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REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: Canada
By Gina DeMillo
2005 Apr (Vol. 7, No. 2) |
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TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival
April 8-17; Whistler, British Columbia
TELUS is the can’t-miss convention for snow junkies. This collection of slopeside and après events includes the world snowboarding and skiing invitationals, which attracts some of the best athletes from around the globe. For the masses, there are slope-style and rail competitions, ski school championships and an endless string of concerts by big-name bands such as Nickelback, The Black Eyed Peas and GOB. For you creative types, the festival offers an art show and competition, and a filmmaker showdown in which 50 film crews rush to make a 4 1/2-minute masterpiece in 72 hours or less. If you need a break from the white stuff, you can attend the two-day DogFest, which puts your favorite pooch in the spotlight with a parade and fundraisers for local nonprofit pet rescues. Or, look for the bike trials in Village Square. 604-938-3399; www.whistler2005.com.
Tour de Bloc
April-JUne; cities throughout Canada
Get a grip with this circuit of bouldering events. Open to anyone, they take place in more than a dozen cities, and their mission is to grow the sport of competitive climbing. 416-723-2171; www.tourdebloc.com.
Nortel Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival
June 25-26; Ottawa, Ontario
Ancient Chinese tradition meets competitive canoeing in this popular dragon boat race. More than 4,500 paddlers participate, and thousands more gather each year for the food and entertainment. 613-238-7711; www.dragonboat.net.
Sea to Sky Mountain Bike Trail Ride
July 9-10; Squamish, British Columbia
Using existing trail systems, deactivated forestry roads and singletrack, this two-day, noncompetitive 130K ride takes you through the scenic and mountainous Whistler area and Cheakamus Canyon to Squamish. With only a few technical spots on the trail, distance is this ride’s greatest challenge. 800-242-1825; www.great-explorations.com.
Canadian Death Race
July 29-August 1; Grande Cache, Alberta
Only competitors with a true death wish brave this 125K course in the Canadian Rockies that boasts killer heat in the valleys, more than 17,000 feet of elevation change and freezing temperatures on three mountain summits. 780-827-3300/780-827-5413; www.canadiandeathrace.com.
TransRockies Challenge
August 7-13; Fernie, British Columbia, to Canmore, Alberta
Amateur and pro teams battle more than 39,370 feet of elevation in this 373-mile mountain bike race through the Canadian Rockies. With breakfast, dinner, gear transport and tent setup included in the registration, riders need only worry about their bikes and water. 403-229-0355; www.transrockies.com.
BEST CHARITY EVENTS
The Terry Fox Run
September 18; Cities throughout Canada
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people participate in this multi-city event, raising money for cancer research. There’s no entry fee and no prizes. Instead, runners participate as an act of unity for The Terry Fox Foundation’s effort to find a cure. 604-701-0246; www.terryfoxrun.org.
CIBC Run for the Cure
October 2; 40 cities throughout Canada
This nationwide event raises money for breast cancer research and awareness programs. Two course lengths (1K or 5K) are available, and participants can choose to run, walk or wheelchair their way to the finish line. 800-387-9816; www.cbcf.org.
BEST BEGINNER EVENTS
Marathon by the Sea
August 6-7; Saint John, New Brunswick
This event attracts beginner and advanced competitors with a wheelchair or run/walk option on each of its 5-mile, half-marathon and marathon courses along the scenic Bay of Fundy. 506-642-5555/506-658-2990; www.marathonbythesea.com.
Salomon Adventure Challenge
January 2006; Caledon Hills, Ontario
Snowshoe, cross-country ski and mountain bike your way across the chilly-but-beautiful terrain surrounding Toronto. This beginner-friendly race lasts five to eight hours. www.far.on.ca/2005/sac/winter.
Last
Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
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