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LUNA hosts dual slalom bike race

For everyone who wants to relive the good old days of mountain bike dual slalom racing, or train for the Telus Dual Slalom scheduled for Crankworx, Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives (LUNA) is hosting a recreational dual slalom on Friday, June 22

For everyone who wants to relive the good old days of mountain bike dual slalom racing, or train for the Telus Dual Slalom scheduled for Crankworx, Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives (LUNA) is hosting a recreational dual slalom on Friday, June 22.

The format is one-on-one on a short and curvy course that’s similar to an alpine slalom race. The winner of each heat moves on to the next round, eventually deciding the overall winner.

Riders will be put into categories based on their skill level, and organizers are using a gentle slope at the base of the mountain to keep the race safe.

Marc Zurbuchen is co-ordinating the event for LUNA.

“This event is sure to be a hit with everyone,” he said, “from seasoned riders who remember the good old days of dual slalom, to beginners keen to check out the bike scene and compete in a friendly event.”

There will be prizes for the best bike outfits from the ’80s and ’90s, prizes for the top three riders in every category, and draw prizes that are open to everyone.

Registration is $7 or $5 for LUNA cardholders. Advance registration is available at the Whistler Employment Resource Centre starting on Monday, June 18, and there will be a registration table at the Phat Wednesday Downhill Race on Wednesday, June 20, and Loonie Races on June 14 and 21. There will also be registration on the night of the event, before the 7 p.m. start, but organizers are asking racers to register early as the event may sell out.

 

Comfortably Numb training run on Sunday

A free training run for athletes enrolled in the Comfortably Numb Trail Run will be taking place this Sunday, June 17, on the northern section of the trail near the start line. Duncan Munro from Escape Route’s Tuesday night trail running clinics and hash harrier runs will be leading the group, and giving advice how to tackle some of the sections, including some of the steepest climbs of the race.

You must RSVP to confirm your participation in the clinic. E-mail whistlerrunners@gmail.com if you would like to take part.

The run will be in the morning and participants will need transportation to the Wedgemont Parking Lot, north of Emerald Estates.

Comfortably Numb takes place the following Sunday, June 24, covering roughly 25 km of ground including over 23 km of technical singletrack. As of Tuesday, just 39 spots out of 200 remained and the event is expected to sell out by race day.

For more information visit www.comfortablynumb.ca.

 

Newly launched bike guide to raise money for trails

After a year’s hiatus the Whistler Bike Guide was relaunched this week with a $5.95 price tag and the most up-to-date trail map available from Terra Pro GPS Surveys.

According to Grant Lamont, who is publishing the guide with Charlie Doyle, putting a price on the guide was necessary to offset the cost of production as well as support local trails — 50 cents from every guide sold will be directed to the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (WORCA).

“We’ve kept it cheap, a lot less than bike guides when you visit other communities, and wanted to give something back to the trails as well,” said Lamont. “If we sell enough guides we could raise about $7,500 this year for WORCA that will go to directed trail projects in Whistler. This way visitors to the resort who use the trails can help subsidize them.”

The focus is to provide trail information to visitors, but also to get local riders up to date. For example, the trail descriptions for Shit Happens lets riders know that the section closest to Alpine Meadows is now closed and suggests alternatives in the area. A complete map of the Lost Lake trail network is included in the guide, as well as new trails like the See Colours and Puke connector from the East Main road to lower Babylon By Bike.

About 20,000 guides have been printed, once again in a long page format that fits easily in a jersey pocket. As well, there is a new website at www.whistlerbikeguide.com that will be launched on July 1 and includes most of the information in the guide. That site will be expanded with a trail posting feature and a search engine that gives riders a list of trail options based on their skill, location, and the time they have. Phase two of the website will integrate mapping data into Google Earth, while making the trail map fully interactive for people who want to post comments about the trails.

The bike guide will be available in bike shops throughout Whistler.

 

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.

 

Coaching courses coming to Whistler

On June 15 and 16, PacificSport is hosting a Level 1 NCCP Theory Course, which is a prerequisite for a Level 1 coaching certificate. It is non-sport specific program, and a prerequisite for coaching all accredited sports.

You can register through the Meadow Park Sports Centre at the front desk, or by calling 604-935-PLAY (7529).

From June 23 to 24, PacificSport is hosting an Olympic Weighlifting Certification Level 1 course, which is required to coach weightlifting as cross-training for any sport. If you would like to take part, contact Tami Mitchell at 604-905-6797 or tmitchell@pacificsport.com .

 

Stock Car racing in Pemberton on Saturday

Saturday, June 16 the Pemberton Stock Car Association is hosting its first race of the 2007 season at the Pemberton Speedway. The time trials are being held at 4 p.m. The association is looking for a good turnout of spectators for their first points race of the year.

The Speedway is located just south of Suicide Hill on the east side of the highway. If you’re driving north from Whistler it’s the next turn-off after the motocross track, which is visible from the road.