The top up-and-coming freestylers in the province will converge in Whistler From Feb. 8 to 11 for the second stop of the BC Freesytle Ski Timber Tour and Super Youth Challenge. The series kicked off at Apex last weekend and will finish at Silver Star in March.
The Whistler event includes moguls, halfpipe and slopestyle events, with kids aged eight to 19 taking part. The Timber Tour is for kids 12 and older, while younger kids take part in Super Youth events.
The training gets underway on Friday. Saturday is the Super Youth moguls and Timber Tour slopestyle, Sunday is Super Youth slopestyle and Timber Tour halfpipe and Monday, B.C.'s new stat Family Day holiday , is Super Youth halfpipe and Timber Tour moguls. All events take place on Blackcomb with the halfpipe and slopestyle in the Nintendo Terrain Park and the moguls contest on Davies Dervish.
There will be a gala dinner and fundraiser on Feb. 10 at the Roundhouse Lodge with both live and silent auctions. The proceeds will go towards the Whistler Blackcomb Freestyle Ski Club, and items up for auction include a three-day heliski trip to Bella Coola, trips with Powder Mountain Catskiing, lodging in Tofino, spa and restaurant gift certificates and, of course, ski gear.
Tickets are $45 for adults, $35 for kids and are available online at http://tinyurl.com/wbfsc-gala.
Events Calendar
What: Peak to Valley Race
When: Feb. 1-2
Where: Whistler Mountain
There are still spots available for this classic event, which has teams of four — one must be female — skiing a long giant slalom from near the top of the mountain to the timing flats above Creekside. The total vertical drop is 1,443 metres with roughly 180 gates over five kilometres of snow. Teams will be ranked by combined age, with half the skiers racing Friday and the other half on Saturday The fastest participants — usually former international ski racers — take between four and five minutes to reach the bottom, depending on conditions, while the average is usually between five and seven minutes. For more, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com. If you're a solo racer looking to link up with a team, call WB Guest Relations and ask to join the wait list.
What: Luge World Championships
When: Feb. 1-2
Where: Whistler Sliding Centre
This is the biggest luge event to take place in Whistler since the Olympics, with new starts for the men. The fastest male races have posted times well over 150km/h on the world's fastest track. Racing starts at 3 p.m. each day, closing with the new Team Relay event that Canada has excelled at the past two seasons. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.luge.ca, or for tickets visit www.whistler.com.
What: King of the Rail
When: Saturday, Feb. 9
Where: Base of Whistler Mountain
Registration is available at Showcase Snowboards after 6 p.m., with the athlete-judged rail jam running form 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. under the lights. All ages, both skiers and boarders, are welcome to take part for $15, with the top men and women in each age category winning a share of the entry fees based on the number of participants. All participants are also eligible to win draw prizes. Helmets are mandatory and minors need a waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
What: Park Rider Series
When: Sunday, Feb. 10
Where: Blackcomb Mountain
The fourth even in the Park Rider Ski and Snowboard Event series is another slopestyle on Blackcomb. All ages are welcome to take part, and advance registration is $29 both online and at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations. Day of race registration is available at the Rendezvous Lodge until 9:30 a.m. for $35.
What: Kokanee Valley Race Series
When: Thursday, Feb. 21
Where: Blackcomb
The fifth event in the series is a Terrain GS in the Nintendo Terrain Park, with racers weaving their way around flags placed on the ski cross track. Early registration is available online for $29, and day-of-race registration is $35 at the Rendezvous Lodge. The annual super G race is the following Thursday, Feb. 28.
