Corner Brook -
Corner Brook will put out the welcome mat for athletes coast to coast once again.
The 2010 Canadian Masters Cross-Country Ski Championships will be held at Blow-Me-Down Trails March 7-13. The masters championships is an age-group competition for skiers 30 years old and up.
It is a week long event with four race days featuring races in two skiing disciplines.
The first race on March 8 is a 20-kilometre classic technique race.
The next race day is Wednesday with a 10-km free (skate) technique race.
On Thursday, racers are back to the classic technique competing in a 10-km race. The final race of the week is a 20-km free technique on Saturday.
In addition to the races, the host committee is planning a series of social events throughout the week.
There will be a meet and greet social on Sunday followed by a Kitchen Party at the Blow-Me-Down ski lodge on Monday night.
Thursday will feature a dance night at the lodge and the week will end with an awards banquet on Saturday evening.
During non-race days - Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday - the host committee is arranging various tours for the mainland racers and their spouses.
Keith Payne, chairperson of the host organizing committee, said the championship is a big deal for both the ski club and the City of Corner Brook.
"This a major event for the city and the ski club, and the host committee is counting on the support of the community in making this a successful event and a memorable experience for all involved," Payne said this week from Yellowknife where he is spending Christmas with family members.
According to Payne, in excess of 150 volunteers will be required to run the event.
"Everything from course marshals and timers to first-aid patrollers, parking lot attendants, help in the kitchen," he said.
Payne said every effort is being made to make it easier for people to sign up as a volunteer.
"We've had (it) up on our website and we've had our registration active at the club, but we're going to be upgrading our registration online with a little more information," he said.
"Right now we've just got a generic thing up there that says if you want to volunteer for the Masters, but what we're working on is putting up specific days of races and the categories of things so people can give us an indication of what they would like to help with."
Organizers expect close to 100 skiers (male and female) to participate in the championships, with skill levels varying from former world-class athletes to those who took up the sport recently for the sake of health benefits more so than winning medals.
Participants must be 30 years old to be classed as a Masters skier, so organizers expect to see people as old as 60 years of age to strut their stuff on the local trails.
"You can never be sure how many you are going to get from British Columbia for example, but we're expecting 100-plus," he said.
The calibre of skiing will be impressive and some of the host racers will challenge for a medal, according to Payne.
"There are people who do it for the social aspect and for the fitness part, but there are also hardcore racers in the bunch too," he said.
Volunteers can sign up by calling the ski club at 639-2754 or register on line at the club's website on the Internet at http://www.blowmedown.ca.
