Whistlerites will get a
chance to see some of the fastest ski racers from across Canada compete this
weekend, including three World Cup medallists.
Alpine Canada Alpin announced
this week that World Cup champions Erik Guay and John Kucera as well as World
Cup medallist Manuel Osborne-Paradis will be competing in the Pontiac GMC
Canadian Championships in Whistler from Feb. 6-13.
The confirmation of these
racers attending comes on the heels of disappointing news earlier this year
that several top skiers won’t be competing in Whistler due to an unforeseen
World Cup scheduling change.
The athletes will be racing
down the men’s and women’s 2010 Olympic downhill courses on Whistler Mountain
just days before the World Cup, which is coming to town Feb. 19-24.
“This event provides a
crucial building block toward our goal of becoming the best ski racing nation
in the world,” said Ken Read, the chief executive officer of Alpine Canada
Alpin.
There will also be talent to
see during the women’s events. This season’s current Nor-Arm Ladies overall
points leader Larisa Yurkiw, and a total of 21 other members of Canada’s alpine
ski teams are also scheduled to be racing.
Whistler-Blackcomb has
released some viewing tips for the event — watch for the blue triangle
spectator icons on the mountain. There will be safe viewing pods along the
course as well as at the finishing line.
Check out
www.whistlerblackcomb.com for more details.
Both the men and women will
be racing down Wild Card, Jimmy’s Joker and Lower Franz’s for the Downhill and
the Super Combined.
All races will end at the
Timing Flats in Creekside.
The ladies and men’s official
downhill training runs will take place on Feb. 6-8.
On Saturday Feb. 9 the Ladies
Downhill event will take place at 10 a.m. followed by the Men’s Downhill at
noon.
On Sunday the Men’s Super-G
begins at 10 a.m., followed by the Men’s Super Combined.
The following day, Monday
Feb. 11, the women will hit the slopes at 10 a.m. for the Ladies Super-G,
followed by the Ladies Super Combined at noon.
On Feb. 12-13 the Canadian
Junior Championships and World Junior Qualification events will take place.
The Canadian championships
are being divided between B.C. and Quebec this year, with the technical events
in Quebec. Those technical races will take place in Quebec City March 20-23.
General Motors of Canada has
been supporting Canada’s elite amateur ski racers since the inception of the
Pontiac Cup series in 1969. The Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships annually
represents the culmination of the Pontiac GMC Cup.
For a complete event schedule
of the Whistler races go to www.canski.org.