SKI CROSS:

Canada Ski Cross unveils SportChek Canada Ski Cross Tour

Jan. 14, 2011 — Canada Ski Cross 

Canada’s ski cross athletes won a record 20 World Cup medals and put a first-ever ski cross Olympic gold medal in the bag last season. Now, Canada Ski Cross, with the help of SportChek, is working on another milestone — holding the first sanctioned ski cross tour in Canada.

"Up until this year Canada Ski Cross’s mission has been to dominate in the first Olympic ski cross event and win World Cup podiums,” said Chad Weir, director of national programs and events for Canada Ski Cross/Alpine Canada. “Now, with the financial support of SportChek and the backing of Alpine Canada Alpin, we can look to develop our sport here at home, beginning by staging an unprecedented 12 ski cross events from B.C. to Nova Scotia.”

The SportChek Canada Ski Cross Tour will host events for all ages and levels of competitors from 9-year-olds to 35-year-olds and up. The tour will culminate with the Canadian Championships at Lake Louise, Alta., on Saturday, April 2.

“Our goal is to create opportunities for young skiers to try ski cross and develop into national team athletes,” said Weir. “We want to bring more exposure to ski racing in Canada and help establish the discipline of ski cross within the domestic ski racing community.”

As part of Alpine Canada, Canada Ski Cross is working to develop course-building standards and expertise, create a training pathway for officials and volunteers to get involved with the sport and assist the Canadian Ski Coaching Federation in creating a ski cross certification.

The sport of ski cross made its debut in Canada in the winter of 2007, and since then the Canadian Ski Cross Team has established itself as one of the best teams on the World Cup circuit. This past year Canada Ski Cross joined the national sports organization Alpine Canada. S-Magazine

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2011 SportChek Canada Ski Cross Tour events:

Canadian World Cup Ski Cross
The Rockstar Ski Cross Grand Prix
Blue Mountain, Ont. – Saturday, Feb. 12

The SportChek Ski Cross Canadian Championships
Lake Louise, Alta. – Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3

Canadian Ski Cross Nor-Ams
Blue Mountain, Ont. – Sunday, Feb. 13
Big White, B.C. – Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6
Red Mountain, B.C. – Wednesday, March 9 to Saturday, March 12

SportChek Canada Ski Cross Tour club events
Sir Sam's Ski and Summer Resort, Ont. – Sunday, Jan. 9
Asessippi Ski Area and Resort, Man. – Saturday, Jan. 15
Fernie Alpine Resort, B.C. – Saturday, Jan. 22
Alpine Ski Club, Ont. – Sunday, Jan. 30 (FSO Event)
Ski Martock, N.S. – Saturday, Feb. 5
Chicopee Ski Club, Ont. – Saturday, Feb. 5 (FSO Event)
Craigleith Ski Club, Ont. – Saturday, Feb. 12 (FSO Event)
Ontario Provincial Ski Cross Championships at Camp Fortune, Ont. – Saturday, Feb. 19 (FSO Event)
Mont Ste. Marie, Que. – Saturday, Feb. 26
Mount St. Louie Moonstone, Ont. – Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 (FSO Event)
Beaver Valley Ski Club, Ont. – Friday, March 18 (FSO Event)
Ski Crabbe Mountain, N.B. – Saturday, March 26