Last week, the Golden Nordic Ski Club received confirmation that the club’s bid for the 2012 Masters National Championships was successful.
This event is one of the few events in Canada that brings hundreds of skiers to the host community for a week of skiing and racing.
“We are really excited to win this event and I know we can pull it off. As an event, the Masters will test the club’s organizational skills and Golden’s ability as a host community,” notes Jeff Dolinsky, the club president.
“ The athletes, which range in age from 30 to 85 will come expecting good races and to have fun in the Golden area.”
Golden beat out a number of clubs in eastern Canada including Hardwood Hills in Ontario, one of the oldest and largest clubs in the country. It was the combination of the club’s track record, excellent venue and consistent snow conditions that helped the national selection committee choose Golden.
Having 16 years of hosting loppets and other races under their belt, the Golden Nordic Ski Club has a good reputation in running races. The incremental improvements of the Dawn Mountain Nordic Center at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort have proved their worth in making Golden a destination for Cross Country skiers.
The Nordic Club is in the process of completing a $1.2M infrastructure project which has seen $900,000 in work over the past 18 months. The final push to complete the project depends on funding.
“Our project has gone well considering the difficult terrain and remoteness we have to deal with,” said Dolinsky. “ We have worked very hard with contractors to make this project efficient and we are competing with sites that have had many millions invested over the past number of years. The investment pays off with the increase in the number of skiers both visiting the area and joining the club. Our club is the fastest growing club in Canada due to the quality of the trails and site, great programs and the keen volunteer efforts of members.”
Finishing the project is one of the keys to ensuring the event goes well. Hundreds of hours of volunteer help, generous donations and new fund raising continues as club members want to see the daylodge finished and new trails built. Master skiers look for the easier trails the club has permission to build.
“We still need a powerline to our daylodge, and we plan to construct an Ecoflow septic system and geothermal heating system to make the place state of the art and sustainable,” adds Dolinsky. “It all hinges on funding. We are approaching corporate donors who support the outdoor fitness and healthy lifestyle the sport promotes.”
The event will run March 11-17, 2012 and consist of four races, two classic and two skate races.
The races will be separated by rest days where participants will get a chance to enjoy other winter activities the community has to offer.
“We want to share the hosting of the event with other organizations to create a program of many activities. Our club is bringing folks from across Canada and US and we are running the races. We will be asking other community organizations to help entertain the participants between races. The Kicking Horse Resort is very supportive, helping with event logistics. The event will have a very positive impact on the community.”
The organizing committee has met to put the plans together and marketing has begun. The club expects at least 400 entries plus accompanying families and coaches.
For further information on the event or to become a sponsor, please call Denise Porter, 344-5758.
