Volunteering at IBU Cups in Canmore
18 February 2012
Last week I was in Canmore for seven days, volunteering at IBU Cups 6 and 7.
I went there to get some more experience on the competition side of hosting biathlon competitions, and to meet with some people to talk about the organizing committee side of things. I also wanted to be involved in an international biathlon competition coming to Canada. The atmosphere created by the athletes and teams from all over the world is fantastic, and at the IBU Cup level there isn't as much formality as the Olympics or World Cup so there are more opportunities to meet and talk with the teams.
It was a really great experience on many levels. First, it was nice to visit my Aunt and Uncle who live in Canmore. I stayed at their place, which is close to the nordic centre, and although I was out for dinner or drinks most nights I had a few evenings to catch up with them.
It was also a great week for Canada, with five medals, including three golds for Nathan Smith. The field of athletes who came over to Canmore was strong, which really demonstrates the advantage of competing on your home soil. I don't think anyone expected so many medals for Canada, but it sure was great news.
The weather was fantastic, even though there hasn't been much snow in Canmore. It was sunny almost every day, and while the temperature was lower than in Whistler, it felt warmer because the air is so dry in Canmore. There was 5cm of new snow one evening, but other than that it was all artificial snow, which made the tracks much more firm than what I am used to skiing on.
I did a lot of skiing on my day off and after the competitions or training days. It was my first time skiing at the nordic centre and I really enjoyed the biathlon courses there. They are really fast and rolling, and are fun to ski. The recreational trails are nice, but they all seem to follow a long out-and-back format. The recreational trails at Whistler Olympic Park definitely have more variety to them.
Most importantly, I was able to meet some Biathlon Canada people and put some names to faces. We have some big plans for the future here in Sea-to-Sky Country, and it was good to meet with some senior people and talk about what is happening here locally.
