Saskatchewan Catan players vie for spot in nationals through Regina tournament - Prince Albert Daily Herald

Arts FacebookTwitterLinkedinCopy URL Emmanuel Vela (middle) is pictured playing Catan during a national qualifier at the Gather Local Market in Saskatoon on Oct. 25, 2025. He won the tournament and will go on to the Canadian national event in August 2026. Supplied by SaskCatan Nykole King Regina Leader-Post A community of Catan enthusiasts in Saskatchewan has grown over the past year, with more victors coming out of local qualifiers and set to duel at the national level. Catan, previously referred to as Settlers of Catan, is a multiplayer board game where players trade and acquire resources to expand their settlements across the terrain. The rise in popularity of Catan since its 1995 release has led to annual Canadian tournaments and biennial world championships. Saskatoon’s Tyrel Wilgosh, who founded SaskCatan in February of last year, will be hosting a qualifier in Regina for the first time on Saturday. Dozens of players are set to battle it out at the Escape Club on Dewdney Avenue, with the winner heading to the national championship in August. “I didn’t think it would grow this much,” said Wilgosh, who’s been hosting more events to keep up with the demand of Saskatchewan players. “And it’s quite frankly amazing that these tournaments are as big as they are.” The community of self-identified “settlers” is slated to send four Saskatchewan representatives to this year’s national championship. The location has not yet been announced. Regina’s Emmanuel Vela and James Kwasnicki won previous qualifying events in Saskatoon and Moose Jaw, respectively. The other two slots will be determined in Regina on Saturday and in Saskatoon on May 16 at High Key Brewing. The Canadian winner will earn a berth in the 2027 Catan world championship to defend Canada’s 2025 victory. At the start of Catan, when hexagonal tiles are laid out and resource cards are distributed, Wilgosh enjoys the challenge of determining what strategy will help him win 10 victory points the quickest. He says it’s different than other board games that might rely on luck. Wilgosh’s own friends and family weren’t interested in playing Catan, which is what led him to grow the community. He didn’t expect the fortnightly casual games in Saskatoon and regional tournaments to be so well received after only one year. “The friendships I created in the last year and just the connections in the last year make it all worth it,” added Wilgosh. nyking@postmedia.com -Advertisement-