The Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (WORCA) is bringing back its regular skills clinics on Wednesday, June 13, with local coaches teaching riders cross-country riding techniques. Sign-on is at 6 p.m. at the Cross Country Connection, and the price is $10. You must be a member of WORCA to take part, and memberships will be available at sign-on.
Alex Pro places second in Europe
Whistler’s Alex Prochazka, 16, made a splash at the Wheels of Speed World Downhill Challenge in Willingen, Germany this past weekend, placing second out of 36 racers in the amateur class. His time of two minutes, 12.11 seconds was just 0.22 seconds back of first place. He also placed 23 rd overall, including all the pro racers. The top three were Filip Polc of Slovakia, Greg Minnaar of Russia and Steve Peat of Great Britain.
Local riders Prochazka and Kyle McDonald are currently in Europe with their sponsors, attending high profile downhill and slopestyle events.
Training run for Comfortably Numb
Whistler Running Experience, which hosts the Tuesday night trail running clinics and monthly hash harrier runs, is running a pair of orientation runs for individuals signed up for the Comfortably Numb Trail Run on June 24. Ultra runners Duncan Munro and Jen Segger-Gigg will be leading the group, free of charge.
The first orientation run is Saturday, June 9, and will go over the final part of the trail once known as Foreplay. The second run is Saturday, June 16, and will go over the first section of trail, known as Young Lust.
Participants are asked to bring either a water bottle or hydration pack, a few energy bars or gels, proper trail running clothes and shoes, and a sense of direction. All levels of ability are welcome.
If you wish to take part you must RSVP to Duncan Munro at [email protected] to learn the meeting times and get other information. They also need to know the number of participants.
The Comfortably Numb Trail Run is roughly 25 km in length, and covers most of the Comfortably Numb mountain bike trail from Wedgemount parking lot to Lost Lake Park. Only 55 spots are remaining in the race, which is expected to sell out.
For more information on the run, which is part of the Sea to Sky Trail Running Series, visit www.comfortablynumb.ca .
The Tuesday night running group meets at Escape Route at 5:45 p.m., and heads out to local trails to warm-up and go for training runs. The cost is $2 to take part, which includes refreshments.
RBC Olympians coming to Whistler
Most people will never know what it feels like to stare down an Olympic aerials jump, or stand in the start gate for a snowboardcross finals, but RBC is offering the next best thing.
This weekend, June 8 to 10, the travelling RBC Olympians Experience will be stopping in Whistler with a variety of interactive exhibits, and giving people an opportunity to experience sports, and meet a few of their athletes.
There are eight exhibits altogether, including hockey, snowboardcross and aerials demonstrations on a trampoline. Various Olympians and Paralympians will give short demos and presentations and will be available to meet the public and sign autographs. World champion mogul skier Kristi Richards, Whistler snowboarder Crispin Lipscomb, Squamish snowboarder Dominique Vallee and Olympic hockey team member Colleen Sostorics will be among the athletes in Whistler.
As well, there will be a booth to inform people about the Own the Podium 2010 program, a development program which has dramatically increased funding and available resources for all 14 of Canada’s winter sports organizations.
Drop by Skier’s Plaza, by the Whistler Gondola, to take part.
Seven steps to Sport for Life
Canada has developed a new seven-stage model for Long Term Athlete Development that is about to be widely adopted by sports organizations across the country.
Among other things, the model creates a system for learning and developing sport specific skills at the youngest ages, and a schedule for athletes that will go on to specialize in a few sports at a high level of competitiveness, right up to the Olympic level. The program also includes a plan to keep Canadians involved in sports for their entire lives.
PacificSport sport performance director Cindy Thomson will be presenting the new program at the Whistler Mountain Ski Club on June 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event is open to athletes, coaches, representatives of sports organizations, parents, and everyone who is interested is learning about the program. More information is available at www.ltad.ca.
