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It may be another couple of months before the W5 Foundation and Alpine Canada decide how they will approach the spring FIS meeting, when next year’s World Cup calendar will be finalized, but Whistler wants a World Cup race.

Heavy equipment was moved onto Whistler Mountain early this week after the W5 group and the Hong Kong Bank of Canada reached an understanding on funding which will bring World Cup men’s downhill racing to Whistler each December for at least the next

The Whistler Resort Association agreed Tuesday to guarantee the last $500,000 of the $3 million loan needed for snowmaking, which should clear the way for Whistler to become a permanent stop on the World Cup tour.

No one from Whistler Mountain was available to comment this week but other members of the W5 Group say the lift company has agreed to guarantee $1 million of the $3 million loan needed for snowmaking for the December World Cup race.

The story line is a bit like a James Bond movie.

The deal isn’t quite signed, sealed and delivered but agreements have been reconfirmed and the financing is in place to bring the World Cup downhill to Whistler in December.

Bill McNeney is flying to New Zealand this weekend for the FIS Congress and hopes to return with signed agreements for World Cup races at Whistler.

Although the FIS has made a 10-year commitment to Whistler the World Cup isn’t coming here until Whistler is guaranteed some marketing rights from the European company that bought those rights from Alpine Canada.

With a 10 year commitment to host men’s World Cup downhill and super G races, the next task of the W5 group is to find the money for snowmaking, fibre optic cable and summer grooming on the Dave Murray Downhill.

Whistler Mayor Ted Nebbeling left for Sierra Nevada, Spain today (Feb. 16) to meet with FIS secretary general Gian-Franco Kasper about finalizing a deal to bring men’s World Cup downhill racing to Whistler annually.