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Year in review

By Andrew Mitchell In a nutshell, sports and recreation are Whistler’s reason for being. Some people do come here to rest, but they’d do better to find themselves a sleepy bed and breakfast somewhere that prides itself on being boring.

By Andrew Mitchell

In a nutshell, sports and recreation are Whistler’s reason for being. Some people do come here to rest, but they’d do better to find themselves a sleepy bed and breakfast somewhere that prides itself on being boring. Since the beginning Whistler has been the place that people come to do stuff.

The first tourists to flock here up the new rail line in the 1920s came to fish, swim and hike, and generally enjoy the surroundings. We can assume they sat down at least some of that time, but you won’t find any evidence of that in the old photographs in our museum and archives.

Whistler Mountain was itself conceived as a venue for the Olympic Winter Games, as a group of Vancouver businessmen lobbied long and hard to become Canada’s official bid and bring the rings to town.

It took 35 years to finally win the Games, but the town was hardly idle in that time. Over the decades Whistler became a four season sports and recreation haven synonymous with the best of summer and winter sports.

A very high level look at our sports and recreation venues tells the story.

Obviously the crown jewel of the town is Whistler and Blackcomb, two mountains that combine to form the largest ski area in North America (third-largest in the world) with award winning terrain and terrain parks. The mountains hosts contest after contest through the winter months, ranging from casual local events to some of the world’s premier ski and snowboard competitions.

The mountains also host several successful competitive clubs over the winter, including the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, the Whistler Blackcomb Freestyle Club, the Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, and Whistler Freeride Club. Virtually every kid in town is on the roster of at least one of these groups.

In the summer months Whistler Mountain becomes the world’s most recognized lift-accessed bike park, an amenity that is growing is size and complexity each year. This year an indoor bike jumping facility was added. The bike park also makes the Crankworx freeride mountain bike festival possible. Last year’s Crankworx included six high profile in addition to the national downhill championships and a Canada Cup cross country race.

Mountain biking is also healthy elsewhere around the valley, with an estimated 300 km of cycling trails — including 160 km of singletrack riding, mostly located in a radius of about 10 km from the centre of the village. As a result Whistler boasts one of the largest mountain bike clubs in the world in WORCA, with over 1,000 members for five out of the last six years.

WORCA itself hosted 20 Loonie Race events, and backed events like the Ken Quon Memorial, West Side Wheel Up, and Samurai of Singletrack, as well as the on-mountain Phat Wednesday Downhill Series, the weekly Wild Willies rides, and countless clinics and camps.

Golfers also flock to Whistler’s three courses, Pemberton’s two courses, and Squamish’s three courses (including Furry Creek), playing thousands of rounds of golf each year. This past summer the number of rounds golfed locally was up about seven per cent over the previous year, as the region cements its reputation as a golf destination.

There is too much community sports and recreation going on to list everything, but a quick review shows that all sports are doing well. In the winter Meadow Park arena is booked solid with three adult hockey leagues, a growing minor hockey program, and a growing skating club.

The Whistler Nordics quadrupled their membership last year through a Loonie Race program based on WORCA’s successful bike events, and a “biathlon bears” program for youth is in the works for next year.

Whistler Gymnastics is, per capita, one of the busiest clubs in the province, and is designing a full-time facility in the 2010 athletes’ village that will also be used by competitive martial arts, dance programs, and both national and club level athletes looking to cross-train for skiing and snowboarding. Whistler even has a competitive dance team, largely comprised of former competitive gymnasts, that always does well in contests.

During the summer Whistler’s seven ball diamonds are put to good use by five slow pitch leagues, a fast-pitch league, youth baseball and countless tournaments. Our sports fields host beach and grass volleyball tournaments, a 400-member youth soccer league, an adult soccer league, a rep soccer team, a rugby team, an ultimate league, an ultimate rep team, and all kinds of tournaments, camps and competitions.

We also have tennis leagues and squash leagues, both of which are about to get larger as developers plan a new, world-class racquet facility for Whistler.

And there is a strong trail running community, several popular road running events, and a competitive swimming and triathlon club that sends half a dozen athletes to Ironman each year, and dozens more athletes to events like the Squamish Triathlon.

