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Winter Games

Full slate of on-mountain events ahead
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Winter is coming. And it will last, give or take, about six months from opening day on Saturday, Nov. 17 to closing day in late May or early June.

From start to finish, Whistler is a busy, active resort with regular events for everybody and anybody, from race and terrain park series to weekly cross-country races that are open to all who have a sense of adventure. Most of these events also reward participation over skill with draw prizes ranging from skis and snowboards to electronics just for taking part.

Here's a quick look at some of the on-mountain events taking place this year:

Kokanee Valley Race Series

The Kokanee Valley Race Series is one of the longest running race series in Whistler, inviting everyone from age 19 to age 90 to test their edges on Thursdays through the winter. The field includes everyone from recreational skiers to former national team members, from young racers to retired men and women in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

There are eight races on the schedule this year. The exact format for each race is still being decided but it kicks off with a giant slalom on Dec. 13 on Gandy Dancer/Ross's Gold. Future events are Jan. 3, Jan. 10, Jan. 24, Feb. 21, Feb. 28, Mar. 14 and Mar. 21.

If you register in advance at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations the cost is $30 for individual events, or $35 if you sign on the day of the race. If you don't have a lift pass then there's a $99 rate available and if you wish to participate in all eight races you can pay $200 up front. Helmets are mandatory for all races this year, and all participants are eligible to win draw prizes at the post-race awards at The Mountain Club at the Westin Resort and Hotel.

Park Rider Ski and Snowboard Events

There are five terrain park events on the schedule this year, professionally judged and targetted to skiers and snowboarders of all ages. All events are based on the slopestyle format, with no dedicated rail jams or halfpipe contests.

The opening event is an "All-Rounder Park Jam on Dec. 16 on Blackcomb Mountain, followed by a 13 and Under Slopestyle on Dec. 30, and slopestyle events on Jan. 6, Feb. 10 and Mar. 24.

If you pre-register for events the cost is $29, going up to $35 on the event day. As well, helmets are mandatory and mouth guards recommended at events.

If you've never seen a local competition this one is a great one to take in — a lot of the competitors are a step below professional, and a few of Canada's top up-and-coming freeskiers and snowboarders got their start in these events.

Awards take place at 4 p.m. on contest days at 18 Below, where the usually amazing draw prizes are handed out.

King of the Rail

A lot has changed since the snowboarders started to drag cars and picnic benches onto the slopes, and these days rail-riding is huge for both skiers and riders. At the next Olympic Games in 2014 they're even going to be mandatory as part of the official slopestyle courses for skiing and snowboarding.

There are four King of the Rail events on the schedule this winter, starting with the opener on Dec. 29, followed by events on Jan. 5, Feb. 9 and Mar. 2. The events take place under the lights at the base of Whistler Mountain, with registration at Showcase after 5:30 p.m.

The format is open jam, with competitors meeting at 7 p.m. for a brief discussion of the rules, before the course is open for an hour-and-a-half-long jam. The athletes themselves decide the winners in each category, and the skier or rider with the most votes gets a prize purse based on the number of entries. As well, all participants are eligible to win prizes donated by event sponsors.

This event has music, live commentary and attracts a pretty big crowd to the base of the mountain.

Ski and Snowboard Snowcross

Whistler Blackcomb is hosting a series of three ski and snowboard snowcross events, including a 13 and Under event on Jan. 19-20, a 14-plus event on Feb. 16-17 and another Under 13 event on Mar. 16-17.

All events are two days, with training and qualification on Saturday and more training and race brackets on Sunday.

Early registration is available for $44.80, going up to $50 on the day of the event. Early registration is recommended, as there are a limited number of entries for each category, and some of the younger age brackets tend to sell out with huge numbers taking part from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club and ski school programs.

Helmets are mandatory, mouth guards are recommended and other protective gear is not a bad idea. As well, competitors must wear two-piece snow suits that have some bagginess — in other words, no skin-tight race clothes are allowed.

Post-race rewards are at 4 p.m. at 18 Below. All participants are eligible to win draw prizes.

Masters Recreational Race

This Jan. 27 event is a warm-up for the annual Peak to Valley race, with a giant slalom course on Whistler Mountain. More information will be posted in December.

