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Sports Briefs

Vote for local riders in Race Face contest

Vote for local riders in Race Face contest

Local mountain bikers Lesley Clements and Nikki Kassel have made it past the first round of cuts to win a prize package worth approximately $10,000.

This is the second year for the Race Face-sponsored Ultimate XC Challenge. Competitors are asked to submit a 90-second video showing why they should be chosen as a Race Face team for the 2006 TransRockies – a seven-day, 600 km race from Fernie to Panorama Mountain Village. The winners will receive free gear, entries to the sold-out race (worth $3,000) and other in-kind support from Race Face. They will also be featured in Bike Magazine’s coverage of the race.

The Whistler father and son team of Eric and James Crowe won the 2005 UXC.

To win round two and get the prize, Kassel and Clements need their video to get more votes than other teams. The second round runs until Friday of this week and winners will be announced on Saturday, July 15.

You can vote online at www.raceface.com/community/uxc/"> once a day for the duration of the contest. Kassel and Clements are competing under the name Uncivil Servants.

Other contestants are Guillermo Cuello and Rodrigo Elvira of Mexico, Carey Lowery and John Lilly of Tennessee and Georgia and Rich Dillen and Josh Neely from North Carolina – who are pledging to go single speed for the entire race if they win the contest.

Every Woman conference registration underway

Registration is currently underway for the third annual Every Woman in the World conference, Aug. 11 to 13, which was created to promote physical and mental health and wellness while empowering women to try new things.

The variety of workshops available this year range from organizing your life to downhill mountain biking to the art of pole dancing and the strip tease. The complete list of workshops, as well as conference activities is online at www.everywomanintheworld.com , and most workshops are included in different conference packages.

There is also a Wine and Apple Reception on Friday, and a dinner on Saturday featuring guest speaker Darlene Samer. Samer’s presentation "Better Than Balance" is about handling the demands of complex lives where the concept of balance is impossible and impractical.

The deadline for registration is July 1. The cost is $225 for all of the workshops, as well as the Friday welcome reception and Sunday lunch, or $545 for a package that includes two nights accommodation.

Ken Quon memorial race set for Aug. 20

It’s less than a year since Whistler’s Ken Quon passed away as a result of a congenital heart defect, doing what he loved best. Quon was voluntarily guiding a mountain bike ride for Wild Willies when he died, falling over with his feet still clipped into his pedals.

The sudden death came as a shock to Quon’s friends and families, who knew him as a happy, energetic and youthful person who appeared a lot younger than his 48 years.

To remember Quon his friends have organized the Ken Quon "Ride On" Race, Ride and Apres Barbecue for Sunday, Aug. 20.

The start and finish are at the Riverside RV Resort and Campground, with sign-in at 11 a.m. and the race starting at noon. The ride will start about five minutes later, and will take an easier route. Both courses will pass by the Ken Quon Memorial Plaque, which was anchored at the spot where Quon passed away.

The cost will be $5 (or more by donation) for WORCA members. Non-cyclists and friends of Ken can attend the barbecue for $10, which includes food, beverages and a draw prize ticket. There will also be a 50/50 draw and other events, with proceeds going towards Whistler’s emergency services.

If you would like to donate a prize to the event contact Francis Chiasson at 604-905-6322 or email rideon@myseatosky.com .

Magic Bike Park offers two for one

For the next three Saturdays in July (July 15, 22, 29) the Magic Bike Park on Blackcomb will be offering one free kid’s pass for every paying adult.

Rental bikes are available, as are Digger Mountain Scooters.

The tickets are $10 and families of four (maximum two adults) can ride for $30.

A third trail was recently added to the park with some beginner features and obstacles. Still, the trail is aimed at young kids, too small to ride the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and absolute beginners who want to get comfortable on their bikes before moving up to the next level.

Hoary Marmots open summer season, players still wanted

The Whistler Hoary Marmots Rugby Football Club started its official summer season over the Canada Day long weekend in the usual way, competing in the three-day Williams Lake Stampede tournament. The team is following that up this weekend with a home exhibition game against the Rowers RFC.

Whistler won the consolation final at Williams Lake last year, and was looking to do the same or better this year.

In the first game the Marmots met Simon Fraser University, and although they gave up a try in the first five minutes the team went on to win the short game (two 20 minute halves) by a score of 37-5.

They followed that match up against the Langley RFC, which won the Premier 1 championships last season. It was a rough, high-speed game, and despite playing some of their best rugby yet the Marmots lost 26-7. Whistler’s try belonged to New Zealander George Smith, who caught a ball on the Marmots own 22 yard line and ran it back through half the Langley side before setting up a chip kick and score.

The Marmots were forced to forfeit their Sunday game due to injuries and fatigue, as the previous day’s games took place in temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celsius.

It was a good first outing for the Marmots, who will get another chance to compete this weekend against the Vancouver Rowers RFC at Whistler Secondary School. This is the fifth year that the Rowers have sent a side to Whistler, and last year was the only game to go to the Marmots.

The kickoff will be at 3 p.m., and the Marmots are inviting all rugby fans to come out and cheer on their home team.

The following weekend the Marmots will head to the city to compete in the SFU Sevens tournament.

The Marmots also have games booked through August, including exhibition games against Williams Lake and a team from Seattle. The Marmots will also be hosting a home 10-a-side tournament on Aug. 19.

While the team has been practicing since May, the Marmots are still looking for new players. New players will be taught the fundamentals of the game, and there is no pressure to join the competitive team.

If you know how to play, the Marmots are looking to pad their roster in case players get injured or can’t make future games.

Team captain John Gideon says the team has about 10 returning players from last year, including some rookies that have improved considerably. The rest of the roster, which includes about 30 players, is the usual mix of Kiwis, Australians and Brits, along with several Canadians.

"It’s a strong and keen team, and it’s a healthier bunch as far as the fitness goes," said Gideon. "We’re getting better every practice. We have a good 15’s side, good forwards this year, but we should have a pretty strong sevens team as well for SFU."

Practices are on Tuesday and Thursday at Whistler Secondary, starting at 6 p.m. Anyone is welcome to come out, and the Marmots are trying to field a women’s rugby team as well.

The club is also looking for businesses interested in sponsoring the club’s jerseys or otherwise supporting the team. The jerseys will have to be ordered in the next week, and there is still space for a logo on one arm, as well as a larger patch on the stomach.

Contact John Gideon at 604-935-4966.

Garage sale fuels Pemberton little league

The Pemberton Valley Little League is hosting its inaugural "Step Up To The Plate Garage Sale" this Saturday, July 15, with all proceeds going towards the league.

The public is being asked to donate items for the sale to help kickstart the new league, which organizes teams and games for boys and girls throughout Pemberton, Mt. Currie, Birken and D’Arcy.

All items will be accepted – clothes, furniture, household items, automotive, art, appliances, antiques, etc. And if you can’t drop those items off in person, a volunteer will pick them up.

The garage sale takes place at Signal Hill Elementary School at 9 a.m.

Anyone interested in providing items or volunteering at the sale is asked to contact Irv Olfert at 604-894-2323 or Anita Burleson at 604-894-5944.

For more information about the league, contact 604-698-0271 or visit www.pvllbaseball.com.