World Cup champions Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) John Kucera (Calgary, AB), Emily Brydon (Fernie, BC) and Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) will lead a team of 16 Canadian alpine ski racers when TELUS presents the Whistler World Cup, Alpine Canada Alpin announced today.

Emily Brydon Fernie BC

The races take place from Feb. 21st to 24th, bringing to an end a record-breaking season for ski races in Canada. The men race in the TELUS Whistler Super-G on Feb. 21st and the TELUS Whistler Giant Slalom on Feb. 23rd, while the ladies will be on course on Feb. 22nd for the TELUS Whistler Downhill and Feb. 24th in the TELUS Whistler Super Combined presented by UPS.

“Canada has played host to six of the best ski races in the world this season and is well positioned to host four more in Whistler. Hundreds of volunteers have worked very hard and with the support of corporate partners such as TELUS, we are in a position to produce race events in Canada that are second to none,” said Alpine Canada Alpin Director of World Cup Events John Cassels.

Along with Canada’s three World Cup champions, World Cup medalists including Manuel Osborne-Paradis (Vancouver, BC), Kelly VanderBeek (Kitchener, ON) and François Bourque (New Richmond, QC) will also be representing Canada.

Leading national telecommunications company TELUS is the title sponsor of six World Cup races in Canada this season in Panorama, BC and Whistler, BC.

“TELUS has been a partner with Alpine Canada Alpin since 2004 and our commitment to the support and development of Canadian athletes is unwavering,” said Steve Podborski, TELUS director of Sport Marketing. “When TELUS presents the Whistler World Cup we will showcase the best ski athletes in the world at one of the most exciting competitions of the year. This is the only time these athletes will gather in one place in North America before 2010. They’ve worked hard get to this point and now it’s their time to shine.”

Grammy-nominated hip hop artist k-os and Juno-nominated rockers Hedley highlight a stellar weekend of entertainment capped on Feb. 22nd by the TELUS VIP World Cup Ski Party at the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre.

“TELUS presents the Whistler World Cup” is welcoming two presenting sponsors, LG and UPS and the Gold Festival sponsors of Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Descente, Far Coast, Husky, WestJet and Wild Horse Canyon Wines.

2008 TELUS PRESENTS THE WHISTLER WORLD CUP
RACE EVENTS

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
10:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Downhill - Ladies training run #1

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
10:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Downhill - Ladies training run #2

Thursday, February 21, 2008
10:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Super-G – Men’s
TELUS Whistler Downhill – Ladies training run #3

Friday, February 22, 2008
10:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Downhill - Ladies

Saturday, February 23, 2008
10 a.m. TELUS Whistler Giant Slalom – Men’s (1st run)
1 p.m. TELUS Whistler Giant Slalom – Men’s (2nd run)

Sunday, February 24, 2008
10:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Super Combined - Ladies (1st run)
1:45 a.m. TELUS Whistler Super Combined - Ladies (2nd run)

Fernie Alpine Resort has dedicated the Alberta Family Day long weekend to helping raise money for the Fernie Food Bank.

On February 16th and February 17th, volunteers will be on-site to collect money donations for the Fernie Salvation Army Food Bank. With support from the Fernie Alpine Resort Community Summit Fund, the ski resort’s own local community grant program, Fernie Alpine Resort will match all contributions made by guests this weekend.

“We’re thrilled to give The Salvation Army Food Bank an opportunity to promote their presence in the community and collect some much-needed funds,” says Matt Mosteller, Senior Director of Business Development for Fernie Alpine Resort, “We will be matching all contributions made by guests, doubling everyone’s giving power.”

Volunteers for the Salvation Army Food Bank will be on-site from 9am – 3pm this weekend, with a collection station set up on the stage in the main plaza.

“Dare to Colour” – Acrylic painting workshop at the Arts Station with renowned instructor Valerie MacPhee.

Just because images are static, it doesn’t mean your paintings have to be. You can be bold without being garish. The proper application of paint can breathe life into your art, but you have to Dare to Colour.

For artist and painting instructor Valerie MacPhee, colour is of supreme importance. In her day-long workshop, she’ll teach you how to choose colour and how it helps convey mood and flavour.

You will follow MacPhee’s demonstration and instruction and be encouraged to experiment with your own palette, regardless of your expertise. Both the beginner and more advanced painter will walk away from the class with the inspiration to try new things.

“I really try to stress in the workshops that the students do not compare themselves to other artists,” MacPhee says, “that they must compare themselves to what they were doing, say, two months ago or two years ago. It’s okay to compare yourself to yourself, but not to somebody else.”

Students should bring their own supplies - Acrylic paints, brushes and canvases - to the workshop.

*** Sign up NOW! There are only 3 days left for the Dare to Colour workshop!

Valerie MacPhee is a landscape artist who has been teaching for nearly a decade. The Cranbrook-based painter has held workshops and classes for adults and children all over BC.

