After being forced to cancel last year due to COVID-19, the 100 Mile Nordics are feeling optimistic about plans to host the Teck Northern Cup this coming January.
“Last year we went into it thinking that it may not happen,” club coordinator Gary Carlson told the Free Press. “But every indication is that we’ll be able to do it this year. So everybody is quite excited.”
The event is set for Jan. 22 at the 100 Mile Nordic trails at the 99 Mile ski hill. The entry-level race is open to skiers under 18 years of age and from anywhere in the province.
“We hope to get skiers from Clearwater, Williams Lake, Quesnel and Kamloops,” Carlson said. “That would be the area that we’re looking to draw from. But any kids in the province could take part.”
The race distance will vary depending on the skiers’ age, from 0.5-kilometre for the younger participants to five kilometres for the older ones, Carlson noted.
It’s been several years since 100 Mile hosted a cross-country ski race. In the club’s prime, the 99 Mile hill was a favourite spot for racers from around the province.
With the interest in cross-country skiing on the rise in the South Cariboo - last year, the Nordics club boasted more than 300 members - the club hopes that hosting the Teck Northern Cup this winter will help promote the area as a nordic destination.
Meanwhile, the 100 Mile Nordics’ Skills Development Program - open to young skiers from pre-school age to 18 - is now getting underway with dryland training. Registration for the program is still open, but limited, Carlson said.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the Northern Teck Cup event - no experience is necessary, Carlson noted - can email info@100milenordics.com or visit the club’s Facebook page.
melissa.smalley@100milefreepress.net
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