winter Olympics coming up, we’re looking back at podium-worthy performances from Team QCH! From ski trips and hockey matchups to “Hospital Heat” Winterlude rivalries, QCH has brought Olympic-level grit to winter sports over the years. 

Alpine & Cross-Country Skiing (1980)  

The winter of 1980 got off to a rocky start for a Team QCH outing at Gray Rocks in the Laurentian Mountains: A late bus and a lost navigator slowed down the QCH crew, but the group found its stride, excelling in both downhill and cross-country skiing. 

The Winter Carnival (1980-1981)  

On March 1, 1980, QCH held a Winter Carnival. Competitors braved the cold to participate in activities like broomball, cross-country skiing, and a "Wacky Canoe Race" that involved running with a canoe in sub-zero winds. 

March 1, 1980 – Broomball Tournament and 1981 Broomball Champions – Dietary Department

The Great Canadian Bed Race  

In 1985, the QCH “Mad Dreamers” joined the annual Winterlude bed race, competing in the Hospital Heat, a friendly competition between local hospitals in the Great Canadian Bed Race. By then, the race had been running for seven years and was a core part of Ottawa’s Winterlude festivities. Held on the Rideau Canal, the event followed strict rules for bed design and safety to keep the race fun and fair.

February 9, 1985 – First QCH Winterlude Bed Race, The QCH Mad Dreamerse and February 1, 2014 – QCH Winterlude Bed Race 

February 9, 1985 – First QCH Winterlude Bed Race, The QCH Mad Dreamers and February 1, 2014 – QCH Winterlude Bed Race

Hockey - The QCH Blades (1995) 

1995 QCH Blades