Visit A 'Win-Win' For Emerging Sport

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Professional Snowboarder, Justin Van Der Poelen at Tabor Mountain on Saturday

Prince George, B.C. -  Efforts to promote and grow the sport of snowboardcross in northern B.C. have received a boost with last week's visit by a six-member contingent working on a feature article for Snowboard Canada magazine. (click here for previous story)

During their visit, the group, which included four world-class snowboarders, got to meet the man spearheading the campaign to set up a northern development program for the sport, Bill Laing. (click here for previous story on Laing's efforts)

Tourism Prince George CEO, Aidan Kelly, says Laing was one of the first people he called when plans for this tour became a reality, and the group got to hang out with him for two days at Powder King, where's Laing is the Snowboarding Director.  Kelly says, "He's such an ambassador for the sport, so to couple all the positive work that he's been doing in Prince George and area with the snowboardcross (race) series and then for us (Tourism PG) to bring in world-level boardercross athletes following that - it just kind of brings everything together in terms of pushing it to the forefront and developing the sport."

"It's a win-win all the way 'round," says Kelly.  Former Olympian and professional snowboarder, Dominique Vallee, says the region is like a 'hidden gem' waiting to be explored.

The group wrapped up their visit on Saturday at Tabor Mountain Ski Resort where manager, Virginia O'Dine, has been working both seperately and with Laing to further snowboardcross.  O'Dine says Tabor had a great snowboardcross team this past season of higher calibre riders.  "And we'll be working with Snowboard Canada over the summer to try and come up with a program for next year that can take these good riders ad take them further."  She says they also hope to get a team of ski-cross participants together next season.

O'Dine feels the sport will grow in popularity over the coming years, once area residents learn a little more about it.  "Once they see that it starts at a beginner level of racing and not at the more challenging and crazy level you see at the Olympics," she says.  "I think it will grow slowly."

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