While not official yet from the FIS Council in Turkey. The Sun Peaks ROC has requested March 3rd to 6th 2011 as the dates for our 2011 Velocity Challenge. The Sun Peaks ROC will post confirmed dates once we are notified from FIS.

Photos from Sunday – March 7, 2010
Photography by John Cleaver

Photos from Sunday – March 7, 2010
Photography by John Cleaver

Photos from Saturday – March 6, 2010
Photography by John Cleaver

Photos from Friday – March 5, 2010
Photography by John Cleaver

After two days of gorgeous blue skies and sunshine that tided over two World Cup races, the 2010 Subaru Velocity Challenge reluctantly came to a close earlier than expected on Sunday, March 7. Already faced with gusts of wind and a chilly overcast day, event organizers decided to wrap up the event after a racer fell on the track during the second run of the day.

After skiing about two-thirds down the run, Ismael Devenes from Switzerland lost control and skied off-course on the Headwalls. The crowd of spectators gasped as Devenes wobbled, fell and skidded through the netting to the left side of the track. Fortunately, the netting slowed the momentum of his descent. A volunteer standing close to the track immediately skied over to Devenes to make sure he was okay. Devenes was able to sit up just a few seconds after he came to a stop. Just as quickly, members of the event’s medical team were there to tend to him. He sustained a hand injury because of the fall.

“We have the best trauma workers on site so Ismael would be just fine,” reassured volunteer Pat Wellington.

The previous day, Klaus Schrottshammer from Austria almost suffered a similar fate but was able to perform an amazing recovery after skiing off-kilter for a split second. Skiing on one leg, Schrottshammer regained his balance and had no trouble skiing down the remainder of the track.

View footage here.

Three races were scheduled for the Velocity Challenge run on the last day of the event, but under the circumstances, the race had to be cut short after one successful run.

For the Velocity Challenge race, the fastest competitors in each category will be awarded $500 prize money from Peaks Media Inc, SPIN Newsmagazine and Headwalls Mechanical . This year, $200 will also be awarded to the fastest rookie competitor, sponsored by Sun Tower Electric. The Velocity Challenge speeds don’t count towards World Cup points.

Sun Peaks’ Blade Cleaver won the rookie title with 151.82 km/h, just 0.81 of a second ahead of his younger brother Cruize.

Karine Dubouchet-Revol from France was the fastest woman in the Women’s Speed 1 category with a speed of 169.01 km/h.

Austrian skier Gunther Foidl was once again the top racer in the Men’s Downhill category. His speed was 161.61 km/h.

Italy’s Ivan Origone won the Men’s Speed 1 Velocity Challenge race with a speed of 174.11 km/h.

The dinner and awards ceremony will be held tonight at the Sun Peaks Resort’s Village Square at 5 p.m.

For the complete results, visit www.velocitychallenge.com.

With a speed of 161.07 km/h, Linda Baginski of Sweden won the Women’s Speed 1 Category in the second FIS World Cup race at the Subaru Velocity Challenge. Karine Dubouchet-Revol from France came in second place with 159.96 km/h and Jennifer Romano from France took third place at 159.93 km/h. The competition was held March 6 in Sun Peaks Resort.

“I feel very good. I feel very relieved because yesterday I wasn’t too happy,” said Baginski. “It was so small, the time difference yesterday. Very happy that I won now!”

The Origone brothers of Italy once again ruled the podium in the Men’s Speed 1 category. But this time, it was Simone Origone who won the race at a blistering speed of 165.63 km/h. Ivan Origone was a mere seven-hundredths of a second behind with his speed of 165.56 km/h. Philippe May of Switzerland came in third at 165.40 km/h.

“(I’m) happy to be on the podium but it’s a little frustrating to be 0.2 km/h of the victory,” said May of how close the the top three contenders were in their speeds. “It’s good, but it could’ve been better.”

The Men’s Downhill category came up with the same ranking as yesterday’s World Cup race but the speeds were farther apart compared to the Speed 1 category. Gunther Foidl from Austria came in first with a speed of 156.07 km/h. Michel Guomoens from Switzerland came in second place with 155.04 km/h, while Markus Munzer from Austria got third place with a speed of 153.13 km/h.

“I played hard for this victory and today was the confirmation of this,” said Foidl. Although he’s still extremely happy of winning today’s race, he said that the first win yesterday was more exciting for him. “I expected to win,” he said. Foidl said having two Austrians in the top three demonstrates the calibre of athletes in the Austrian team.

When it comes to the world of speed skiing, there are only a handful of female competitors.

Just like the guys, for Jennifer Romano of France, it’s the speed and resulting adrenaline rush that attracted her to the sport.

Some of them had planned to compete in the sport, while others happened upon it by chance. Baginski had been competing in alpine racing but decided to try speed skiing “because it looked fun”.

“Because the downhill looked like the most fun part, I thought I would phone the speed ski team and ask about training and they talked me into it,” said Baginski. She ended up getting hooked. Baginski said she never regretted making that phone call. “I love speed skiing. That was a good decision.”

“I would love to see more women (in the sport),” said Baginski. “Over the years, there’s been quite a few, but it’s a shame there’s not more.”

Lisa Hovland-Uden, 19, from Sweden is one of the brave newcomers to the sport. Hovlend-Uden said she only sees an average of five or six women at each World Cup race competition, and thinks it would make for a more challenging race if there were more women that she can compete with.

At 33, Elena Banfo from Italy is a female veteran of the sport. She said she tries to encourage younger women to compete in speed skiing. “I say ‘Go for speed skiing’ but they say ‘No, it’s more dangerous’,” she said.

Whether it’s for women or men, speed skiing is definitely not a sport for the faint of heart. And though it may not be a sport for everyone, the danger factor makes it a thrill for spectators to watch.

The official Subaru Velocity Challenge Pro Race will be held tomorrow and will wrap up with an awards ceremony at Sun Peaks Resort’s Village Square.

For the complete results, visit www.velocitychallenge.com.

Photos from Friday – March 5, 2010
Photography by Jean-Marc Faucompret