Skateboarders can train year-round, both at the village skatepark and in a new underground facility provided by Whistler-Blackcomb at Franz’s Trail — the latter of which is being completely rebuilt in the next few months at a cost of about $10,000 because the original builders didn’t anticipate the sheer number of riders slamming down on their wood ramps and bowl. The original wood stunts lasted about a year.

On the fringes of sport and recreation, Whistler even has a busy disk golf course that expanded from 18 to 27 holes in 2005, a couple of secret wiffle golf courses, and some of the most hairy rope swings into the lakes ever conceived. The area is also known as a whitewater kayaking mecca, and courses run through the summer to introduce people to this growing sport.

In fact, you can name any sport or recreational activity, and Whistler probably has it — and at a much higher level than you’d expect from a town of just 10,000 permanent residents.

Without further ado, here are some of the highlights from 2006.

 

January

Jan. 1 — The Test of Metal bike race sells out all 800 spots in about four hours and 20 minutes. Over 400 people joint the waitlist.

Jan. 3 — Whistler’s Jeff Hume announces his retirement from the World Cup downhill team, but continues to race through the season while coaching for the Whistler Mountain Ski Club.

Jan. 7 — Just seven seconds separates Revelstoke’s Greg Hill and Wyoming’s Carey Smith at the fourth Whistler Randonnee Rally.

Jan. 8 — Christine Suter swims 8 km at Meadow Park pool to raise money for, and awareness of, Alzheimer’s. Paul Suter swam 5 km, and Marie-Anne prevost 4.5 km. Together they raised over $2,000.

Jan. 8 — Whistler snowboarder Maëlle Ricker picks up a bronze at World Cup snowboardcross in Austria.

Jan. 12 — The Whistler Nordics host the first event of a new Twoonie Race series similar to WORCA’s Loonie Races to increase membership in anticipation of 2010. The series becomes a success, more than tripling the Nordics’ membership on the season.

Jan. 13 — Alexa Loo, formerly of Whistler, nets her first World Cup alpine snowboard medal in her 10 seasons of racing, placing third in Italy.

Jan. 14-15 — Logan Pehota, Cameron Schuster, Devin White and Max Ripper win a Sports Illustrated for Kids Next Snow search qualifying event at home in Whistler, while Pehota, Kerry-Anne Hamilton and Brin Alexander are invited to a Next Snow All Star Event.

Jan. 26 — The Canadian Olympic Committee confirms Canada’s largest ever Olympic Team, with 198 athletes qualifying compared to 157 in 2002, 154 in 1998 and just 104 in 1994.

Jan. 28 — Whistler’s Kerry-Anne Hamilton wins Earn Your Stripes award at SI for Kids Next Snow All Stars event.

Jan. 28 — Whistler’s Maëlle Ricker wins the X Games snowboardcross.

 

February

Feb. 2-3 — The Whistler Mountain Ski Club hosts a pair of Bob Parsons Memorial super G races, with local racers winning most of the medals. Gold medalists include Victoria Whitney, Ben Podborski, Brynne Benbow, and Alexander Binks.

Feb. 2-3 — Linas Viatkus, Phil Beauregard, Julie Prud’Homme and Sead Causevic win the annual Appleton Rum Peak to Valley race in a combined time of 21:41.16.

Feb. 2-3 — Freeskier Laura Ogden of Whistler is top female at the U.S. Freeskiing Championships. Christian Boucher, another local, won the men’s Sick Bird award for his choice of cliffs.

Feb. 3 — Whistler hosts the second annual Sea to Sky Hockey Challenge celebrity hockey game, benefiting programs for athletes. Top celebrities were the boys from the Trailer Park Boys, and the Hanson Brothers of Slap Shot fame.

Feb. 6 — The Canadian Olympic Committee closes Olympic selection process for all sports. Whistler is to be represented by Mike Janyk and Manuel-Osborne Paradis in alpine skiing, by Maëlle Ricker, Crispin Lipscomb, Justin Lamoureux, Dominique Vallée, Brad Martin and Drew Nielson in snowboarding, and by Sylvia Kerfoot in freestyle.

Feb. 9-10 — Jeff Hume wins a pair of Nor Am Cup super G races at Apex.

Feb. 9 — 2006 Olympic Winter Games get underway in Torino, Italy.

