It's been a busy weekend at Whaleback with the Biathlon Bears participating in a clinic in hopes of honing their technical skills in biathlon and the club hosting the Provincial Masters on Saturday and Sunday. Busy! Busy! Busy!
Now that the local masters competitions are all tucked away for another season, a number of our senior skiers are venturing further afield.
This year, eight Whalebackers will be heading off to Italy to compete in the World Masters Championships which is being hosting high in the mountains in Asiago.
According to Jack White, who has been enthusiastically training to compete in the series of races at the Worlds, Asiago is an extremely scenic little town tucked away in the mountains and although he has already competed in Asiago before, he can't wait to go back.
Bruce Le Grow, who is president of the Canadian Masters Association, told me that there are over 140 Canadians registered for the event, the largest contingent ever to compete in Europe, and he is extremely pleased to see so many participants from his organization attending.
The Whalebacker gang who will be traveling to Italy include Bruce and Jackie Le Grow, Jack White and Margaret Philpott, Carter Powers and Judy Pittman and Dave and Flo King. Best of luck to all our skiers heading to Europe.
Surviving the weather
What weather we've been having over the last three weeks! Keeping our trails open despite the extreme weather events, is certainly a testament to Kenny Young, our groomer operator, and the capacity of our BR250 groomer to move and pack snow.
Without these two essential components, combined with extensive trail work that we have carried out over the past number of years, the trails would not be open.
The key to keeping the trails open is base preparation and now that we have most of the trails levelled with culverts in place, we are able to start packing snow early in the season.
By doing this, we've be able to built up a significant base and because of that, we've managed to survive last week's meltdown and now were right back to building more base.
And according to the long range forecast, “It all looks good!” to quote our late sage, Percy Pieroway.
A crowd pleaser
Last weekend we had our first Gathering of Music & Friends and Hootenanny Around the Woodstove. This event was well attended and for those in attendance, it was certainly a lively evening of conversation, music, and music, and music, and music and dance.
Well if the truth be known, the event closed down at 3:26 a.m. Sunday morning when one illustrious performer decried, “I just broke the fourth string on my guitar and I have no more replacements, so it’s time to go home!”
And with that, all in attendance jumped to their feet and rushed about cleaning and sweeping and reappointing furniture and we were all out the door as quick as ya could say “Track!” That's one thing about Whalebackers, they always know when it's time to go home. But before they do, they make the clean sweep and make sure the chalet is as good as new.
I am also happy to report that all the yarry gathering revelers were neatly snapped into their ski bindings and touring their favourite trail by mid-afternoon on Sunday. Now that's what you call, “Being WinterActive at Whaleback!”
