Winnipeg loses bid for World Police and Fire Games

Winnipeg won't be hosting the 2015 World Police and Fire Games.

The city wasamong thetop three finalists in the competition to host the event, but in the end,the winning bid, announced Friday,went to Fairfax County, Va. Toronto was also in the running.

Held biannually, thegames arethe second largest sporting event in the world after the Olympics. This year, they are being held in British Columbia while New York will serve as host in 2011 and Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2013.

The event was established in 1985 by the World Police and Fire Games Federation, a non-profit organization run by the Californian Police Athletics Federation.

Police officers, firefightersandcustoms and correction officers from around the world compete in over 65 sporting events.

More than 10,000 athletes have registered for the 2009 edition, which began Friday and continues to Aug. 9.