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Whistler Cup cancelled

Organizers resetting for 2021 return
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PROVINCIAL PRIDE Whistler Mountain Ski Club members prepare for the opening parade at U16 Nationals at Sun Peaks. Racers were looking to build momentum for the Whistler Cup, which was later cancelled. Photo submitted

It was set to be Sara Stiel's year in 2020.

The Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) competitor had just posted a podium finish, third place, in the giant slalom at the U16 Canadian Alpine Nationals on March 11. It was set to be a fantastic springboard into her final year of the Whistler Cup, where Stiel had performed well in the past, including capturing the U14 Nancy Greene Award in 2018. The festival itself had its own sense of optimism as well with new title sponsor O2E Brands in tow.

But on March 12, the remainder of U16 Nationals was cancelled, as was the Whistler Cup—set to run for the 28th time from April 16 to 19—in order to limit the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus. While an understandable precaution, Stiel was nonetheless saddened that she'd already raced at the event for the final time.

"I was quite upset because it's on my home hill and that is what we train for the whole season, so hearing that it was cancelled, it was a little bit heartbreaking," she said. "I know the terrain and I know the snow, because I would have been training for the days prior on it. Honestly, I was hoping to podium."

As well, being a premier international event, Stiel was eager for the opportunity to bolster her ski-racing CV. Still, she has podium experience from 2018, taking second in the giant slalom, as well as second to best friend and then-teammate Kaila Lafreniere (who now races for Quebec's Belle Neige club) in the parallel slalom final.

For her part, Lafreniere punched her ticket to Whistler Cup as part of Team Canada after winning the super-G race at U16 Nationals on March 10, following it up with another victory in the next day's giant slalom for good measure.

With the news of the cancellation, Lafreniere was disappointed to see the festival cancelled, but was glad to have seen the truncated season at least end on some winning notes. Still, coming in on such a high, Lafreniere had hoped to keep it up and come away from Whistler with a victory.

"I was really happy that I got the chance to go to nationals. We're really lucky that it was right before everything got cancelled. I tried focusing on that and how I did really well," she said. "I'm obviously really, really bummed that Whistler Cup got cancelled, but obviously, the security of the athletes does come first.

"It's just going to make me train harder for the upcoming season."

The Whistler Cup, the country's premier festival for under-16 and under-14 ski racers, was set to welcome more than 400 skiers from roughly 20 countries.

Whistler Cup administrator Christine Cogger said the organizing committee had monitored the situation from the outset. With Alpine Canada and provincial organizations recommending that all domestic events be cancelled after the pandemic's spread in recent days, she said it was the only solution that made sense.

"Everything came to a head in the last 24 hours. We got together with our board of directors and then made the final decision today in light of the release of Alpine Canada," she said on March 12. "It was a variety of factors. Asking people to travel at a time when that's being discouraged, with the health and safety of our volunteers, our coaches, our participants, those were the driving factors."

Cogger said that organizers are now turning their attention to bringing the event back in 2021.

"We try to make it as fair as we can for everyone involved including the club, our sponsors, our parents, the athletes, and we feel that this was the most prudent solution we could take on all fronts," Cogger said when asked about the financial toll of the cancellation. "We really have great support in the ski-racing community and I think everyone understands that this is a little out of our hands.

"Had the global situation been otherwise, maybe our decision would have been different, but the reality is we're a really small piece in a really big puzzle at this point in time."

WMSC executive director Mark Tilston said on March 12 that since the club works on the event year-round, it will be unable to recoup investments it had made to this point.

"Everybody's disappointed," he said. "It's a lot of work that's gone into preparing for it and it's a big financial loss for us with the outlays that we make prior to the event. All in all, it's very disappointing."

Tilston said significant costs the club has already paid out include wages for staff to plan the races, as well as the cost of the legendary jackets that each racer receives. He declined to say the value of the hit to the club, but acknowledged it will have to make some tough decisions in the future.

"We're a not-for-profit, which means our budgets are very tight," he said. "We don't have that amount of room in our budget that we can say, 'That's a loss.' Absolutely, we'll need to rejig some things going forward."

It's too early to say how exactly the club will adapt.

"It's not a cost that we want our members, our community and ski racing to bear the brunt of, but equally, it's not a cost that our current members should have to carry," he said.

Tilston said that in spite of the challenging news for the club, he's trying to keep it all in perspective, as losing a ski race is still minor compared to those who are facing the illness head-on or facing other significant hardships as a direct result. As well, while it's unfortunate for the graduating athletes, it's a minor loss in the big picture.

"In the grand scheme of things, does it really impact them massively? It's disappointing, but now, they have to go back to the drawing board and refocus on next year, and moving into FIS," he said, noting that athletes also miss out on events due to injuries or inclement weather. "It's a part of life and we've got to keep it all in perspective."

Tilston added that from the club, 45 U14 athletes and roughly 40 U16 racers were getting set to take part.

Stiel scores club's lone medal

At U16 Nationals, Stiel felt strong even on a Sun Peaks course that didn't particularly suit her style.

In the giant slalom, Stiel had the opportunity to share the podium with Lafreniere.

"It was super exciting. It was a good eye opener to see how good the other girls in Canada are and also the level of competition. It was a lot of hard work," Stiel said.

To attain the bronze, Stiel said she had prepared well, locking in everything from her sleep to her nutrition, to excel when called upon, even on a track that provides her some challenges.

"I quite enjoy steep pitches and more hard snow. The snow was super soft and it was quite flat, so I had to push really hard," said Stiel, who was 14th in the March 10 super-G.

In terms of the atmosphere, Stiel said it was initially somewhat intimidating to be around loads of athletes and coaches from across the country, but upon meeting friends new and old, she came to feel more comfortable.

"After the first day of racing, I started to get to know more people and it ended up being really fun, a good experience," she said.

Meanwhile, Lafreniere was proud of both victories.

"The super-G was a perfect course for me. It was very straight and the one that was going to be the bravest was going to win," she said. "The GS was a little more turny, but the terrain was really good.

"I really love the run in Sun Peaks, so it was just perfect for me."

Other WMSC ladies results from U16 nationals were: Erin Husken (tied for 59th in super-G and 46th in giant slalom); Ashley Perron (tied for 59th in super-G0); Meagan Doiron (62nd in super-G); and Laura Keogh (50th in giant slalom).

The men's results came from: Felix Shorter (30th in super-G and 11th in giant slalom); Sam Fuller (18th in super-G); Sascha Gilbert (33rd in super-G and 19th in giant slalom); Jack Thomas (28th in super-G); Milan Novak (38th in super-G); and Duncan Ross (39th in super-G and 40th in giant slalom).