February 1, 2007 (Gatineau, QC) – The organizers of the Canadian Ski Marathon, which will be held February 9-11, 2007 is proud to announce that although this year’s warm winter presented an obstacle for Marathon organizers who struggled with the lack of snow on the traditional trail network, it is still expecting to produce one of the most scenic courses its annual event has seen since the Marathon was founded 41 years ago. “We have found THE spot to hold our beautiful event,” said Trail Director Michael Kane. Thanks to the collaboration established with the Fairmont Château Montebello over the years, the organizing committee has found a way to turn the obstacle into an opportunity for this year’s participants.

“Necessity is the mother of invention, and we quickly came to the realization that it was likely going to be pretty hard to hold our event on our traditional trails. Warm weather and a lack of snow forced us to “think outside the box” and find a snowy terrain that would provide an excellent ski experience. The prestigious Fairmont Kenauk Reserve, adjacent to the Château Montebello, offered the CSM the use of its network of summer roads for the event,” said Kane.

“The Canadian Ski Marathon is thankful to collaborators like the Heritage Golf Club, Développement économique-CLD Gatineau, our volunteers and the many others who have stepped up to the plate to help us put together this redesigned Marathon. We are extremely happy to seize this opportunity to provide our participants with a unique, natural environment to enjoy this great Canadian tradition. We hope that the warm weather and the beautiful new course will attract even greater numbers. Registrations for this year’s event are down by about 20% mainly because regular skiers have been understandably concerned that the event might not take place due to the lack of snow. This course however is not only gorgeous but is more gentle and accessible than in other years and organizers are hoping that this will encourage a last-minute rush of registrations.” concluded Guylaine Despatis, CSM’s Director General.

The Canadian Ski Marathon was founded in 1967 and was the first “marathon ski tour”. It was designed to be the longest in the world, featuring ten sections that span 160 kilometers. Today, the annual two-day event promotes a spirit of fitness, friendship and fun where beginner and expert skiers set their own goals for the weekend, skiing side by side for as little as 10 km or as many as 160km. The Canadian Ski Marathon attracts over 2,200 skiers annually from 5 to 85 years of age. For up to date information on the new trail, shuttle bus schedule, starting hours and locations consult the CSM website at www.csm-mcs.com.

The CSM would finally like to thank this year’s Honorary President, the Honorable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities for accepting this year’s presidency.