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Pool hours set for fall

With a staff shortage limiting the number of pool hours available, Meadow Park Sports Centre released a revised pool schedule for the fall. The pools will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with no lessons taking place.

With a staff shortage limiting the number of pool hours available, Meadow Park Sports Centre released a revised pool schedule for the fall.

The pools will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with no lessons taking place.

During the week the pool is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., as usual, but will be closed to the public for sessional swims like the Masters program and swim lessons where no lifeguards are required.

On Mondays, sessional swims are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

On Tuesdays, the pool will be closed to the public from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, it will be closed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Thursdays it will be closed from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fridays it’s open to the public all day.

The shortage is likely to be short-lived, with the Resort Municipality of Whistler receiving over 77 applications for lifeguards in the past week. Fully or partially certified lifeguards will be interviewed, and the RMOW is fast tracking international lifeguards by offering a custom course.

 

WORCA AGM next Thursday

Details are still being finalized for the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association’s annual general meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 16. Time and location to be announced.

Directors will make presentations about their portfolios and take questions from the audience. An election for the 2009 board will follow. People are encouraged to get involved.

Positions include President and Treasurer as well as Director of Trails, Director of Race, Director of Planning, Director of PR, Director of Web, Director of Freeride, Director of Youth, and Director of Membership.

Visit www.worca.com for more information.

 

More money for Own the Podium 2010

Canada’s bid to rank first among nations at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games got a boost this week with the announcement that the $110 million Own the Podium 2010 program will be boosted by $10 million. That includes $7.5 million from the Canadian Olympic Committee, some funding from the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and various fundraising activities like the Olympic Committee’s annual golf tournament in Whistler.

Roughly half of the Own the Podium money will go to National Sports Organizations to fund training opportunities, access to physical and mental experts, and help athletes cover their costs. Those increased funds are on top of additional funding from Sport Canada.

The other half goes into a program called Top Secret that researches new technologies for training, sports science and equipment upgrades to give Canadian athletes an edge over competitors.

Own the Podium 2010 will spend about $27 million over the 2008-09 season, and $28 million next year.

The program is not without its controversies, as some sports where Canadians are not contenders have actually seen their funding reduced. For example, the Canadian snowboard halfpipe team saw less funding last year than the previous season, forcing athletes to hire their own coaches and physiotherapists and cover some of their own competition costs. That will be remedied somewhat this year with an addition $400,000 for the team in the budget.

Based on performances, speed skating will be the biggest recipient of funding this season with the program getting $3.5 million. Alpine skiing and freestyle skiing are next with an additional $2.2 million each.

Most sport organizations believe Own the Podium is making an impact. In the 2007-08 season, 74 athletes won a total of 184 World Cup medals. That’s still behind Germany’s 230 World Cup medals, but more than any other year in Canadian history. As well, Canadians came close with 56 fourth place finishes and 56 fifth place finishes.

 

Cycling B.C. taking nominations

Cycling B.C., the lead sanctioning body for cycling in the province, is taking nominations for its 2008 awards. Anyone can make a nomination to awards@cyclingbc.net.

The categories include: International Cyclist of the Year; Coach of the Year; Commissaire of the Year; Special Achievement Award; Club, Team or Track of the Year; Cyclist of the Year; Race Organizer of the Year; and Volunteer of the Year.

The awards will be presented on Oct. 3 at the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, while seven cyclists will be inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. The list of 2008 inductees includes mountain biker Alison Sydor, as well as William Peden, Brian Walton, Jim Davies, Lorne Atkinson, Roger Sumner and Morris Robinson.

 

Quest basketball season starts Friday

Quest University in Squamish was successful in its bid to field a men’s and women’s basketball team in the B.C. Colleges’ Athletic Association after playing as an unranked team last season.

Their first test is this weekend, as the team attends the Capilano Blue Classic tournament in North Vancouver, although those games don’t count towards the rankings. The Quest University Kermodes start their preseason on Oct. 18, and the regular season gets underway on Nov. 7 against Columbia B.C.