Whistler and Panorama, B.C., are candidates to host men香蕉视频直播檚 World Cup downhill ski races in the future.

Alpine Canada president and chief executive officer Therese Brisson intends to find a replacement in Western Canada for the men香蕉视频直播檚 speed event held annually until 2022 in Lake Louise, Alta.

香蕉视频直播淲hat we really want to do is build, I香蕉视频直播檒l call it a national alpine speed training centre. There are not too many places in the country where our athletes can train speed in early winter, late spring,香蕉视频直播� Brisson said.

香蕉视频直播淲here can we build a national training centre for speed with safety equipment, air fence, crash pads and where do we have the right weather patterns for that? And also, what would be a sensible location for a World Cup?

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 places like Panorama and Whistler that rise to the top.香蕉视频直播�

Staging a World Cup in Canada is crucial for Alpine Canada on multiple fronts, including its business operations. The cancellation of women香蕉视频直播檚 giant slalom races Saturday and Sunday in Mont-Tremblant, Que., because of lack of snow and warm temperatures was a blow.

Mont-Tremblant香蕉视频直播檚 races drew an announced 15,000 spectators in 2023, when World Cup returned to the resort town northwest of Montreal after a 40-year absence.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a bit of a stalling of the momentum of everything we were building around that event. Motivating to have an even better event next year,香蕉视频直播� Brisson said.

香蕉视频直播淓specially for our Canadian athletes to not have that chance to race at home, they don香蕉视频直播檛 get to race at home very often. It香蕉视频直播檚 certainly disappointing for them.香蕉视频直播�

She estimates Alpine Canada loses at least $1 million on the cancellation in lost fundraising opportunities and race costs that can香蕉视频直播檛 be recovered.

香蕉视频直播淚f we were to have the event, it would be a significant revenue driver,香蕉视频直播� Brisson said. 香蕉视频直播淣ot the event itself, but everything we build around the event, the fundraising activities, the sponsor activations. When you have an event that people want to come to and people are excited by, there香蕉视频直播檚 everything around it.

香蕉视频直播淣ot being able to have an event this year will have a significant financial impact.香蕉视频直播�

Minus the 2020 races cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada had hosted an alpine World Cup annually for 30 years.

While ski cross falls under the freestyle ski umbrella internationally, it香蕉视频直播檚 under Alpine Canada香蕉视频直播檚 jurisdiction domestically as a speed event. A World Cup is scheduled for March 12-15 at Craigleith near Collingwood, Ont.

Domestic races featuring the world香蕉视频直播檚 best ski racers help forge a connection between Canadians and what is a Eurocentric sport as the bulk of World Cup races are held outside of North America.

That connection is key to Alpine Canada香蕉视频直播檚 goal of growing the sport, so there香蕉视频直播檚 an urgency to return a men香蕉视频直播檚 speed event to Canada.

香蕉视频直播淚f we build that national training centre first, we香蕉视频直播檒l have a World Cup in fairly short order afterward,香蕉视频直播� said Brisson, who said a location should be in place by 2026.

Lake Louise in Banff National Park west of Calgary hosted men香蕉视频直播檚 and women香蕉视频直播檚 downhills for decades but became a money-losing venture for Alpine Canada because of the high operational costs, the remoteness of the venue and a lack of paying spectators.

Races won香蕉视频直播檛 return there without a major injection of cash.

香蕉视频直播淚f someone said, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檇 be willing to invest in this $3 million a year for five years香蕉视频直播�, it could be doable,香蕉视频直播� Brisson said. 香蕉视频直播淚t was a bit of a challenge to get fans out, but the big thing is really cost structure and just a resort who香蕉视频直播檚 bought in, willing to build snow and build a track.香蕉视频直播�

An element of Alpine Canada香蕉视频直播檚 strategic plan for 2021-2026 is to host races that break even or make money. A nearby community of ski racing fans that can easily access the hill is the 香蕉视频直播渟ecret sauce香蕉视频直播�, which Brisson said contributed to Mont-Tremblant香蕉视频直播檚 success.

Panorama, near Invermere, B.C. close to the Alberta border, hosted downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom Nor Am finals in April and the world junior alpine ski championship in 2022. Brisson estimated an investment of $3 million could provide what香蕉视频直播檚 needed for a training hub and World Cup downhill there.

香蕉视频直播淚n Panorama, they have early winter training,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲ith some very modest modifications and investment in safety equipment, we could envision a national training centre in Panorama with an annual World Cup and maybe hosting a para world championship.香蕉视频直播�

Whistler is a tested downhill venue having hosted alpine ski races at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and a World Cup in 2008, although snow conditions and the international racing calendar dictate spring racing there as opposed to late fall.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e got a really nice training centre in Whistler,香蕉视频直播� Brisson observed. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not a speed training centre with a full Dave Murray downhill, but maybe that香蕉视频直播檚 what we need to bring back.香蕉视频直播