Tag: ski racing

Peak to Valley Race & FundraiserPeak to Valley Race & Fundraiser

January 16, 2014 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Peak to Valley race, taking place January 31st and February 1st 2014.

The Peak to Valley race is a very unique race that has a definite place in Whistler’s history. The brainchild of legendary ski-racer, Dave Murray, the race starts at the (almost) top of Whistler Mountain at the Saddle and finishes at Creekside.

Peak to Valley Race, ca. 1988.
Photograph by Greg Griffith
Griffith Collection, Whistler Museum

The average GS race has 35 gates and a vertical drop of 250 metres. The Peak to Valley race has a vertical drop of 1,443 metres, with 180 gates and a course that’s over 5 km long.

Judging by interviews with the racers a lot of the Peak to Valley is about overcoming pain. Whistler resident Sarah Lynch described the experience in 2010 “I was just trying to remember to breathe and then your legs are just burning.”

Alongside the pain however comes a lot of fun and camaraderie. The Peak to Valley is not just for professional racers; anyone can join in – if they dare! The fastest time on record is 4.52.03 – the longest – 29.03.50. Despite these discrepancies both record holders had an awesome time taking part.

The race is a team effort with four people per team. Teams must have at least one woman and all must be 19 or over. Two team members race on the first day and two more race on the second. Their times are combined and the winning team is crowned.

There have been some questionable conditions facing the racers over the years, but to date, no race has ever been cancelled. In 1991 the weather was so stormy that the entire mountain was closed, but the race still went ahead. Racers could upload on the Olive chair and then get a snowcat the rest of the way up, as the conditions were too dangerous for a lift to be run. One racer, Simon Wiruntene from the New Zealand National Ski Team even hiked up, as he knew he was one of the last to start, and actually managed to get the fastest time of the day!

Quilt up for auction: Made out of the race T-shirts spanning the entire history of the Peak to Valley Race

To mark the 30th anniversary Whistler Blackcomb has commissioned a quilt made out of the race T-shirts spanning the entire history of the event. The result is an impressive memento of one of Whistler’s best-loved races. The quilt will be auctioned off to raise money for the Whistler Museum. To make a bid for this piece of Whistler racing history check out the Whistler Museum website (www.whistlermuseum.org) or call us on 604 932 2019. The quilt will be displayed at the Peak to Valley race itself and then afterwards at the Whistler Museum. Bidding will close on February 8th, 2014.

Link to auction here.

Quilt up for auction: Made out of the race T-shirts spanning the entire history of the Peak to Valley Race
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Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme.Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme.

December 16, 2012 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

Saudan Couloir Extreme was an infamous ski race that was held on Blackcomb Mountain starting in the spring of [1987]. With the race dropping 2500 vertical feet from the top of Saudan Couloir, down to the bottom of Jersey Cream Chair, it went on to gain an international reputation as a classic extreme race.

Radical Super-G course indeed.
Radical Super-G course indeed.

After the development of 7th Heaven, which opened up a vast area of mostly alpine and glacier skiing, Blackcomb Ski Resort began to develop an event that would profile its unique terrain. The Saudan Couloir run was chosen, as it was the only black diamond run in the area at the time.

Andrea Marchland. Fastest woman at the Saudan Couloir Race in 1992
Andrea Marchland. Fastest woman at the Saudan Couloir Race in 1992

The first 2 years the event was held, major snowstorms covered the run days before the race, and because grooming equipment couldn’t get down the 42 degree slope of the couloir there were major ruts on the course.

Chris Kent, a former member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, became the inaugural champion of the event, and held the title until Graham Swann ended his four year reign as king of the Saudan Couloir in 1991.

One of the amazing Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme posters designed by Brent Lynch. These retro classics can be found in hardcore homes throughout the valley
One of the amazing Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme posters designed by Brent Lynch. These retro classics can be found in hardcore homes throughout the valley

The Saudan Couloir became such a popular event during this period that TSN (The Sports Network), a popular Canadian sports channel, began filming the event to be broadcast as a 30-minute special.

Blackcomb Ski Resort produced TV Spots and highlight reels to help promote the event. The video below contains footage from the Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme held in 1988. With Mono Skis, on the fly tune ups, full spandex onesies, and a few yard sales, this was a race event that was not to be missed.

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