With only one week left until close of registration, the 2011 Sparking Hill Masters World Cup slated for Sovereign Lake/Silver Star, British Columbia (March 4-11) has already attracted a field of over 800 skiers from nearly 20 countries.
The Masters World Cup serves as the age group World Championships for master skiers age 30 and older (age as of 12/31/2010). The only eligibility requirement for the MWC is current membership in your national masters association or equivalent.
Team USA for the MWC2011 has already broken the 250 mark with USA National Director J.D. Downing hoping to get every possible entry in the door this final week.
“We are well within the American XC Skiers projection range for the 2011 event and we have already set a record for USA skiers at a foreign Worlds,” says Downing. “The key now is to make sure we don’t miss out on any possible additional entries given the very rigid registration deadline for the Worlds. Every master skier needs to realize that they must get their registration submitted by midnight on Monday, February 14 — no exceptions!”
By special arrangement with the World Masters Association, all USA, Canadian, and Australian race entries for the MWC2011 are being done exclusively on-line.
Event info:
www.mwc2011.com
Registration info:
http://www.mwc2011.com/index.php/registration/
Team USA info:
www.xcskiworld.com
The MWC2011 event also will double as the 2011 AXCS National Masters so the large USA turnout gives domestic skiers the chance not only to race the best in the world — but also many of the very best masters in the USA — all in one trip. Separate Team USA medal ceremonies will recognize the top three USA skiers in each age/gender category regardless of international placing.
“What’s also super special about the MWC2011 event is that we know right now that the Worlds won’t be back in North America until at least 2018. It was just a fluke of the calendar that put the MWC2008 in McCall, Idaho so close to this Worlds.” adds Downing. “So it’s important that we try and get every possible skier up to B.C. in order to take advantage of this rare opportunity!”
Every competitor in the MWC2011 has a choice of techniques in three different individual race distances, an international team relay, fantastic ceremonies, special presentations, cultural events, the MWC closing banquet, plus a regular shuttle service throughout the Silver Star mountain and Vernon city areas. Lodging options are still available in the Silver Star Village as well as more traditional motel/hotel lodging in the Vernon valley floor with a wide array of accommodations to suit any budget.
Daily flights are still available into the Kelowna, B.C. (YKW) airport with most USA connections via Seattle. Skiers in the western U.S. can reach the Vernon/Silver Star area via U.S. Highway 97 within a few hours of the U.S. border.
For more information and questions (USA masters), please contact the American XC Skiers atinfo@xcskiworld.com, (541) 317-0217 or the extensive Team USA resources posted onxcskiworld.com.
released by xcskiworld.com
Ben Theyerl
Ben Theyerl was born into a family now three-generations into nordic ski racing in the US. He grew up skiing for Chippewa Valley Nordic in his native Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before spending four years racing for Colby College in Maine. He currently mixes writing and skiing while based out of Crested Butte, CO, where he coaches the best group of high schoolers one could hope to find.
