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Popular race and competition series to return

Event dates picked for snowboarders and skiers For skiers and snowboarders, the fall season is the calm before the storm, and the more storms the better. Blackcomb Mountain opens on Nov. 22 and Whistler Mountain on Nov. 27.

Event dates picked for snowboarders and skiers

For skiers and snowboarders, the fall season is the calm before the storm, and the more storms the better.

Blackcomb Mountain opens on Nov. 22 and Whistler Mountain on Nov. 27.

The event season starts soon after that, with competitions held almost weekly during the ski season.

As in past years, there’s something for everyone, amateur or pro, skier or rider, racer or trickster.

Whistler SnowScene / Nokia Snowboard World Cup – Dec. 11-14

The top snowboarders in the world will descend on Whistler in early December to compete in halfpipe, snowboard cross, and alpine events.

The event producers at Massev Communications are making SnowScene a festival, with village attractions, an expo, and two major concerts planned for the newly renovated Telus Conference Centre at Whistler.

While most of us will be on the sidelines for the events, it’s a good opportunity to cheer on our local athletes as they take on the globe.

Snowboardcross – Thursday, Dec. 11

Parallel giant slalom – Friday, Dec. 12

Halfpipe – Saturday, Dec. 13

For more information, visit the official Web site at www.snowscene.ca.

Pontiac Race Centre – Dec. 15 to end of season

The Pontiac Race Centre under the Emerald Chair on Whistler Mountain will open for the season on Monday, Dec. 15, with gates set up for skiers, snowboarders, telemarkers and everyone else out on the slopes. Use of the Pontiac Race Centre is free, including timing.

Kokanee Valley Race Series – Dec. 18 to April 1

The popular Kokanee Valley Race Series is back once again, giving people an opportunity to race slalom, giant slalom and super G courses on Whistler and Blackcomb.

The race attracts skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers from age 19 to age 90, and each event is followed by an awards ceremony at the Crab Shack, complete with video playback.

Racers can competes as pros or in their age categories.

You can register for races at Whistler-Blackcomb Guest Relations and Ski School Sales locations, or by calling the Reservation Centre at 1-800-766-0449. For races on Blackcomb, you can also register on race day in the Rendezvous Lodge until 10 a.m. On Whistler, day of race registration is at the Dave Murray Video Centre at the top of the Garbanzo Chair until 10 a.m.

The entry fee is $20 per race.

Dec. 18 – GS on Blackcomb

Jan. 15 – GS on Blackcomb

Jan. 22 – Super G on Blackcomb

Jan. 29 – GS on Whistler

Feb. 12 – Slalom on Whistler

Feb. 26 – GS on Whistler

Mar. 11 – Super G on Blackcomb

Mar. 25 – GS on Whistler

Apr. 1 – GS (Finals) on Blackcomb

A pair of skis and a variety of other prizes will be raffled off after each event, and the overall winners at the end of the nine race series will also receive prizes.

For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events/kokanne.asp.

Canadian Freeskiing Championships / Big Mountain Experience – Jan. 7 to 10

The best big mountain skiers in the world go head to head on some of the most challenging terrain on Blackcomb Mountain. Skiers are judged by line difficulty, control, fluidity, form and technique, and aggressiveness.

Two of the three days are qualifiers, followed by a final event with the top skiers.

Whistler is well-suited for this event, with some tough slopes and some of the top skier talent in the world, including reigning Canadian and world champion Jennifer Ashton, two-time world champion Hugo Harrison, former Canadian champion Pierre Yves Leblanc, and big names like Robin Courcelles, Blair Fontana, Jon Johnston, Jonny Law, Mike Stevenson, Leif Zapf-Giljie, Aleisha Cline and more.

The organizers of this event have built the Big Mountain Experience around it, with daily backcountry tours, daily telemarking clinics, demo days, a big mountain photography slide show, a ski touring rally and industry parties.

For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events/bigmountain.asp.

Randonnee Rally – Jan. 10

This event, which is part of the Big Mountain Experience, deserves its own listing.

Based on European events that have been running for decades, the Randonnee Rally is essentially part of a ski touring race series, with competitors following a course up, down and around the mountain. There will be different routes for skiers of different abilities, including a long 10 km course that goes into the backcountry.

Sprite Park Rider Series – Jan. 11

Originally a snowboard event, the Sprite Park Rider Series has opened up to skiers as well over the last two seasons. Park Rider events include halfpipe, snow cross, rail jam and slopestyle, with a wide range of competitive categories for skiers and boarders of all ages and abilities. Categories range from Novice 13 and Under to Men and Women 17 and Over.

