August 25, 2011 (Whistler, BC) – The Events Committee is pleased to announce that the Callaghan Valley Cross Country Ski Club and Blow- Me-Down Cross Country Ski Club will host the 2013 and 2014 Haywood Ski Nationals respectively.

The Callaghan Valley bid highlighted the significant athlete development taking place in the Sea to Sky corridor among the 5 founding clubs that will make up the Organizing Committee.  The CVCCSC includes representatives from the Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club and the Nordic Racers, both based in Vancouver, the Squamish Nordics, the Whistler Nordics and the Spud Valley Ski Club in Pemberton.  The OC will also take advantage of the legacy of high quality officials developed leading up to the Olympics from all regions of BC.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to parlay the success of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics into hosting the 2013 Haywood Ski Nationals at our world class venue! This will be our opportunity to further showcase the sport of cross country skiing in the Sea to Sky region, stated Dirk Rhode, Competition Chair. We had 435 children enrolled in CCC Athlete Development programs in 2011, our Ski S’Kool program included over 900 students plus our Para-Nordic program is second to none, continued Rhode.”

The Callaghan Valley CCSC received positive support from Cross Country BC, Tourism Whistler and Whistler Sport legacy the operators of Whistler Olympic Park. Currently the trails and facilities are home to the 11 member Callaghan Valley National Development Centre and will host the 2012 Haywood NorAm and World Jr/U23 Trials this coming January.

After a 10 year hiatus, the 2014 Ski Nationals will return to Atlantic Canada where the 87^th edition of our national championships will be held in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The bulk of competitions will be staged on the trails designed for the 1999 Canada Winter Games, while organizers anticipate show casing the Team Sprints to the world famous Marble Mountain alpine resort.  “This is great news, exclaimed Gerry Rideout, CCNL President. I have been encouraging the Blow-Me-Down club for years to bring the national treasure to Newfoundland and Labrador and finally they have acted and are successful. They will do a great job.  This will revitalize the club and community for infrastructure, ski programs for youth, officials and volunteers,” continued Rideout.

CCNL comes off of its most successful Ski Nationals in years as Jillian Forsey posted a 3^rd place finish in the Juvenile Girls 7.5 km mass start on the final day of competition.  It was Newfoundland and Labrador’s 1^st medal at the Ski Nationals since 2002.

The Haywood Ski Nationals are the preeminent cross country ski event on the National calendar. It attracts the best age group skiers from across Canada and generally includes a field in excess of 500 skiers competing in up to 5 competitions over an eight day period. The 2012 event will be held on the trails at Mont Ste-Anne, Quebec from March 17 to 24.

For more information on past Ski Nationals visit HERE.