Twoonie XC seasons kicks off with “Natty or Nice” Reggae Christmas
With a solid base to work with, the Whistler Nordics are set to kick off their Twoonie race season tonight (Thursday, Dec. 21) with a race sponsored by Brent Murdoch and Company and Out On A Limb landscaping. The theme is “Natty or Nice”, or Reggae Christmas, and food and refreshments will be provided at the Lost Lake Warming Hut. There will be music, and an appearance from Santa Claus.
The first race will be an easy loop of the Lost Lake network that is under lights, starting at 6:15 p.m. Registration gets underway at 5:30 p.m. at Cross-Country Connection (corner of Lorimer Road and Blackcomb Way, at the entrance to Lost Lake Park). To take part you need to be a member of the Whistler Nordics — memberships are available for $25 for adults — and either own or rent a pair of skate or classic skis.
Races will be held every Thursday after the holidays, sponsored by local businesses and organizations. Most of the events will take place in Lost Lake Park, but a few head out on other trails and will require the use of headlamps.
For more information visit http://nordictwoonies.blogspot.com .
Details coming together for inaugural Seven mountain bike race
Announced in October, details are coming together for the inaugural Seven epic mountain bike race — a multi-day stage race on Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast and Sea to Sky in the spirit of the TransAlps and TransRockies Challenges.
The race will be seven days long, open to teams of two and four, and will finish in Whistler on July 7, 2007 — a.k.a. 7/7/07.
The course is being put together by Andreas Hestler with some help from community bike clubs, and entry to the first event will be limited to 150 riders.
New details about race registration, including the cost, are now posted online at www.sevenbikerace.com . There is also an online blog where riders can discuss the race, as well as a more detailed course preview — it’s going to be a long week.
Registration gets underway on Jan. 1, 2007, and will probably sell out within days if not hours.
Learn to jib over the holidays
Organizations throughout Whistler have come together this year to offer residents and guests dozens of activities through the holidays, ranging from arts to culture to sports.
The Whistler-Blackcomb sports events to watch for include:
• Ride Tribe Holiday Jib Sessions — Located at the Base of Blackcomb, the Ride Tribe coaches will be giving classes on riding rails and boxes under the Magic Chair. For ages 13-18 at a minimum Level 4 ski or snowboard ability. Dec. 29 and Jan. 5, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost is $45 plus taxes.
• Whistler Kids Evening Jib Session — Same as the Ride Tribe events, but on Dec. 21 and Dec. 28, and for kids aged five to 12. Again, riders and skiers need to be Level 4 or higher.
National snowboard series underway
The Canadian Snowboard Federation, provincial organizations, and dozens of sponsors officially launched the first ever Canadian Open Snowboard Tour this past weekend at Mont Blanc, Quebec.
This year’s national tour has 14 events on the calendar, including events in the Honda Snowboard Alpine series, the Telus Halfpipe series, the Ripzone Slopestyle series, the Right Guard Snowboardcross series, and the national championships. The series spans four provinces, with contests in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and B.C., with over $100,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs.
The first events were a parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom on Dec. 18. Philippe Berube placed first in both events for the men, while Christelle Doyon took both women’s races.
Results, and a complete schedule of COST races, are posted online at www.csf.ca/cost/.
