SKI CROSS:

Post Olympics, ski cross faces sponsorship, recruiting challenges

Nov. 20, 2010 — The Canadian Press 

VANCOUVER — The gold medal Ashleigh McIvor won at the Vancouver Olympics hasn't translated into more corporate money for ski cross or a flood of athletes looking to take up the sport.

The World Cup ski-cross season begins next month and McIvor is still looking for a headgear sponsor.

"This year we are kind of struggling with it,'' the Whistler, B.C., native said . "We don't have a main team sponsor.

"We have logo places for sale. I don't have a headgear sponsor. Things could be better.''

Ski cross made its Olympic debut at the 2010 Games. The sport is like NASCAR on snow, with athletes flying over breathtaking jumps and negotiating knee-bending, high-speed turns.

While exciting to watch on television, recruiting athletes isn't always easy.

"Recruiting is an area that needs attending,'' said McIvor. "I kind of feel like I have a responsibility to pull along the younger athletes. From the girls' side, I think it's a bit intimidating.

"Some people have trouble relating to what we do because it seems so crazy. In reality, it's kind of what most people do all day on the hills away. When they are standing on the top of the mountain and say 'Race you to the bottom, last one buys beer,' it's kind of the same concept. I hope people realize its not all giant jumps and high-speed stuff. You can ease your way into it one step at a time.''

This summer Canada Ski Cross moved under Alpine Canada's umbrella. The move was a step toward expanding the sport's base and finding more athletes capable of competing at future Olympics.

The 27-year-old McIvor hopes more downhill skiers try ski cross.

"It starts with the alpine teams broadening their horizons, allowing the kids to go run the tracks and the kids going freeskiing and hitting cliffs and jumps and stuff like that,'' she said.

"Those of us on the (national) team now have a responsibility to remain involved and act as role models.''

Maelle Ricker, who won Olympic gold in snowboardcross in Vancouver, is encouraged that several B.C. resorts are building permanent courses that can be used by both snowboardcross and ski-cross racers.

"Now, average people can go and get a sense of it,'' said Ricker.

The snowboard team has seen the retirement of veterans like Jasey-Jay Anderson, who won the Olympic men's snowboardcross, and Drew Neilson. Ricker plans to continue racing until the 2014 Games in Russia.

"It's the whole process I enjoy,'' said the 31-year-old native of Squamish, B.C. "It wasn't just standing on top of the podium in Vancouver.

"It was the whole lifestyle leading up the Games. It's what I've been doing since high school. There is new energy on the team.''

This winter McIvor and Ricker will work with Tourism B.C., promoting the province's 13 ski resorts. They have teamed up for a Internet contest where the winner and seven friends get to train with the two Olympians at the resort of their choice.

Part of the contest is sending a video of how long it takes a person to get dressed for a day of skiing.
Hardnosed competitors on the snow, McIvor and Ricker show their goofy side as they struggled into their gear atwww.ibeatyou.com.

"We did have a little bit of training,'' chuckled McIvor. "We've actually put our ski gear on quite a few times through our life.''

Ricker sent a warning to people making videos.

"Let's hope everybody keeps it PG,'' she said.

The two women have known each other for years and spent some time training together.

McIvor said they bonded shooting the video.

"I wouldn't say anything surprised me (about Ricker)," she said. "I kind of had an idea what she was all about before.

"She just reaffirmed my impressions.''

The normally talkative Ricker hesitated when asked if she's learned anything new about McIvor.

"I'm not allowed to disclose that to the press,'' she said with a laugh.  S-Magazine