Feb. 11 — Yeti snowshoe race held in Whistler. Local adventure racer Jen Segger first overall in 5 km category, male or female.

Feb. 12 — Whistler Nordics host Coast Cup race. Florian Beliard of France, visiting Whistler for the winter, places first. Joanna Harrington places second against top women in province.

Feb. 18-19 — Whistler Mountain Ski Club athletes take nine out of 12 medals in Enquist Slalom. Gold medals went to Ian Morrison, Alexander Binks and Brynne Benbow (twice).

Feb. 18-19 — Local RCMP officer Devon Jones spends 24 hours on a stationary bike, raising over $7,500 for Camp Goodtimes and the Canadian Cancer Society.

Feb. 18 — The fifth annual Lost Lake Shuffle takes place. Shane Robilliard was the top solo, making 25 laps of the course for a total of 87.5 km in just over four hours.

Feb. 23-26 — B.C. Winter Games. Twelve local athletes qualified, including hockey players Nadine Crowe and Garrett Milan, skiers Lauren Cameron, Kailee Darlington, Max Horner, Mackenzie Patterson, Joshua Patterson and Shona Burton, and street sprinters Conor Halliwell and Chris Laird, Lauren Mooney and Jenna Romanin. Milan earned a silver in hockey, while Mooney and Romanin picked up a bronze.

Feb. 25 — Whistler’s Jenn Ashton wins Crested Butte U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships, escorting a group of Whistler girls with the Whistler Freeride Team. Erin Kerr and Ariana Stufano placed second and third in the junior category.

Feb. 25 — Dustin Craven, Pilar Peterson win Showcase Showdown pipestyle competition, a new format of event blending halfpipe and park.

Feb. 26 — The Whistler Nordics host their annual Loppet in heavy snow. Nikki Kassel persevered as the top woman in the 30 km race, while Duncan Munro and Maureen Harriman topped the recreation 15 km course.

Feb. 26 — The 2006 Olympic Winter Games wrap up, Canada winning 24 medals to place third in the rankings. Medal winners included Becky Scott, Sara Renner and Chandra Crawford in cross-country skiing, Jennifer Heil (and Dale Begg-Smith competing for Australia) in freestyle, and Dominique Vallée in snowboardcross. The alpine team had three fourths and a fifth, while Maëlle Ricker placed fourth in snowboardcross.

Feb. 23-26 — Whistler’s Alison Leighton takes gold and silver medals in Pontiac GMC Cup weekend.

 

March

Mar. 3-5 — WMSC skiers finish on top of K2 provincials. Three gold medals to Ian Morrison, two to Brynne Benbow, and one to Sarah Elliot.

Mar. 10-19 — The 2006 Winter Paralympic Games take place in Torino, Italy. Canada places sixth in the medal tally with 13 medals, including five gold medals.

Mar. 10 — Swedish snowboarder Jonatan Johansson dies while training on snowboardcross course at Lake Placid. His was the second World Cup related death in three years, with Line Osvold of Norway dying in 2004 while training for an event in Chile.

Mar. 10-11 — Thomas Grandi picks up a pair of World cup bronze medals in giant slalom in Japan, while Whistler’s Mike Janyk places fourth.

Mar. 10-12 — Whistler’s Bantam Rep team places second overall in the province after a strong showing at the championships in Lillooet.

Mar. 18 — Maëlle Ricker is fourth in a Japanese snowboardcross, finishing second overall on the World Cup tour for the season. Jasey-Jay Anderson wins seventh snowboard globe for Canada with third snowboardcross title. Crispin Lipscomb wins first World Cup gold medal in halfpipe, while Dan Raymond posts personal best fourth.

March 18-19 — The WMSC cleaned up at provincial championships, while K2s held their own the nationals. Medal winners for the K2s were Madison McLeish (gold and silver), Brynne Benbow (silver), and Alexander Binks (bronze). K1 skiers won all but five medals in 12 races. Top skiers were Mackenzie Patterson (five gold medals and one silver), and Ford Swette (three gold medals, a silver and a bronze).

March 20-28 — Whistler hosts the Pontiac GMC Cup championships. For locals, Britt Janyk picked up gold medals in downhill and super G, Mike Janyk regained the slalom title, and Alison Leighton picked up a silver in super G while skiing for the provincial team.

