Diving returns to the City of Windsor this weekend as the International Training and Aquatic Centre plays host to the Canadian Diving Championships.

Mayor Drew Dilkens welcomed 54 divers to the city on Thursday and also announced a two-year deal with Diving Canada to bring the FINA 2020 and 2021 Diving Grand Prix to Windsor.

“We'll bring over 100 divers, some of the best divers in the world, the Olympians that you'll see competing in Tokyo in 2020 will then come to the City of Windsor to earn points and it will be very, very exciting in the community,” says Dilkens.

Diving Canada wants to bring the sport back to Windsor after the city successfully hosted the FINA Diving World Series from 2014 to 2017.

“It's a fantastic facility for diving, not only training but hosting, so it just made perfect sense when we were looking at what the next two years would be for the Grand Prix,” says Penny Joyce, the Chief Operating Officer of Diving Canada.

No dates have been set for the Grand Prix, but officials expect it will generate more than $2 million for the local economy.

There are 54 athletes from 15 clubs at the Canadian Diving Championships taking place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Windsor.

The events include the men’s and women’s one-metre springboard and the 10-metre platform as well as the men’s 10-metre platform synchro. Admission is free.

“This event is serving as a final selection process for two very major competitions this summer,” says Joyce.

Those two meets are the World Aquatic Championships in July and the Pan-Am Games in August. They also present opportunities for athletes to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.