You can register in advance at any Whistler-Blackcomb Guest Relations or Ski School Sales location, or by calling 1-800-766-0449. Day of competition registration is available until 9:45 a.m. at either the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler or the Rendezvous on Blackcomb.

Helmets are mandatory for all events, including halfpipe, and mouth guards are strongly recommended.

The cost is $20 per event, and all participants must sign a waiver, or have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Each event will be followed by an awards ceremony with prizes, draw prizes and giveaways from Atomic, Nintendo, Showcase, Glacier Shop, Oakley and Universal Music.

Jan. 11 – Halfpipe on Blackcomb

Jan. 25 – Slopestyle on Blackcomb

Feb. 22 – Snowcross on Blackcomb

Mar. 7 – Slopestyle on Blackcomb

Apr. 4 – Slopestyle on Blackcomb

Apr. 11 – Snowcross on Blackcomb

May 9 – Slopestyle on Whistler

May 16 – Rail Jam on Whistler

For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events/snowseries.asp.

TELUS Winter Classic – Jan. 30 to 31

This annual event, a fundraiser for the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation, includes wine tastings, a gala dinner and ball, and a fun team ski race.

The money raised goes towards non-profit groups in the Sea to Sky corridor. The foundation has provided approximately $2 million in grants since it started in 1993.

For more information, visit www.whistler-blackcomb.ca/wbfoundation/

Adult Weekend Race Series – Feb. 1

This fun ski, snowboard and telemark race series has both a racer division for hardcore gate crashers and a sport division for more inexperienced racers.

Registration is available through Guest Relations, Ski School Sales, or by calling 1-800-766-0449. You can also register on race day at the Dave Murray Video Centre for the Whistler races, or in the Rendezvous Lodge for the Blackcomb races.

Feb. 1 – GS

Feb. 29 – Slalom

Mar. 14 – GS

The cost is $20 per race, which includes awards, race video, draw prizes and an apres party at the Whistler Mountain Ski Club Cabin in Creekside. For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events/adultwkd.asp.

Peak to Valley Race – Feb. 6 to 7

Registration for this annual epic ski race started on June 1, and it’s already sold out.

This punishing event is a giant slalom that drops from The Saddle near the peak of Whistler to the bottom of the Creekside Gondola, for a vertical drop of 1,443 metres and a course that’s 5 km long. There are 180 gates from top to bottom.

Atomic Ski and Snowboard SuperCross – Feb. 19 to Mar. 18

Atomic sponsors this pro and amateur ski and snowboard snow cross series, which is open to adults aged 19 or older.

All of the events take place on Blackcomb. The cost is $30 for pros and $25 for amateurs, which includes prizes, video, and an apres party at the Crab Shack. Helmets are mandatory and mouth guards are strongly recommended.

Cross events are Feb. 19, Mar. 4 and Mar. 18.

You can register at Whistler-Blackcomb Guest Relations or Ski School Sales, or by calling 1-800-766-0449.

Day of race registration is available until 9:45 a.m. on competition days at the Rendezvous.

For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events/atomicross.asp.

Garfinkel’s Double Cross – Mar. 30-31

This annual snow cross event is open to skiers and riders 19 and older, with a limited number of spaces for both.

The competition attracts a good core of pros and amateurs, and is followed by a now legendary awards party at Garfinkel’s.

The entry fee and schedule is still to be announced, but pre-registration will be available at the usual places, or by calling 1-800-766-0449.

B.C. Rehab Dual Mountain Rally – Apr. 3

This event pits teams of four with their celebrity coaches on a tour of Whistler-Blackcomb. Along the way have their picture taken at various landmarks, while they solve a variety of other challenges.

Each participant has to collect a total of $250 in pledges to participate, with all of the proceeds going towards the Whistler Adaptive Ski Program. Participants get dual mountain lift tickets, a buffet breakfast, coaching from elite athletes, lunch and an awards banquet.

To register in advance, visit B.C. Rehab at www.bcrehab.com.

Telus World Ski And Snowboard Festival – Apr. 16-25

This legendary 10-day festival includes the Ripzone Snowboard Invitational, the World Skiing Invitational, the Canadian Technical Skiing Championships, video exhibitions, photography exhibitions, bands, parties, fundraisers, dog parades, and more.

For more information, visit the official Web site at www.livelarge.ca.