January 22, 2005 – Have you ever skied 75 kilometres in one day? On March 19, 2005 – you’ll get your chance! With assistance from RBC Dominion Securities and sponsors from the cross-county skiing industry, Silver Star Mountain Resort will be hosting the brand-new Silver Star 75! A 15 km track will be laid out starting from the spectator-friendly Main Street of the Silver Star Mountain village and loop to the south and then back to the village. Skiers can choose from 15K 30K, 45K, 60K all the way up to 75 kilometres. There will even be a shorter 5 km track the kids.

Glenn Bond, Nordic Manager at Silver Star Mountain is excited. “There is no
other event in North America of the same distance and format as the Silver
Star 75,” says Bond. “Currently, we are laying out the course on Meadow
Trail and Sidewinder and will be making the course is as flat and easy as
possible”.

The event will start at 0800 right in the Main Street of Silver Star. Once
through the Village, the track takes the skiers down Meadow, around
Sidewinder, back onto Meadow, onto Bridal Path, the Night Loop and finally
back into the village. At the Stadium area, skiers finishing will be
directed across their finish line and others will ski on through and onto
another loop. Nutrition and hydration stations will be set up on the course
approximately every 5 km.

Norm Crerar, director of the popular fall Masters Cross-Country Ski Camps
at Silver Star Mountain, has participated in the Vasaloppet; a similar
event in Sweden; which takes place on a 90 kilometre course from Salen to
Mora. Crerar says “it was exciting not only to ski that distance, but to
be at the start line, with 16,500 entrants. The secret to finishing and
doing well is to start at a pace that you can maintain for a long period of
time and stop at every food and drink station.” Crerar’s philosophy is to
start slow, then taper off.

The event will be used as a fund raiser for the Emergency Unit at the
Vernon Jubilee Hospital. Derek Hall, Executive Director of the Vernon
Jubilee Hospital Foundation, sees the event as a very positive one for the
community. “Not only are we raising money for a very worthwhile cause, says
Hall, but the people entering the event and training for the event will be
leading a very healthy lifestyle. We are encouraging every XC skier in the
valley and beyond to get involved, get active, and enter this event”.

For more information on the event and to enter, log on to the web site
www.silverstar75.com