Squamish’s Jen Segger-Gigg and her teammates from Team DART-nuun placed third overall at XPD 2007 last week, the largest and toughest adventure race in the world this year. The race was held in the Whitsundays of Australia, with kayaking, improvised sailing, trekking, mountain biking, and other challenges from the start to the finish.
DART-nuun finished the 13-stage, multi-day race in 145 hours and 39 minutes.
The top two teams, Orionhealth.com and Mexican Stingers Carboshotz finished almost 20 hours ahead and made it a close finish with respective times of 127:16 and 127:58.
Britt Janyk lands new sponsor
Whistler’s Britt Janyk will be sporting a new logo this season after signing a three-year sponsorship with PI Financial Corp, running through the end of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Janyk had a breakout performance with the national team last year, funding her own way onto the speed team after a few dry seasons with the technical team. Starting from scratch with new skis and new coaches, she placed fourth in four World Cup and World Championship events, and finished her year ranked seventh internationally in super G.
PI Financial Corp is a Vancouver based investment dealer with 160 employees and offices in Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary. Company chairman Max Meier has been a supporter of ski racing for more than 15 years, and helped to co-found the Whistler Cup international juvenile ski racing event.
Cudmore to represent Canada in France
Squamish’s Jamie Cudmore was officially named to the Canadian national rugby team last week following his standout performance against Portugal. Playing as either a lock or flanker, Cudmore will be a starting member of the team during the Rugby World Cup, playing his first match against Wales on Sept. 9. Other pool match-ups include Fiji on Sept. 16, Japan on Sept. 24 and Australia on Sept. 29.
Cudmore, 27, also played for Canada in 2003 at the age of 23 where he played in all four pool games, and he is currently a professional player for the Clermont Auvergne club in France. France is hosting this year’s Rugby World Cup.
More amazing than Cudmore’s selection to the team is his background. He was a track and field athlete in high school, as well as a ski racer — he didn’t play rugby until he turned 17, getting his start with the Squamish Axemen. He played his first international match less than five years later.
To follow the games, visit www.rugbycanada.ca.
Soo Valley Rumble added to Month of Pain
September has always been busy for local events, and last year the collection of running and cycling races was christened “the Month of Pain”. This year the Month of Pain features a new cycling event, open to the public, taking place on the Samurai of Singletrack weekend.
The Soo Valley Rumble will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15 on a course to be named at the Sept. 13 Loonie Race. The race is presented by the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association and Chromag bikes, and will cost $15 to enter.
Registration underway for Fall and Winter programs
The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s parks and recreation department launched its registration for fall and winter programs last week, with a full list of activities available online at www.whistler.ca or Meadow Park Sports Centre. Programs include swimming, aerobics, fitness training, squash, cycling, running, a wide variety of sports and education programs for children, and drop-in volleyball, basketball and hockey.
Many programs do fill up, especially for younger children, and early registration is recommended.
Strut Your Stuff Sept. 8
The annual Strut Your Stuff community registration fair will return on Sept. 8, giving parents a one-stop opportunity to register their children for programs like gymnastics, dance, minor hockey, figure skating, ski racing, and a variety of other programs. More than a dozen local sports organizations will be hosting sign-up tables, and there is room for more. To reserve a table, call 604-935-8350.
In addition to registration, Whistler Minor Hockey and the Whistler Skating Club will be hosting an equipment exchange. Parents can also apply for grants from Kidsport Whistler to help with registration and equipment costs. Kidsport grants are also available by contacting Sheila Mozes at 604-905-9393, or Janet McDonald at 604-932-0113.
Mosher on top down under
Tyler Mosher’s bid to represent Canada at home in Whistler in the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games got another boost last weekend in New Zealand, where he was training with the Para-Nordic National Team. Mosher placed first in the men’s open 21 km race for his age category and 24 th overall. Mosher, who is 40 per cent paralyzed below the waste, was competing on Classic skis in a field of mostly skate skiers, and was the third classic skier to the line.
