Andrée Janyk – Whistler Museum and Archives Society

Whistler’s Women’s World Cup DownhillWhistler’s Women’s World Cup Downhill

February 20, 2024 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

Though Whistler began hosting World Cup downhill races in 1982 (or earlier, depending on how you look at it), in early 1994 Whistler was preparing to host its first Women’s World Cup Downhill on March 5 & 6, followed a week later by a Men’s World Cup downhill and Super G. While there had been previous Women’s World Cup races held on Whistler Mountain in the 1970s, the downhill races had been cancelled due to weather, though the GS races had gone ahead.

In January, volunteers were still being recruited to join the ranks of veteran Weasel Workers and it was expected that they would start setting up the course on Dave Murray Downhill by the end of the month. According to the Whistler Question, the Dave Murray Downhill course was considered “one of a few ‘classic’ downhill courses” with jumps, flats, drop-offs, high speed turns and more. Some changes had been made to the course in 1992 to make it more exciting for racers and more accessible for fans, including the addition of two off-camber turns below Coaches Corner and the Hot Air Jump.

Weasel Worker Dean Fletcher prepares for the World Cup. Whistler Question Collection, 1994

As in many years, the weather was a popular topic in the lead up to the World Cup races and many people were concerned about whether the races would be able to go ahead. January 1994 was unseasonably warm, prompting the Question to ask readers “Is the recent warm weather giving you spring fever?” By the beginning of February, Whistler Mountain had to announce changes to the Peak to Valley race course because there was not enough snow to ski down to the valley. Instead, the start of the race was moved higher up to just below the Saddle entrance to the Glacier Bowl and the course was shortened.

Worries about the snow were eased on February 9, 1994 when 28cm fell overnight. According to a report from Bonny Makarewicz, “Skiers and merchants woke up with smiles on their faces as the countdown to the World Cup has begun in earnest.” The snow continued to fall and by the end of February the mountains had received nine feet of snow in nine days. At the beginning of March, however, the weather had turned again and planned training runs for the inaugural Warsteiner Women’s World Cup races were canceled. When team captains examined the course on March 2, they found that the snow was too soft to be safe for training runs and volunteer crews were scheduled to work all day to re-anchor nets and fences that had been left unsecured after the course lost 40cm of snow overnight.

Despite poor conditions, chief of race Joan Giannelli remained optimistic. The rest of her leadership team (which included Nancy Greene as race chair, Michelle Brown, Andrée Janyk in charge of gatekeepers, and Brenda Oaks as chief of timing) agreed and their optimism was rewarded. Training runs were held on Friday, March 4 and the race was able to go ahead on the weekend. Katja Seizinger of Germany placed first, followed by Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden and Michelle Ruthven of Canada.

Ben Ardet, Brenda Oakes, and Louis Sohar take shelter from the rain in a makeshift cover on the Dave Murray World Cup Downhill Course. Whistler Question Collection, 1994

World Cup events in Whistler included more than just the races. The Kokanee Rock N’ Ski Party featured eight different bands performing on the bar circuit and the Whistler Village Art Gallery featured works of BC sports artists Dale Cooper, Brent Lynch and Ken Wesman in the second annual World Cup Show. Other newsworthy events that took place during the World Cup races included the announcement by Canadian racer Kerrin Lee-Gartner of her retirement and the gathering of Canada’s Olympic and World Downhill gold medalists at a benefit dinner for the Whistler Health Care Centre.

Canada’s Michelle Ruthven, Germany’s Katja Seizenger and Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg share the podium after Whistler’s first Women’s World Cup Downhill race on Saturday. Whistler Question Collection, Doug Alexander

Despite continued uncertain weather, the Men’s World Cup Downhill and Super G races were also able to ahead the following week and the 1994 World Cup in Whistler was considered a success. However, while the Men’s World Cup races did return in February 1995, the Women’s World Cup did not and the Canadian stop of the tour was moved to December in Lake Louise.

Volunteers of 2010: The Weasel WorkersVolunteers of 2010: The Weasel Workers

March 10, 2020 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

This past month, the Whistler Museum opened a temporary exhibit on the Sea to Sky volunteers of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The exhibit will run through March as Whistler continues to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paralympic Games. One of the groups included in this exhibit is a group that formed well before the Games ever came to Whistler.

