Payakentsut is a 麻豆社国产First Nation word meaning a place to train oneself physically, and organizers of the Sigges Payakentsut Loppet hope to challenge hundreds of cross-country racers physically with their brand new Nordic skiing event.
Sigges Payakentsut invades the Callaghan Valley on Saturday (Feb. 26) and event chair Dirk Rohde said the feedback for the event has been overwhelming.
Its really been an excellent response, he said, noting that registration has completely sold out with all 500 spots spoken for. Its more than we originally expected. We were hoping for at least 250, so to sell out a week in advance was a little surprising.
The new race came about through the organization of the Callaghan Winter Sports Club in partnership with cross-country ski clubs in North Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. Rohde said the race is meant to be a legacy event and will hopefully grow in future years.
A variety of races for all ages and abilities on world-class recreational trails are being offered. Race distances for adults are 15, 30 and 50 kilometres, with racers allowed to use either skate or classic technique. The family event will also feature a fun ski tournament for children aged five to 11 and a team ski cross for 12- to 14-year-olds. All children participating will be rewarded with ribbons, cakes or cookie medals.
The event has attracted attention from all across North America as Rohde pointed out that participants are coming from as far away as Minnesota to take part in the race.
Medals will be offered in five-year categories for both the 30- and 50-kilometre events and racers will vie for nine pairs of high-end skis from Salomon. Additional cash prizes will also be offered for prime events between the aid stations. This is a race within the race, similar to cycling events.
This level of support from the ski industry and local business for a loppet event is phenomenal, said Anders Bjorklund, owner of Sigges in Vancouver. This race is going to be the most highly-prized event of its kind in B.C., and possibly Canada. We are very excited about this race and its potential to become a world-class event.
Rohde agreed, saying that its been a great response from the corporate community to help the event get off the ground.
Were trying to make this a unique event, he said. We will definitely look at expanding it for next year and bring more attention to it internationally.
After the race, there will be an awards ceremony as well as hundreds of prizes doled out.
The Payakentsut is scheduled to take place on Saturday (Feb. 26) starting at 10 a.m. For more information on the event, visit www.payak.ca. or visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sigges-Payakentsut/165032496847643.