 

April

Apr. 1-2 — Blackcomb Freestyle Ski Club nets 16 medals in provincial championships led by Zack Glanzberg, Dana Jensen, Cam Doye, Jae Woo Choi, and Simon Louwe.

Apr. 1-2 – The national snowboard championships take place in Quebec. Whistler medalists include Dominique Vallée, Katie Tsuyuki, Justin Lamoureux, Jeff Batchelor, Don Schwartz and Maëlle Ricker.

Apr. 6-9 — WMSC hosts annual Sierra Wireless Whistler Cup. Kailee Darlington has top WMSC performance, earning a silver medal in Kombi event.

Apr. 8 — Whistler Freeride Club hosts annual big mountain contest. Top males are Logan Pehota (U13) and Ryan Sullivan, top female is Erin Kerr.

Apr. 8-9 — Local skier Bob Switzer places first overall in the 60-69 age group at Canadian Masters Championships.

Apr. 9 — Paul and Christine Suter race Ironman Arizona, finishing 23 rd and fifth in their respective age categories.

Apr. 9 — Summit Sport edges Sun Dogs Eyewear in down-to-the-wire game for squash league title.

Apr. 14-23 — The Telus Whistler Ski and Snowboard Festival takes place with events for skiers and boarders. For locals, Molly Milligan is the top snowboarder at McDonald’s Rail Jam, Star of Peace Quinn won the women’s Stompede, Craig Beaulieu won the men’s Stompede, Crispin Lipscomb wins men’s Superpipe SuperHit contest.

Apr. 23 — WORCA bike swap sells over $76,000 in mountain bikes and gear, raising over $9,000 for youth programs.

 

May

Not much to report in the early part of the month due to wedding and honeymoon of sports reporter.

May 13 — Downhiller Claire Buchar places 10 th in first World Cup downhill of the season in Spain, while Jeff Beatty placed second in opening NORBA downhill in California.

May 20 — After missing a year due to the lack of snow the annual Crud to Mud race was back. The race includes an on-snow giant slalom course to midstation, followed by a rip down A-Line in the bike park and is raced by solos and teams of two. The top solos were Rob Cook for the men, Alex Prochazka for the juniors, Kasie Stroshin for the women. For snowboarders, it was Wendy Robinson for the women, Mitch Crone for the juniors, and Mathieu Hebert for the men.

May 20-21 — Whistler Secondary senior girls place second in zone soccer championships.

May 22 — In their age groups at the North Shore Triathlon, David Higgins was first, Bob Deeks second, Christine Suter third, Marie-Anne Prevost first, Greg Sandkuhl first, Dawn Titus first, and Claire Daniels third.

May 27 — WORCA, community host B.C. High School Mountain Bike Championships. Tyler Allison won a gold for his age category. Devan McClelland was second in bantam heavy bike and Sydney VanLoon first in senior girls.

May 27 – The Whistler Tri Club hosts second Kids of Steel Triathlon. Locals winning medals include Toria Whitney, Stephen Chilli, Bronwyn Lawrie, and Tyler Welsh.

May 28 — The 15 th annual Valley Trail Run takes place. The top male and female are Oliver Blake and Kristina Rody, one second apart after 10 km.

 

June

June 2 — Local golfing addicts Stephane Proulx and Adam Risto embark on a journey to play 10 Canadian golf courses in 10 provinces, in 10 days, while travelling about 8,000 km in a classic Porche. Check out the blog at www.theperfectten.ca .

June 5 — Whistler loses its snowboard World Cup event, held every December since 1996. The loss is the result of a FIS decision to delay North American events until later in the World Cup schedule, creating a conflict for the resort.

June 17 — 11 th Test of Metal takes place in Squamish, with hometown heroes Neal and Meghan Kindree winning respective elite categories. Too many Whistler riders to mention in the age categories, but Matt Ryan and Matt Bodkin get props for breaking the three hour mark while finishing eighth and 12 th overall.

June 18 — John Blok wins age category at Victoria Half Iron.

June 24 — Whistler team wins Howe Sound Little League Major Division title, plus championships.

June 24 — Temperatures crack 35 degrees for third annual Comfortably Numb Trail Run. Mike Edwards is the top Whistler runner in fourth in 2:06:51, while Kristina Rody was the top female in 2:08:10.

