$200 – The amount Whistler’s Mercedes Nicoll was paid for winning the women’s national halfpipe championships. Last year’s first prize was worth $1,500. Hard times for the national team?
5 – The number of fire rescue service hockey teams that Whistler had to turn away from their second annual charity tournament to benefit the B.C. Burn Fund. The competition gets underway on Friday, April 2 at Meadow Park Arena with Whistler playing Delta at 1 p.m. and ends with the finals on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Ten teams and 200 firefighters are expected in Whistler as part of the tournament.
$500,000 / 33 – The amount of money that Molson Breweries will provide to Canadian athletes every year for the next six years through its ‘See you in Athens’ fund, and the number of B.C. athletes that qualified for assistance. One name Whistlerites might recognize is Victoria mountain bike Ryder Hesjedal, a two-time winner of the Cheakamus Challenge.
$0 – The amount of additional sport and athlete funding that Paul Martin’s federal government included in the 2004 budget. In light of our successful bid to host the 2010 Winter Games, the upcoming 2004 Summer Games, and the fact that next winter is the qualifier for the 2006 winter games, sport organizations are baffled.
7 – The number of national titles that Whistler skier Britt Janyk has won in the past three seasons, including defending her titles in the slalom and giant slalom this season. Her younger brother Michael also won the 2004 slalom title.
6 to 1 – The current Vegas odds for the Vancouver Canucks winning the Stanley Cup this season. The Calgary Flames are 35 to 1, the Edmonton Oilers are 50 to 1, the Ottawa Senators are 7 to 2, the Toronto Maple Leafs are 9 to 2 and the Montreal Canadiens sit at 25 to 1. The current favourite is Colorado at 3 to 1.
17 and 15 – The ages of mogul skiers Guillaume Turgeon and Audrey Robichaud respectively, our new men’s and women’s national dual moguls champions.
35 – The number of medals won by Whistler martial arts students at tournaments over the past two weekends.
20 – The number of Loonie races events on WORCA’s calendar this season.
$40 – The cost of a 2004 adult membership to WORCA after insurance costs quadrupled in the past two years to $23.50 per member.
$8,000 – WORCA’s trail maintenance budget for 2004, not including special joint projects that are being planned.
4 – Number of weeks left until the Loonie Race season begins. Start training or get ready to eat dust. Or mud – it depends on the conditions.
