As scary as it is to believe, snow in January is a rare commodity in B.C. and recent episodes of unseasonable warmth and rain have turned nordic ski trails either to mush or unforgiving ice paths that make skiing treacherous.
Fortunately this past weekend, 310 ski racers took a chance that conditions in Prince George at Otway Nordic Centre would be conducive to Teck BC Cup races and the two-day event went ahead without a hitch.
Race organizers and volunteers from the host Caldonia Nordic Ski Club prepared weeks ahead for the event and thanks to Otway’s snowmaking equipment and a major snowfall in early January there was enough snow for the trail groomers to make a safe race course for what was one of the largest turnouts of competitors in years.
Caledonia club skiers had an exceptional weekend racing on their home trails and went home with 25 medals.
“We are immensely proud of our Caledonia skiers who earned 25 medals, including standout victories from Christopher Taylor, Austin Curran, Emily MacIntyre, Maise Hoehn, Nick Veeken, and Nikki Kassel,” said Kevin Pettersen, chair of the local BC Cup organizing committee.
“This event has not only been a showcase of young talent but also a testament to our club's dedication to nurturing future champions.”
The above-average temperatures and high numbers of competitors increased the likelihood of ruts developing on the hills and corners and that kept trail maintenance crews busy with their rakes and shovels flattening out rough stretches.
Timing and start/finish volunteers were also put to the test and lived up to the challenge, managing non-stop heat races every three minutes for seven hours during the sprint events on Saturday. Sunday’s mass-start races had as many as 83 skiers leaving the start gate at the same time, which made for some exciting photo finishes.
The event also marked the BC Cup cross-country debut of the Whiskey Jack Nordic Club of Fort St. John.
“This weekend’s event was one of the largest BC Cup events ever at our venue,” said chief of competitions John Aalberg.
“It’s remarkable to see such dedication from our volunteers, particularly in timing and starts, contributing significantly to the smooth running of the event. Their hard work underlines the spirit of our nordic community.”
The BC Cup event will serve as a dry run for the upcoming Para Biathlon World Championships and Para Nordic World Cup Finals coming to Prince George in March.
BC Cup race results are available here.
The next race event at Otway is the Prince George Iceman on Feb. 11. The annual multisport endurance event, which combines cross-country skiing, running, skating and swimming, starts with the ski segment on the Otway trails.