June 25 — Marie-Anne Prevost places second in 30 to 34 age category at Ironman Coeur d’Alene in Idaho, qualifying for world championships.

June 24-July 1 — Adventure racers met their match at Primal Quest with teammate of local racer Jen Segger almost dying as a result of severe heat stroke. Team MindOverMountain, featuring locals Mark Fearman and Gary Robbins finished 35 th overall.

June 29-July 1 — Red Bull Elevation returns to Whistler village, drawing top BMX stars. Corey Bohan of Australia took the win, followed by Luke Parslow and Ryan Nyquist.

 

July

July 9 — Ninth annual Squamish Triathlon takes place. Locals on the podium in their age categories were David Higgins in first, Paul Suter in first, Bob Deeks in second, Greg Sandkuhl in first, Emma Smith in first, Dawn Titus in first, Tom Barratt in third, Karen Blaylock in third, and Brenda Baker in third.

July 15-16 — Locals take part in Canadian Mountain Bike Cross Country Championships. Tyler Allison wins Under 15 category, Tony Routley second in Master 50-Plus.

July 15 — Tyler Morland three-peats Mount 7 Psychosis bike race, while Kevin Phelps wins hardtrail category and Claire Buchar takes women’s title.

July 15 — Whistler Hoary Marmots RFC beat Vancouver Rowers RFC in exhibition home game.

July 22-30 — Crankworx Freeride Mountain Bike Festival takes place, including national downhill championships and Canada Cup cross-country competition. Tyler Morland second in men’s downhill, Alex Prochazka top junior. Rob McSkimming, James McSkimming win Super D categories. Jen Ashton repeats Air Downhill.

 

August

Aug 4-6 — The provincial cross country and downhill mountain bike championships take place on Vancouver Island. Tyler Allison wins the Under 15 cross-country title, Bob Allison wins the 45 to 49 Masters title, Kerry-Anne Hamilton is third in Under 15. In the downhill, Tyler Allison is second.

Aug. 12 — The Air Dome opens at Base II, giving freeriders a chance to try new tricks while jumping into the foam pit.

Aug. 12 — The annual STORMY 67 km trail runs takes place in Squamish. The only Whistler finisher was Michelle Kaminski, sixth in the women’s Under 40 category.

Aug. 6-12 — The TransRockies Challenge take place, covering 600 km over seven days of riding. Local finishers include Jennifer Tabbernor, Jon Inglish, Lon Martin, Hillary Harrison, Ryan Watts, Lesley Clements, Nikki Kassel, John Chilton, and Chris Malthaner.

Aug. 12 — The Hoary Marmots RFC host a 10-a-side tournament, placing second and third at home.

Aug. 13 — David Higgins has another strong triathlon, placing first in his category at Kelowna Apple Triathlon.

Aug. 13 — The first annual Ken Quon Memorial “Ride On” takes place, raising more than $10,000 to buy a field diagnostic machine for Whistler emergency services. Chris Clark was the top male and Sylvie Allen the top female.

Aug. 14 — Whistler’s Comfortably Numb trail is awarded Epic Ride status by the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Aug. 26 — Five Peaks trail run on Whistler Mountain attracts over 400 runners.

Aug. 27 — A record eight Whistler residents take part in Ironman Canada. Mike Edwards is the fastest local, placing 62 nd overall and 11 th in his age category. Other athletes in the race were Paul Suter, John Blok, Grace Blok, Marla Zucht, Mark Lyttle, Jacalyne Sherlock, and Scott Brammer.

 

September

Sept. 9 — Claire Buchar finishes her downhill season with a 13 th , ranking 14 th overall — despite a setback with a badly damaged thumb.

Sept. 9-10 — Locals Jen Tabbernor and Joe Maika finish on top of the solo categories in the Sea 2 Summit Adventure race.

Sept. 9 — The 13 th annual West Side Wheel Up takes place, with the men’s win going to Dave Burch and Joanna Harrington taking the women’s title.

Sept. 16 — Maëlle Ricker places second in South America Cup snowboardcross in Chile.

