January 21, 2014 (Whistler, BC) – Whistler Sport Legacies, Ski Jumping Canada and Nordic Combined Canada announced today that Whistler Olympic Park has been designated as National Training Centre for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined.

Curtis Lyon, Chairman and High Performance Director of Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Canada, stressed: “We are extremely excited and honored to announce Whistler Olympic Park as an official training centre of our National Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined teams.  The ski jump facilities in the Callaghan Valley are among the best in the world and the perfect place for our athletes to hone their skills and challenge the world’s best. We see the venue as integral part of the sport in this country and one of the keys to our success.” This appointment supports Whistler Olympic Park’s vision of becoming an international centre for sports excellence. Roger Soane, CEO of Whistler Sport Legacies explained: “This is a significant advancement of our journey to become a leader in the growth of sport. We are looking forward to working with Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Canada on the development of young athletes.”

The ski jumping venue for the Olympic Winter Games 2010 is well known for extremely stable wind conditions and a modern hill profile which is very similar to the jumps in Sochi. This is why from January 27th until February 1st, the National Ski Jumping Team will come to Whistler Olympic Park for their final training camp before heading to Russia for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Spectators are welcome to cheer on National Team athletes like Atsuko Tanaka, Taylor Henrich and Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes (daily sessions Jan 27-Feb 1 at 10am & 1pm, subject to weather conditions; Park admission $10/car load).

Ski Jumping program “Flight 2022” to be launched in March
In conjunction with Whistler Sport Legacies’ longterm mission to grow sport, the ski jumping program “Flight 2022” will be launched in March 2014. Weekend ski jumping camps for children age 8-12 (March 1&2 and 8&9) will introduce kids to the sport on small snow bumps. Furthermore a 20 and 40 meter jump will be built this summer to enable beginner jumpers to get started. John Heilig, Manager of Nordic Sports explains: “We want to help build athletes for the future. Those small training jumps will provide safe and easy access to an exciting Olympic sport for local kids.”

About Whistler Olympic Park
Whistler Olympic Park is operated by Whistler Sport Legacies, a non-profit organization responsible for Whistler Olympic Park, the Whistler Sliding Centre, and the Whistler Athletes’ Centre.  Each facility plays a unique role in inspiring sport excellence for the benefit of athletes, residents, and visitors.  Participation in WOP’s recreational activities helps support the growth of Nordic sport in the Sea to Sky corridor.  For more information, visit here and Facebook.