Whistler and Panorama, B.C., are candidates to host menB次元官网网址檚 World Cup downhill ski races in the future.

Alpine Canada president and chief executive officer Therese Brisson intends to find a replacement in Western Canada for the menB次元官网网址檚 speed event held annually until 2022 in Lake Louise, Alta.

B次元官网网址淲hat we really want to do is build, IB次元官网网址檒l call it a national alpine speed training centre. There are not too many places in the country where our athletes can train speed in early winter, late spring,B次元官网网址� Brisson said.

B次元官网网址淲here can we build a national training centre for speed with safety equipment, air fence, crash pads and where do we have the right weather patterns for that? And also, what would be a sensible location for a World Cup?

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 places like Panorama and Whistler that rise to the top.B次元官网网址�

Staging a World Cup in Canada is crucial for Alpine Canada on multiple fronts, including its business operations. The cancellation of womenB次元官网网址檚 giant slalom races Saturday and Sunday in Mont-Tremblant, Que., because of lack of snow and warm temperatures was a blow.

Mont-TremblantB次元官网网址檚 races drew an announced 15,000 spectators in 2023, when World Cup returned to the resort town northwest of Montreal after a 40-year absence.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a bit of a stalling of the momentum of everything we were building around that event. Motivating to have an even better event next year,B次元官网网址� Brisson said.

B次元官网网址淓specially for our Canadian athletes to not have that chance to race at home, they donB次元官网网址檛 get to race at home very often. ItB次元官网网址檚 certainly disappointing for them.B次元官网网址�

She estimates Alpine Canada loses at least $1 million on the cancellation in lost fundraising opportunities and race costs that canB次元官网网址檛 be recovered.

B次元官网网址淚f we were to have the event, it would be a significant revenue driver,B次元官网网址� Brisson said. B次元官网网址淣ot the event itself, but everything we build around the event, the fundraising activities, the sponsor activations. When you have an event that people want to come to and people are excited by, thereB次元官网网址檚 everything around it.

B次元官网网址淣ot being able to have an event this year will have a significant financial impact.B次元官网网址�

Minus the 2020 races cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada had hosted an alpine World Cup annually for 30 years.

While ski cross falls under the freestyle ski umbrella internationally, itB次元官网网址檚 under Alpine CanadaB次元官网网址檚 jurisdiction domestically as a speed event. A World Cup is scheduled for March 12-15 at Craigleith near Collingwood, Ont.

Domestic races featuring the worldB次元官网网址檚 best ski racers help forge a connection between Canadians and what is a Eurocentric sport as the bulk of World Cup races are held outside of North America.

That connection is key to Alpine CanadaB次元官网网址檚 goal of growing the sport, so thereB次元官网网址檚 an urgency to return a menB次元官网网址檚 speed event to Canada.

B次元官网网址淚f we build that national training centre first, weB次元官网网址檒l have a World Cup in fairly short order afterward,B次元官网网址� said Brisson, who said a location should be in place by 2026.

Lake Louise in Banff National Park west of Calgary hosted menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 downhills for decades but became a money-losing venture for Alpine Canada because of the high operational costs, the remoteness of the venue and a lack of paying spectators.

Races wonB次元官网网址檛 return there without a major injection of cash.

B次元官网网址淚f someone said, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檇 be willing to invest in this $3 million a year for five yearsB次元官网网址�, it could be doable,B次元官网网址� Brisson said. B次元官网网址淚t was a bit of a challenge to get fans out, but the big thing is really cost structure and just a resort whoB次元官网网址檚 bought in, willing to build snow and build a track.B次元官网网址�

An element of Alpine CanadaB次元官网网址檚 strategic plan for 2021-2026 is to host races that break even or make money. A nearby community of ski racing fans that can easily access the hill is the B次元官网网址渟ecret sauceB次元官网网址�, which Brisson said contributed to Mont-TremblantB次元官网网址檚 success.

Panorama, near Invermere, B.C. close to the Alberta border, hosted downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom Nor Am finals in April and the world junior alpine ski championship in 2022. Brisson estimated an investment of $3 million could provide whatB次元官网网址檚 needed for a training hub and World Cup downhill there.

B次元官网网址淚n Panorama, they have early winter training,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲ith some very modest modifications and investment in safety equipment, we could envision a national training centre in Panorama with an annual World Cup and maybe hosting a para world championship.B次元官网网址�

Whistler is a tested downhill venue having hosted alpine ski races at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and a World Cup in 2008, although snow conditions and the international racing calendar dictate spring racing there as opposed to late fall.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a really nice training centre in Whistler,B次元官网网址� Brisson observed. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a speed training centre with a full Dave Murray downhill, but maybe thatB次元官网网址檚 what we need to bring back.B次元官网网址