Sept. 16-17 — The sixth Samurai of Singletrack takes place over two days and over 108 km of Whistler’s most challenging singletrack. Local Chris Clark wins the men’s title, while Sylvie Allen was the top female. The course was so long that about five riders had to go back for a third day to finish the last section of course because things were getting too dark to see.

Sept. 22 — The Squamish Cougars WHA hockey team drops the puck on its inaugural season with two Whistler players in the lineup — Troy McLean and Patrick Wiebe.

Sept. 23 — Max Plaxton and Alison Sydor win the 22 nd Cheakamus Challenge Fall Classic. Too many local results to mention, but Jen Tabbernor and Mike Boehm won their age categories.

Sept. 24 — The 22 nd annual Rubble Creek Classic Trail Run sells out for the first time. Special mention goes to the athletes who did both the 71 km Cheakamus Challenge and 25 km Rubble Creek — Mike Edwards, Sarah O’Byrne, Lina Augaitis, and Gary Robbins.

Sept. 24 — The annual Grouse Grind takes place in Vancouver. Whistler’s Morgan and Joren Titus place second and third.

Sept. 30 — After two years of coming second and third the team of Gary Robbins and Mark Fearman finally win a Mind Over Mountain adventure race.

 

October

Oct. 8-9 — The Whistler Mountain Bike Park wrapped up its season with the Harvest Huckfest. Matt Ryan and Matt Bodkin win the Earn It/Burn It for the men, and Charlotte Klein and Wendy Robinson for the women. Tyler Allison and Alex Prochazka were the top juniors.

Oct. 9 — Dozens of locals take part in the Royal Victoria Marathon and Half Marathon. Four Seasons Manager Scott Taber was the fastest local marathoner, 48 th overall.

Oct. 10 – The B.C. Snowboard Association announces the provincial team for 2006-07. Nineteen of the athletes call Whistler home.

Oct. 15 — Dave Burch wins the Lumpy’s Epic Trail Run in Pemberton. Kristina Rody was the top female racer.

Oct. 16 — Alpine Canada confirms that Whistler will host World Cup events in the 2007-08 season, the first ski events held since the downhill was pulled in 1998 after three years of being cancelled due to the weather.

Oct. 22 — All three Whistler athletes in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii finish; Mike Edwards, Paul Suter and Marie-Anne Prevost.

Oct. 23 — The IOC acknowledges that it is considering the addition of up to five new events to the 2010 Games. Only skicross is approved at the end of November, and it will only be included if VANOC gives it the greenlight.

Oct. 26 — WORCA hosts its second annual Halloween Loonie Ride on a wet and spooky night.

 

November

Nov. 4 — Twenty-five local runners take part in the Haney to Harrison run, with Duncan Munro finishing all 100 km of the relay as a solo. He was in second until stomach problems led to cramping, and limped the last two legs into the finish.

Nov. 1-4 – Local riders survive La Ruta de los Conquistadores. All finish, even though only 210 out of 510 starters made it to the line. Finishers were Andreas Hestler, Charlotte Klein, Hillary Harrison, Lina Augaitis, and Megan Rose.

Nov. 11 – Trevor Hopkins places 10 th in Cyclocross Nationals.

Nov. 12 — Seven bike race is announced, a seven day ride on Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast and Sea to Sky. Visit www.sevenbikerace.com .

Nov. 24-Dec. 1 — Lake Louise hosts Winterstart World Cup. Manuel Osborne-Paradis, John Kucera, Kelly VanderBeek win medals.

 

December

Dec. 1 – Cross-country skiers enjoy the earliest opening of the Lost Lake trails in recent memory.

Dec. 3 — Whistler’s Michael Janyk places second at a World Cup slalom at Beaver Creek, Utah, the first medal of his career. On the same day Kelly VanderBeek of Ontario won a World Cup bonze medal in super G at Lake Louise.

Dec. 8 — Alpine skier Thomas Grandi and his partner, cross-country skier Sara Renner, team up with the David Suzuki Foundation to launch Play It Cool, encouraging other athletes to buy carbon credits and offset the greenhouse gas emissions produced by their travel.

Dec. 11 — The Whistler Cycling Committee presents its draft Recreational Cycling Plan to the RMOW, including plans for additional mountain bike trails and facilities in the valley.

Dec. 19 — Calgary’s John Kucera picks up Canada’s fifth World Cup medal of the season.