Let the games begin.

With Olympic images still fresh in their minds, athletes from Northern Manitoba are headed for Portage la Prairie, site of the 2010 Power Smart Manitoba Winter Games, which kick off with opening ceremonies on Sunday and run until March 13.

The Norman region team includes 113 athletes, 17 coaches, eight managers and eight mission staff from Thompson, The Pas, Norway House, Flin Flon, God's Lake Narrows, Wabowden, Cranberry Portage, Grand Rapids, Oxford House, Cross Lake, Gillam and Denare Beach.

They will compete in nine sports at the games - artistic gymnastics, badminton, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, hockey, ringette, Special Olympics bowling and volleyball.

Forty-seven of the Norman athletes come from Thompson, with Oxford House and Norway House sending eight each, God's Lake Narrows and Cranberry Portage three athletes each, Wabowden and Gillam two apiece and Grand Rapids and Cross Lake both with one.

Hockey - which includes male and female competitions - has the biggest contingent with 33 players, followed by badminton with 16, ringette with 15, volleyball with 12, cross-country skiing with 11, gymnastics and curling with eight, while Special Olympics bowling and figure skating send five athletes apiece.

First held in 1974, and then every two years since 1986, the Power Smart Manitoba Games follow the Olympic cycle, taking place every two years, alternating between summer and winter events. They have grown to feature 1,800 athletes and 1,200 volunteers. Host communities benefit from more than $150,000 in sports facility capital upgrades.