CROSS-COUNTRY:

Nordic Notepad: Wet times at Whistler

Feb. 12, 2010 — SRC Staff Reports          ►Photo: Whistler Olympic Park (VANOC)

The variable, wet weather conditions were the hot topic of conversation Friday during a second official athletes' training day at Whistler Olympic Park, the cross-country skiing venue. One longtime coach said he had “never heard so much complaining in so many different languages” about the wet, soft course conditions.

The reality, of course, is that the hardworking grooming crew has been dealt a bad hand by the weather. They have been unable to groom a smooth track due to variable snow and conditions. Friday’s rain and warmth left big ruts around the sharp corners, sufficient to cause several solo crashes.   

The groomers' backup plan involves “hardening” the course by spreading calcium nitrate and other fertilizer-type chemicals, which act to keep the snow firm and consistent. By the end of Friday, the groomers were planning how to implement this strategy. This could save lots of race complaints, but it will not be good for the clean, pure Callaghan Valley water system. As an athlete said at the end of training on the course, “Get ready for the hippies.”

Spectator spots
The cross-country ski tickets were some of the cheapest available, at a cost of $25 for a general admission, no-grandstand ticket. Those tickets, however, provide a terrific viewing experience for the Games. The large area under the Olympic rings and scoreboards, to both ends of the stadium, are open for spectating. The best spot is likely just east of the Olympic rings, where a spectator can see the last climb to the stadium and then make it to the bottom of that hill to see the athletes come by again on their second lap.  SRC