November 2, 2005 – The first snow has fallen on Silver Star Mountain, leaving Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, site of the 2005 Viessmann FIS World Cup Nordic ski races in December, cloaked in white and ready for the races. Grooming of the trails has begun in readiness for the teams who will soon arrive to begin training for the World Cup.

The trails will officially open to the general public tomorrow, November 1st, the earliest the trails have ever opened at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre. It is likely that Sovereign Lake is the first Nordic ski facility on the continent to open for the season.

Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre was chosen as the site of the World Cup partly because of its early reliable and plentiful snow. Another determining factor in awarding the races was that the athletes will be training and racing at Sovereign Lake at the same elevation as Torino, Italy, site of the 2006 Winter Olympics where most of them will be competing just a few weeks following the World Cup here. The 2005 Viessmann FIS World Cup is the athletes’ last opportunity to gain points that determine standings in Torino.

Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre has undergone extensive infrastructure upgrades in the past two years in preparation for the World Cup. All of the $2 million in upgrades, including race course and stadium construction, have brought the site up to international competitive Nordic racing standards. The majority of the funding ($1.35 million) was provided through the Province of British Columbia’s Major Regional Sports Facility Initiative. In addition to the expansion of the power and water supply, septic system and parking, a new equipment shop and technical building were constructed this past summer.

During the World Cup races on December 10 and 11, only the World Cup race course will be closed to the general public and Sovereign Lake Nordic Club members. The rest of the over 50 km of groomed trails will remain open for recreational skiers.