Accessibility is a concern for para athletes facing the challenges of life in a world rife with physical barriers that impede their progress.
They’re not seeing those obstacles at Otway Nordic Centre.
In fact, the design and planning that went into creating the host venue of the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships is making it better for everybody connected with the event.
The athletes don’t have far to go to get to the course, the wax tents are right next to the trails and the biathlon range is a stone’s throw from the stadium area, providing spectators and coaches a wide variety of views of the athletes in action.
Even the weather is starting to cooperate. After a chilly start over the long weekend, the mercury climbed to -1 C under sunny skis Wednesday and until the wind picked up and clouds rolled in, it felt positively balmy by comparison. A large group of students from Hart Highlands Elementary School crowded around the hill overlooking the range and they let the skiers know they appreciated their efforts to put on a great show.
“I would say this has definitely surpassed expectations – it’s a World Cup venue we’ve never been to and it’s a place most have never heard of so it was a bit of an unknown,” said American sit-skier Aaron Pike, who won bronze Wednesday.
“It’s a beautiful place and once we got to the venue that’s when it really showed. It’s amazing sit-ski terrain and you can see from the live coverage it’s been awesome out here. They’ve had lots of fans, a whole busload of kids was out here today enjoying this perfect weather we got lucky with. The venue’s been great and the volunteers have been awesome.”
Pike’s girlfriend and U.S. teammate Oksana Masters, who captured her fourth gold medal in four races Wednesday, said the course layout and snow conditions on the Otway course are among the best she’s ever seen.
“This is pretty spectacular for a para nordic event where you can just get on snow right away, the way they have the wax cabins and you can just ski in and ski out of the lodge, you don’t have to walk up.
“When you’re driving through the town and you get here to the nordic centre it’s like a winter wonderland here with all the trees and you’re skiing through the trees, which is really unique. You don’t get that in a lot of sit-ski courses. There’s a lot of downhills, uphills and turns and you’ve got to be awake for it and it’s really fun, and the volunteers have been absolutely so sweet here.”
Czeching out the Cougars
The camera crew from Playo.tv Productions beaming the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships around the world were the guests of the Prince George Cougars for their game Tuesday night at CN Centre against the Everett Silvertips. Although the Cougars gave up three goals in the third period and lost 4-1 to the Silvertips, extending their winless streak to a team-record 17 games, the TV crew members did their best to cheer on the Cats, especially rookie centre Matej Toman, a native of the Czech Republic. It just so happened all 15 crew members are from the Toman’s homeland and they became the 18-year-old’s instant fan club.
“The guys were thrilled about the Cougars having a Czech player on the team and they spent the majority of the game making it feel like a European-style hockey match,” said Sascha Beck, the International Paralympic Committee broadcast manager.
“They were chanting his name and yelling ‘Go Cougars Go.’ It was really great. We thought that might be the good-luck charm that turned it in the Cougars’ favour but unfortunately they let in a couple in the third. But it was a good time and nice gesture to our guys.
“Some of them, it’s their first time in Canada. So to be able to see a bit outside the venue is important.”
Organizing committee chair Kevin Pettersen wants the skiers to experience all they can during their two-week visit to the city as necessary diversions to their usual ski activities. Through his contacts at Tourism P.G., the German team made arrangements to go to the Prince George Golf and Curling Club following Wednesday’s medal ceremony to get on the ice in a learn-to-curl session. Some of the other teams plan to attend the Spruce Kings-Chilliwack Chiefs B.C. Hockey League games Friday and Saturday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena as guests of MEDIchair Northern BC and a few will be driving up to Powder King for some downhill skiing.
“On Monday night the coach of the German team asked if there was any possibility of trying curling so I reached out to Leanne (Schinkel) at Tourism Prince George and they’ll have some great people there to help them discover curling, something they haven’t done before that is characteristically Canadian.”
Doping control
All 120 athletes were tested for performance-enhancing substances before the championships began and that testing will be ongoing during the races. All medal winners are tested after each race and a few random urine samples will be collected in the trailer located in the west parking lot behind the Rotary Lodge.