The Weasel Workers formed in the 1970s when Bob Parsons bad his crew of six prepped the course for the first World Cup Downhill races in Whistler. Most of the early volunteers were parents of Whistler Mountain Ski Club members, but membership grew over the years as Weasels continued to work on the courses for large races on Whistler and began sending volunteers to help build courses for World Cups, World Championships, and Winter Olympics on other mountains. When the Games were awarded to Whistler and Vancouver in 2003, the Weasel Workers began recruiting and building their team well in advance of the alpine events held on Whistler Mountain.

Weasels on the course with no sign of the sun. Photo: Lance the Ski Patroller

During the 2010 Games, the number of Weasel Workers swelled to about 1,500 volunteers. Volunteers came from across Canada and other nations to join a core group of 400 to 500 volunteers from Vancouver and the Sea to Sky area. About 300 volunteers worked specifically for the Paralympics, and a couple hundred Weasel Workers volunteered to work for both the Olympics and Paralympics. Weasel volunteers began their work for the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) on Whistler Mountain as early as mid-November 2008 and continued to clean the courses well after the Games had left town.

Even during the Games, the Weasels continued to be a family affair. Bunny Hume, who began volunteering the with Weasels with her husband Dick in the early 1980s when their grandsons began ski racing, volunteered alongside multiple family members. She handed out and collected race bibs, her son Rick was the Chief of Course for the women’s course, and her grandsons Jeff and Scott worked on the dye crew. Rick’s wife Lynne also worked as a Weasel during the Paralympics.

Weasel Workers working on the downhill course for the Olympics. Photo: Lance the Ski Patroller

Some of the Weasel Workers who began volunteering as ski club parents even had children competing in the Games. Long-time Weasel Andrée Janyk, who could often be found working on a course with a smile, saw two of her children, Britt and Mike, race in the Olympics in their hometown.

Karl Ricker, also a long-time dedicated Weasel Worker, was on the mountain trying to prevent people from crossing where the winch-cats were working when he received the news that Maëlle Ricker, his daughter, had won a gold medal in snowboard-cross on Cypress Mountain and become the first Canadian woman to claim an Olympic gold on home soil. He went down to Vancouver to attend her medal ceremony, but was back at work on the course early the next morning.

Despite rain, wet snow, and warm weather over the first few days of the Games, and the postponement of three races, the Weasel Workers created and maintained courses for the men’s, women’s, and Paralympic alpine races that were seen around the world in 2010, and those who came to Whistler to work with the Weasels became just as much a part of the team as the long-time volunteers. Patrick Maloney, then the Weasel president, told The Whistler Question that, “Anybody that’s on that track is a Weasel Worker.” This sentiment was echoed by Weasel Worker Colin Pitt-Taylor, who claimed that, “as soon as you started working on an alpine course, you became a Weasel Worker, whether you like it or not.”

Carving Our Way to the International Stage: The History of Ski Racing in WhistlerCarving Our Way to the International Stage: The History of Ski Racing in Whistler

February 15, 2014 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

The Winter Olympics can be an exceptionally exciting time for Whistler residents because of the abundance of local athletes competing in the games. This year’s Sochi Olympics are no exception. Athletes from in and around Whistler will be participating this month, and with that, Whistler Museum has decided to host our February Speaker Series on the plentiful topic of Ski Racing – a thriving, momentous sport in the Winter Games.

The event will take place on Wednesday, February 19^th, with an exciting lineup of guest speakers including Rob Boyd, Tom Prochazka, John Preissl and Andrée Janyk. Rather fittingly, Andrée’s son Mike will be participating in the Giant Slalom that day, and we are planning a live stream of the games – pre-event. The evening will focus on the history of ski racing in and around Whistler. Our guest speakers, accompanied by some photographic gems from their personal collections, will be highlighting topics such as the first ski races in Whistler, early ski race pioneers, local World Cup athletes, World Cup races, summer camps and more.

Tyrol Giant Slalom, 1967. Photograph by Frank Grundig.

Doors will open at 6pm and the actual presentations will begin at 7pm. Admission is $7 ($5 for museum members), and if you purchase a new museum membership for the year for just $25, we’ll include a ticket for free!

Get your tickets early as only 50 seats are available and Speaker Series events tend to sell out fast. Complimentary coffee and tea will be provided courtesy of the Whistler Roasting Company and Namasthé Tea Co., in addition to a cash bar.

This is going to be a jam-packed night filled with local legends! Word is there may even be door prizes for some lucky guests.