Brookvale Winter Activity Park was the host site of the Mars Cup K1 Ski Series last weekend and by all accounts it was a great success.
The event marked the very first time a sanctioned alpine ski race has been hosted on Prince Edward Island and included more than 100 participants aged 6-13 years, 81 of whom were from off-Island. Skiers gathered at the hill for the event which focuses on fun, gaining race experience and meeting fellow skiers, using a point system which determines participants for national events. Some provinces also choose participants for national events based on the points system used in this series.
Philip Brown, Minister of Tourism said, “I have heard from many people involved in the K1 race that it was one of the best that the organizers and participants have ever seen and that skiers gained some valuable experience at Brookvale.” He added, “Events like this bring families to the Island during the winter months and boost our visibility for a great place to visit in winter.”
The organizing committee and staff onsite put in many hours of preparation to ensure that the runs were flagged and fenced for safety and the many details for an event of this type were covered for the competition. “We received all kinds of eager assistance from K1 race volunteers and the staff at Brookvale,” said Mark Steele, Chief of Race and organizer of the event. “I spoke with many parents of skiers who were so impressed with the site and the level of attention given to everyone on the hill. We look forward to repeating the experience in 2006.”
The schedule for next year’s series of races will be determined at the end of the season.