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Manley King of Storms, again

After battling it out on Whistler Blackcomb's terrain for three days last week, Jordan Manley emerged victorious at the fourth annual Deep Winter Photo Challenge for the third consecutive year, beating out four other very worthy opponents.

After battling it out on Whistler Blackcomb's terrain for three days last week, Jordan Manley emerged victorious at the fourth annual Deep Winter Photo Challenge for the third consecutive year, beating out four other very worthy opponents.

Manley worked with pro skier Chad Sayers and snowboarder Dave Short, which saw the team shooting in-bounds for three straight days in search of the ultimate shots. The best images were selected and married to sound, creating a slideshow for over 1,000 audience members and the judging panel, which included Tom Duguid, brand manager for Arc'teryx.

"It was a very close competition," Duguid said in a release. "Judges were literally split down the middle on who to give the big prize to."

Coming in second place was the winner of the very first Deep Winter Challenge, veteran photographer Paul Morrison, who teamed up with his son Ian and pro skiers James Heim and Dana Flahr to blow audiences away with the best photo of the competition.

Manley walked away with a $3,000 prize for his efforts, while Morrison received $2,000. Third place went to Nicolas Teichrob, who received $1,000.

 

The Sea to Sky Artist Project

The Olympic torch relay is rolling into Whistler on Feb. 5 and as part of the festivities, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and VANOC are throwing quite the party.

To round-out the free, family-friendly event with musical entertainment, they've enlisted the help of iconic Canadian performers, Barney Bentall and the  Grand Cariboo Opry, to create a collaborative musical project with four local musicians.

Bentall and his crew of roots and country musicians will be working with Rachel Thom, Jon Shrier, Dana-Marie Battaglia and Greg Reamsbottom to create a memorable one-time performance dubbed the Sea to Sky Artist Project in honour of the torch relay.

"This is going to be a high-energy performance that won't soon be forgotten," Bentall said in a recent release, "These talented local artists will represent Canada's Games through a performance of some of the best and most well-known Canadian songs."

Following the musical performance, the Squamish Nation Eagle Song Dancers will take to the stage in Skiers Plaza to showcase their drumming, dancing and song to the audiences.

Finally, local songstress Ali Milner and her band will wrap up the celebrations with her jazz pop fusions.

Stay tuned for more details about the torch relay!

 

Add it to the reading list...

Whistler Reads, Whistler's book club, will be hosting its 28th book discussion on Sunday, Feb. 7, and this time round, they've managed to book a very special guest for the event. Annabel Lyon, the author of The Golden Mean, which the club is currently reading and which was short-listed for three of Canada's most prestigious literary prizes, will be present at the event.

While the event may be almost a month away, anyone interested in attending is encouraged to read the book, so go out now and grab a copy! Whistler Reads members will also receive a 10 per cent discount on The Golden Mean at Armchair Books.

Anyone interested in attending the event should contact paulas@bookbuffet.com.

 

Mountain films, out of town

Outdoor enthusiasts interested in checking out what other adventure-seekers have been up to should check out the 13th annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF), which takes place Jan. 22 to 29.

This year, the festival features nine Canadian films, including three world premieres, which touch on everything from sea paddling and mountain biking to whitewater adventures. The lineup includes Rowed Trip, which features a couple on a seven-month, 7,200 km human-powered odyssey by oar and bike from Scotland's northern tip to Syria using specially designed rowboats, each fitted with a bicycle and trailer, allowing travel on both water and land.

In addition to the wide range of films on offer, there are special guest speaker presentations and photo exhibits in store for audience members.

Though it isn't exactly a local event - the films will be screening at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver and Pacific Cinémathèque and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver - it's sure to be well worth the trip to the city. For a complete list of films and more information on the festival visit www.vimff.org .

Art and food become one

Anyone with a passion for fine art and food should mark this weekend on their calendar. The Plaza Galleries is hosting a joint event on Saturday, Jan. 16, showcasing new works by acclaimed Canadian painter, Kal Gajoum, alongside a local restaurateur. The reception takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Earlier in the day, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Gajoum will be on-hand to sign and hand-highlight limited edition prints.

Antonio Corsi, owner of Quattro Restaurant, will join Gajoum, and will be signing copies of his new book Mangia with Quattro at the event.