They’re a ways off at this point, and winter hasn’t really kicked in, but here at the Outlook, we’re already anticipating quality world cup ski and biathlon events in early 2016.
These events, slated for Feb. 1-7 and March 8-12 (page 11), will be the biggest thing in sports in Canmore since the 1988 Winter Olympics.
It will be the first time a biathlon world cup is to be held at the Nordic Centre, the first time world cup cross-country finals will be held here and the first time Crystal Globe awards will be handed out in cross-country skiing outside Europe. Two massive events such as these a month apart will keep the town hopping and ensure a festival atmosphere lasts through much of the winter season.
Not only will the events highlight the national team athletes who call the valley home, and whose endeavours grace these pages, Canmore and the valley will be highlighted to international TV audiences. While national cross-country and biathlon programs are popular here in Canada, they are massively popular among European nations.
On the upside for our athletes, holding the events locally will allow national team members to stay close to home, rather than facing long treks to Europe to compete. They’ll be able to, if you will, compete while enjoying home cooking and sleeping in their own beds. Hopefully, their results will mirror the scale of the races.
At the Nordic Centre, the dozens of spectators that often take in events may be substituted for thousands of cheering international visitors.
Also on the bright side, while much of the focus will be on events at the Canmore Nordic Centre, there will be a trickle down effect in providing bigger and better opportunities for winter carnival events for the local community. Canmore’s annual Winter Carnival is getting major injection of excitement to connect both world cups and engage the community. It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate winter in the Bow Valley.
It’s hard to say what effect these events will have on the local economy, but they’ll certainly provide a financial boost during the slow months of February and March. It is exactly this time of year that our destination marketing organization – Canmore Business and Tourism – focuses efforts on to draw more visitors to the community.
And much like it’s hard to calculate how much interest and future tourism to the Bow Valley was garnered during the highly successful Alberta Winter Games, these biathlon and cross-country world cups will certainly result in return visits by those entranced by the Nordic Centre, our Rockies and the town and its citizens.
After all, the ’88 Olympics put Canmore on the map, in many ways, for those outside the valley; it’s logical to expect these world cups will provide a similar world stage and generation of interest.
For area youngsters, seeing the very best in the world compete on their doorstep may well spark an Olympic flame, much as it did for Canmore’s own silver medallist Sara Renner, who has now picked up another torch in becoming the world cup excitement specialist for the events.
The winter of 2016 should be a winter like no other.
