16 Feb

Carving Our Way to the International Stage: The History of Ski Racing in Whistler

The Winter Olympics can be an exceptionally exciting time for Whistler residents because of the abundance of local athletes competing in the games. This year’s Sochi Olympics are no exception. Athletes from in and around Whistler will be participating this month, and with that, Whistler Museum has decided to host our February Speaker Series on the plentiful topic of Ski Racing – a thriving, momentous sport in the Winter Games.

The event will take place on Wednesday, February 19th, with an exciting lineup of guest speakers including Rob Boyd, Tom Prochazka, John Preissl and Andrée Janyk. Rather fittingly, Andrée’s son Mike will be participating in the Giant Slalom that day, and we are planning a live stream of the games – pre-event. The evening will focus on the history of ski racing in and around Whistler. Our guest speakers, accompanied by some photographic gems from their personal collections, will be highlighting topics such as the first ski races in Whistler, early ski race pioneers, local World Cup athletes, World Cup races, summer camps and more.

Tyrol Giant Slalom, 1967. Photograph by Frank Grundig.

Doors will open at 6pm and the actual presentations will begin at 7pm. Admission is $7 ($5 for museum members), and if you purchase a new museum membership for the year for just $25, we’ll include a ticket for free!

Get your tickets early as only 50 seats are available and Speaker Series events tend to sell out fast. Complimentary coffee and tea will be provided courtesy of the Whistler Roasting Company and Namasthé Tea Co., in addition to a cash bar.

This is going to be a jam-packed night filled with local legends! Word is there may even be door prizes for some lucky guests.

Rob Boyd’s 1989 Downhill win. Photograph by Greg Griffith.