Silver Star Mountain Resort is buzzing with excitement as teams from around the world check in to their accommodations in anticipation of next week’s Viessman World Cup event being hosted by the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club. Resort staff, accommodation providers, and food and beverage owners are rolling out the red carpet for the many teams, coaches, and media who will be attending over the next ten days.
Silver Star Nordic Director Glenn Bond has been personally extending a warm Silver Star welcome to all of the athletes, and caught up with the Norwegian team that arrived on Monday night. “The Norwegians are the superstars of the sport. I was just out skiing with Marit Bjoergen, the overall World Cup champion, and she was raving about Silver Star’s tracksetting, the snow conditions, and the village. Right now, we have teams from Canada, the United States, Norway, and Japan staying here. Tonight, the Russians check in with thirty team members, and Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland will follow by the end of the week. They will all be enjoying fabulous training conditions and world-class hospitality.†Norwegian coach Morten Djupuik enthused, “we're enjoying great skiing and great food – everything is perfect!”
Another story-line is the economic spin-off from having so many teams staying at Silver Star. Russell Haubrich, owner of the Putnam Station Inn and Craigellachie Dining Room, says “hosting the World Cup athletes is just marvellous for us. It fills up rooms and restaurants at the resort during a slower period, but more importantly their presence brings true excitement to the resort. We are able to house them very close to the trails. They can train right from their back door, eat three meals a day, and it’s just a short shuttle away to where the races will be held.â€
Haubrich is hosting teams from the United States, France, and Japan and expects that the kitchen staff will be kept hopping during the run-up to the races. “We’ll be sitting down with their coaches to see how we can best fulfill their dietary requirements. Our top-notch kitchen staff will be preparing lots of complex carbohydrates like pastas, rice, and good wholesome meals that these high-performance athletes demand. Keeping the food warm, the athletes fed, and the schedule on time is what we’re striving for.â€
On Tuesday, December 6, the Silver Star Night Sprints Dash for Cash will provide the very first opportunity for Okanagan spectators to see these World Cup and Olympic racers in action. Imagine a street party with music, lights and fireworks, add athletes racing head to head and you have the drama that will be the Silver Star Night Sprints, as the best cross country ski racers from 25 nations will be competing at for $10,000 in cash. A 650 meter sprint course will start and finish in the center of the Silver Star village, and spectators will be able to cheer on their favourite racers including Canadian Olympic gold medalist Beckie Scott and World Championship bronze medalist Sara Renner. Spectators will witness the best Nordic skiing on the planet surrounded with a party that will go down in history.
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