Ace Burpee's Top 100 Most Fascinating Manitobans of 2024

It’s been another year of Manitobans doing interesting, incredible and cool things. The hardest part of compiling this list is cutting it off at 100.

This year was especially brutal in terms of losing some amazing people in our province. Their impact was enormous and will be felt forever.

I don’t repeat names on the list from year to year, which is all fine and good until you have a situation like Skylar Park winning a bronze medal at the summer Olympic Games in Paris. I first had her on this list five years ago. It happens, but it stresses me out.

Anyway, enjoy and all the best in the new year.

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The large sign with the inscription 'If you build it,' can be seen here at the entrance to the baseball field on Sept. 10, 2024. (Joseph Bernacki/CTV News Winnipeg)

Joe Gardiner, Travis Avery & Jace Guilford: In southwest Manitoba sits the town of Clearwater. An underrated gem of a place and home to the Harvest Moon Festival, it now also boasts a real-life, as-epic-as-Hollywood Field of Dreams. Shout out to Free Press writer Mike McIntyre for first reporting on this absolutely epic baseball diamond carved into a field of Manitoba corn. Spectacular job. They put the diamond to great use, hosting a tourney that raised $50,000 for the Clearwater Community Foundation.

Leanne Taylor receives her bronze medal for women's Para Triathlon PTWC during the Paralympic Games in Paris, France on September 2, 2024. (Dave Holland/The Canadian Press Paralympic Committee)

Leanne Taylor: Paralyzed from the waist down in a biking accident in 2018, Leanne completed her first para-triathlon eight months after being injured. She became a decorated medallist on the world stage, and is now a Paralympic medallist after bringing home a bronze from the Paris 2024 Games.

Toronto goaltender Kristen Campbell reacts after Ottawa's second goal during first period PWHL.action in Toronto on Saturday January 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn (Frank Gunn/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Kristen Campbell & Corinne Schroeder: The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has only six teams, therefore only six starting goaltenders. Two of the three finalists for goaltender of the year in the inaugural PWHL season were from Manitoba. Schroeder, from Elm Creek, backstopped the New York Sirens, and Campbell, from Brandon, was between the pipes for the Toronto Sceptres. Campbell was declared goaltender of the year.

New York goaltender Corinne Schroeder (30) receives the player of the game award after New York beat Toronto 4-0 in the inaugural game of the PWHL, in Toronto, on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The full list can be found here.