Whistler Blackcomb to host 2005 snowboard world championships

Whistler Blackcomb to host 2005 snowboard world championships{mosimage}Plans are underway for Whistler Blackcomb to host the first-ever FIS snowboard world championships to be held in North America. The championships occur every other year, and will take place in Whistler from January 15 to 23, 2005.

Four hundred of the world’s best athletes from over 40 countries will travel to Whistler to compete in halfpipe, big air, snowboard cross, parallel giant slalom, and parallel slalom events.

In preparation for the event, Whistler Blackcomb is constructing a new superpipe on Blackcomb Mountain, on Lower Cruiser in the Base II area. In accordance with FIS World Cup regulations, the superpipe features 150 metres of effective wall length, and a 5-metre wall height.

After the Championships, Whistler Blackcomb will continue to use the superpipe. During the evening the superpipe will be lit for after-dark action at Whistler Blackcomb’s Night Moves.

“The snowboard world championships are huge for Whistler and for North America,” said Rob McSkimming, director of Whistler Blackcomb’s ski and snowboard school. “They are an important qualifying event for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, and the event will be great practice for 2010.”

McSkimmon was referring to the 2010 Olympics, which will be held in Vancouver. Whistler Blackcomb will host several events, including alpine skiing.

“In the ’60s, Whistler was built with the Olympics in mind, and the first hub of activity in the resort was the Creekside,” said Dave Brownlie, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Whistler Blackcomb. “Several decades later our Olympic vision is becoming a reality, and we’re going to host the Games in 2010. The Creekside will play a pivotal role in the excitement and animation of the Olympics – prior to the Games families can visit the Creekside to experience skiing or riding on a future Olympic run, and during the Games many of our alpine events will feed right into the Creekside base.”

This year Whistler Blackcomb will invest $14.2 million in on-mountain improvements, and introduce 1100 acres of new terrain on Whistler Mountain.