Peak to Valley Race

Lactic acid burning aside, the Peak to Valley Race is a Whistler tradition that goes back to 1985, with skiers starting near the top of Whistler and following a GS course that is almost six times longer than the average GS race (1,443 metres versus 250 metres), with 180 gates from top to bottom.

The 2012 course started in Glacier Bowl and followed Old Man, Upper Franz, Lower Franz and Lower Dave Murray to the finish line, a distance of roughly five kilometres. The fastest skiers were just under five minutes, pushing their leg muscles to the limit the entire way.

You can register as a team of four, with one female racer required for each team. Two racers will tackle the course on Friday, Feb. 1 and the other two on Saturday, Feb. 2. The post-race party is a legendary gala at the Roundhouse.

The price is $520 per team, which includes tickets to the party and other perks. Usually the event sells out after going on sale in the summer, but there are still a few spots available this year.

As well, teams usually recruit individual racers right up to race day. To register a team, call 1-800-766-0449. Details on the waitlist will be announced in January.

Showcase Showdown

The Showcase Showdown is billed as the longest running snowboard competition in Canada, celebrating 15 years in 2012. The 2013 event, taking place on Mar. 9, is the 16th annual. The format, prize purse and entry information will be announced at a later date.

Nintendo Family Mountain Adventure

Taking place Mar. 31, this is a kind of scavenger hunt on the mountains with a dozen different activities and stations scattered around the mountains.

Mum's Mountain Classic

The annual Mum's Mountain Classic on Apr. 4 is a long-running event open to ski and snowboard mums, and grandmums, and includes morning coffee, a match-time race, lunch on the mountain and après ski fun.

World Ski and Snowboard Festival

While the festival has become a lot more professional recently with top ranked tour events for skiing and snowboarding, there's always an opportunity for locals to get involved in the action from Apr. 12-22. For more, visit www.wssf.com.

Whistler Blackcomb Race Centre

The WB Race Centre, located on Blackcomb on the Cougar Milk run, is open to the public from Dec. 10 to April 21, weather permitting. Drop-in race timing on parallel giant slalom courses is available, and you can set up a group booking at any time to race friends, family members, co-workers, enemies, arch-enemies, arch-nemeses, etc.

Cross-country events

Sea to Sky's Nordic community has taken great strides (pun intended) recently to boost numbers, with over 100 kilometres of trails in the Whistler area to explore, plus trails in Pemberton.

While most people are happy gliding through the countryside at whatever pace they like best, there's something to be said about racing on skinny skis, lungs and muscles burning with every stride, even if it's just a recreational Twoonie Race in Lost Lake.

There are a lot of events on the calendar this year.

The first two Coast Cup series races of the season take place at Whistler Olympic Park, with the first race hosted by Hollyburn on Sunday, Dec. 2 and the second hosted by the Whistler Nordics Ski Club on Saturday, Jan. 19.

On Thursday, Jan. 10 the Whistler Nordics Twoonie Race series gets underway with its first event, with nine more to follow every Thursday through the winter. There are a huge variety of races, from relays to classic events, with many of the courses venturing off the lighted loop at Lost Lake with athletes using headlamps to find their way. Local sponsors have stepped up to provide food and refreshments to racers, and in many cases there are shorter course options for beginners, kids and families.

The Spud Valley Loppet will take place in Pemberton on Sunday, Feb. 10, and the Lost Lake Classic takes place on Sunday, Feb. 17. The annual Sigge's P'ayakentsut falls the next weekend, Saturday, Feb. 23, with a several course options including a full-length 50km marathon event (visit www.payak.com) for details.

While the average person probably won't be taking part in our cross-country nationals this year, a few of the up-and-coming racers and seasoned veterans with the Whistler Nordics team will be making the most of their home snow advantage at Whistler Olympic Park from March 23 to 30. As well, the local Callaghan Valley Training Centre, is looking to make a strong showing at the event.

The nationals themselves are part of a 16-day Sea to Sky Nordic Festival (Mar. 15 to Mar. 30), which includes biathlon nationals and nationals for both ski jumping and Nordic combined.

The final race on the calendar is the annual Woppet at Whistler Olympic Park on Monday, Apr. 1.

The Yeti returns

The Yeti snowshoe series is returning to Whistler Olympic Park for Mar. 2, 2013 with two course lengths. The route went off the beaten path last year with lots of fresh snow to make this a true snowshoe experience. For more, visit www.theyeti.ca.