For more information about the workshop or required supplies, please email Valerie MacPhee at r_vmachphee@hotmail.com

Date: Saturday, February 23
Time: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Cost: $80

Whitefish Mountain Resort Montana, one hour South of Fernie, announced today that more than 306 inches of snow had blanketed the resort by the mid-point of the ski season, surpassing the 10-year average for total snowfall at its summit in a season.

The resort’s ski season is slated to run from Dec. 8, 2007 to April 6, 2008, making Feb. 6 the halfway point. On Feb. 5, continuing snow during the day carried the total for the season over the 300-inch mark. “It’s more than we’ve had at that point in the season since we started keeping monthly records in 1999,” said Ski Patrol Director Tary King. “The snow has been consistently fresh and deep all year long. We joke that there’s too much, that it’s making more work for us, but really we all just feel lucky to be here, experiencing these kinds of conditions.”

Fernie has the most powder snow of any major ski resort in Canada, with another 23cm (9 inches) of snow in the past 24 hours, 41cm (16 inches) in 48 hours, and 96cm (38 inches) in the past 7 days. The mountain’s snowpack has surpassed 327cm (11 feet), and the resort has received a whopping 792cm (26.4 feet) year to date.

With an average annual snowfall of 875cm (29 feet), Fernie is already anything but average this winter.

“Dan, Is That YOU?”
Photo of a very happy skier (Dan Starr), taken by Robin Siggers

The Fifth Annual Fernie Freeski Competition will take place February 20-24, 2008. The event begins with Registration and a Venue Inspection on Wednesday, Qualifying Round on Thursday, Semi-Final Round on Friday, and Final Round, Awards Ceremony and Party on Saturday. Sunday will be held as a weather day. Registration is now open at www.skircr.com/compete. Call 1-800-258-SNOW(7669) now to book your vacation with the Fernie Lodging Company, the official accommodation sponsor of the event. Fernie’s avalanche forecast team has confirmed that the event will be held within the ski area boundary.

Named this fall as one of the Top 5 Ski Resorts in North America by Skiing Magazine, and one of the Top Powder Destinations by Fall Line Magazine, Fernie Alpine Resort is known around the world for powder.

Fernie’s Emily Brydon got her first World Cup win in the super G at St Moritz Sunday. She recorded a masterful run down the same Corviglia track where she had her first World Cup podium seven seasons ago and where she had her first podium this season back in December.

Brydon put up a 0.25 of a second margin over Elisabeth Goergl of Austria for the win as the top skiers packed in close behind. Renate Goetschl was third 0.29 back, Lindsey Vonn fourth 0.30 back and the weekend’s sensation, 16-year-old Lara Gut came in 0.38 behind. Nicole Hosp was sixth just 0.41 off the pace.

“It’s like a dream I’ve had for years,'’ Brydon said. ‘’I just let the skis go and I tried to create as much speed as possible.'’

It was the third win of the season for the Canadian team and one that had been anticipated in Saturday’s downhill after Brydon had won all the training runs. Late runners in that race got much better conditions and Brydon wound up just off the podium in fourth.

Fernie’’s famed Griz is happy, as the past 7 days has brought 172cm (67 inches) of fresh powder to Fernie, augmenting the ski resort’s snowpack to 3.22 metres (125.6 in) and the year-to-date snowfall to 6.97 metres (22.8 feet).

Ugo Brousseau Blasts Down Boomerang Ridge
Photo: January 28, 2008 - by Robin Siggers

Fresh Tracks For All! On Bear Ridge
Photo: January 30, 2008 - by Robin Siggers

Head to Fernie Alpine Resort this weekend for the Snickers Junior Freeski Competition, presented by Rossignol. This is the second stop on the RCR Junior Freeski Series. Watch as these competitors, all under 19 years old, show how to navigate Fernie’s big mountain terrain. Age categories will include 7-11 years, 12-15 years, and 16-18 years for both guys and gals. Competitors will warm up Saturday in the qualifying runs before moving on to Sunday’s finals and awards ceremony. Online registration is closed as this competition is full!! Come see some of these top youth in action!

Later this month, the adult athletes will be challenged by Fernie Alpine Resort’s terrain and legendary powder in the Fifth Annual Fernie Freeski Competition, taking place February 20-24, 2008. The event begins with Registration and a Venue Inspection on Wednesday, Qualifying Round on Thursday, Semi-Final Round on Friday, and Final Round, Awards Ceremony and Party on Saturday. Sunday will be held as a weather day. Registration is now open at www.skircr.com/compete. Fernie’s avalanche forecast team has confirmed that the event will be held within the ski area boundary.

Named this fall as one of the Top 5 Ski Resorts in North America by Skiing Magazine, and one of the Top Powder Destinations by Fall Line Magazine, Fernie Alpine Resort is known around the world for powder.