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Pre-Fondo ride is back

Riders looking to get in a good training ride to prepare for September's RBC GranFondo Whistler can take part in the second annual PrimaFondo - a warm-up event by Corsa Cyles in Squamish that includes rides through Squamish and Paradise Valley before returning to Corsa for a catered barbecue lunch. The ride will get underway at 11 a.m. and finish at 1 p.m.

Specialized Bicycles will be at the start to loan out demo road bikes, but a limited number are available and you'll need to contact Corsa by Friday to reserve one.

The ride and the lunch are free, but you'll need to RSVP sandra@corsacycles.com to secure a place in the pack and lunch table.

The event is co-sponsored by the RBC GranFondo Whistler and Specialized Bikes.

The GranFondo itself is set for Sept. 10, starting in downtown Vancouver and heading through Stanley Park and across the Lions Gate Bridge before climbing Taylor Way to access the Sea to Sky Highway. The event finishes in Whistler, with a total distance of just over 120 km.

 

Osborne-Paradis apologizes

It takes a certain kind of daring to ski down an icy slope at 120 km/h, but Whistler's Manuel Osborne-Paradis knows he pushed things a little too far last week when he tried to jump onto the back of a bus after a few drinks at the Calgary Stampede. His clothing got caught on a trailer hitch and he was dragged about 80 metres before the bus stopped.

The stunt earned him a $115 fine from the Calgary police under the Traffic Safety Act, but the more serious aspect is his injury - road rash so bad that he spent a week recovering in the Foothills Hospital burn unit.

It also set back his rehabilitation. Osborne-Paradis tore the ACL in his left knee and broke his fibula while racing in Chamonix last winter.

"I would like to apologize for the embarrassment that my actions have caused," he said in a statement. "I would like to say sorry to my fans, my sponsors, Alpine Canada and in particular all the children and teenagers who look up to me as an Olympian and World Cup skier.

"Over the past few days I have received excellent care from all the staff in the burn unit at Foothills Hospital. I have spent time meeting and talking to patients who are facing some very serious health challenges. Meeting them has helped me realize that I'm really lucky to be here today. I'm fortunate that my injuries were not more serious, and that I will be able to resume my ski career in the coming months and return to the sport that I love. Once I am released from hospital, I am to return to Foothills as a volunteer."

 

Charity volleyball tournament looking for teams

Registration is underway for the third annual Whistler Outdoor Volleyball Association Open, a charity fundraiser taking place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7 at Rainbow Park.

The event benefits the Whistler Community Services Society which, among other things, runs the local food bank.

There are both two-on-two and four-on-four divisions with a cost of $25 per players. There's also a two-person bocce ball tournament for $10 for a team of two and a watermelon eating contest for $5. A silent auction will be held. The wrap party and awards are at the Dubh Linn Gate.

For an entry form visit www.wova.ca.

 

Free trail running clinics underway

Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. the Escape Route is offerng free trail running clinics, with registration at the store starting at 6 p.m. From the Marketplace, groups will head to the trails, with programs and courses for everyone for beginners to the intermediate and the low advanced level. Gabby DeGagne, a former competitive cross country and track athlete, as well as a varsity level coach, will be leading the runs.

 

Logger Days come to Squamish

The 54th annual Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival takes place July 28 to 31 with a full calendar of fun community events, an internationally sanctioned logger sports competition and a B.C. Athletics-sanctioned 10 km run that is the 10th event out of 11 in the 2011 road series.

Things get underway with the "Into the Woods with Red Riding Hood" art exhibit sponsored by the Squamish Arts Council at the Building In the Park.

Friday is the Squamish Station World Championship Chair Carve (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and the annual Squamish Days Bed Races (7 p.m.).

Saturday kicks off with Children's Sports at Stan Clarke Park at 9:30 a.m., with the Novice and Intermediate Loggers Sports competitions getting underway at 1:30 p.m. The Axe Throw Invitational takes place at 6 p.m. at Chances.

The Squamish Days 10K run is at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, following a fast, flat out-and-back course. As well, runners can take part in the Flashback Mile, a long-standing one-mile (1.61) run event.

The World Class Open Loggers Sports Show presented by AJ Forest Products takes place at 1:30 p.m., with events including tree climbing, tree topping, birling, the chokerman's race, axe throwing, the underhand chop, the butcher block chop, the obstacle pole bucking, the springboard chop, hand bucking, speed bucking, the standing block cop, tree falling, the Ladies Triple and the team relay.

More information is at www.squamishdays.ca. If you've never been, then this event is not to be missed.

 

Squamish hosting kiteboard nationals

The top kiteboarders in Canada will be soaring their stuff on Howe Sound from Aug. 5 to 7 as the Squamish Windsports Society and Squamish Yacht Club team up to host the Canadian Kiteboarding Course Racing Nationals Championships.

Unlike freestyle and trick events, the championships are all about speed. Friday is a slalom race (with a Freestyle Expression Session if time permits). Saturday will be a timed race around the harbour.

For more information, visit www.kiteroam.com.