With just under 100 days until the 2016 biathlon world cup begins and kicks off eight weeks of Nordic and winter carnival events, excitement in Canmore is building for the event.
Last Wednesday (Oct. 21), the official countdown to back-to-back world cups at the Canmore Nordic Centre kicked off at the Civic Centre.
Former Olympic cross-country medallist and local business owner Sara Renner has the official job of getting that energy and buzz building for the events.
Renner has taken on the role of world cup excitement specialist for the municipality and she said there are a lot of fun and thrilling events being planned for the community.
“We have these amazing world cups coming into town that are going to be bigger and better than before,” she said, adding both sporting events are larger than the competitions held at the Nordic Centre during the 1988 Winter Olympics.
“There will be so many things planned … it is going to be a real people festival.”
The biathlon world cup runs Feb. 1-7 and the cross-country world cup runs March 8-12. But in between are annual winter carnival celebrations held by the Town of Canmore and this year they will be bigger and better than ever.
“Basically there are six weeks between the biathlon and cross-country races, so in between the two events there will be a lot of community programming and community events,” Renner said.
Some of the special event details have been worked out for the schedule; others are still in the works, but Renner said there will definitely be a foodie component, cultural events and events for families to enjoy together. With the two world cups and the carnival, she said it is truly a celebration of all things winter.
“We are winter people and I think if any community can celebrate winter, it is Canmore and this is such a unique event,” she said. “It is the first time we have ever had two Nordic events held so close together in North America.”
It is actually a whole bunch of firsts for Canmore and Nordic sports. It is the first time there will be a biathlon world cup at the Nordic Centre, the first time the cross-country world cup finals are held in North America and the first time Crystal Globes in that sport are presented outside Europe.
“This is the crčme de la crčme of Nordic sports and it made sense to bring the momentum from the biathlon world cup and carry it right through to the cross-country events,” Renner said. “I think what is really unique for this festival is that it is truly for the people of Canmore and I think there will be something for everyone to resonate with.”
