A week out from the Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme there was a noticeable buzz in Whistler. Footage of the original race was circling, organizers were on alert for changes in the weather, athletes were wondering what they had got themselves into.
With an event this steeped in history, expectations were high.
We’ll never know whether it was luck, the World Ski and Snowboard Festival vibes or the presence of the ‘skier of the impossible’ Sylvain Saudan himself that tipped the snow gods off the special event, but after a dump of new snow the clouds lifted and the race got underway April 14, 2018. Catch the recap here:
Congratulations to Stan Rey (2 minutes 16 seconds) and Marie-Pier Préfontaine (2 minutes 24 seconds) who took top places in the Pro Men and Pro Women category respectively. You can find a full list of results on the World Ski and Snowboard Festival website.
For more on the race, visit the Whistler Museum and Archives before April 30 to check out their special exhibition on the race.
The only thing better than watching people take on the Saudan Couloir in a race is riding it yourself – if you’re an expert, of course. Whistler is open until April 22 and Blackcomb is open for spring skiing through until May 18 so take some steeps lessons from Dana Flahr or choose your cruisers and hit the slopes before they close.
Get up here for a dose of fresh mountain air, spring snow and dining specials. It’s a spring thing…
