Racers hit the Calabogie, Ont., slopes for international skicross competition
Imagine racing down an 800-metre course at speeds up to 70 km/h.
Then add in some jumps and turns — and you have what dozens of skiers are facing this weekend in Calabogie, Ont.
More than 50 athletes from Canada, the United States, England, China and Australia taking part in the Skicross NOR-AM Cup, an international event being held at the Calabogie Peaks Resort, about 80 kilometres west of Ottawa.
"Generally, we like using the natural terrain to kind of dictate the course we're building," said Lucas Ouellette, a course designer and builder with Arena Snow Parks.
"You kind of use the natural terrain as your canvas and start building upon that." he told CBC Radio's All In A Day.
Ouellette has built courses around the world for World Cup events, the Olympics and the Paralympics.
In creating the Calabogie course, he was joined by some lucky Algonquin College students.
Nine students in the action sports park development program helped out. They put the finishing touches on various features, making sure it looked like the world-class track they were aiming for — especially from a spectator's perspective.
Safety key
"[It's] the little things," said Nick Galdert, one of the students who took part.
Galdert said his love of skiing made him want to work in the industry, and he was excited to help build a course similar to ones he'd always dreamt of speeding down.
"To be able to shave away half an inch or two inches, and then feel the difference in [the course] from the previous lap was a really neat experience," he said.
Safety is a big part of the course's construction, said Ouellette. And while there's a lot of safety equipment around the track, he acknowledges there are some things you can't plan for — like wind.
"But that's also sometimes what makes it interesting," Ouellette said.
"At the end of the day you'll have four [men and women] ripping down there. And some will make it, some won't, to the number one spot."
