Brit to compete in world’s fastest ski race

40 year old Brit Marc Poncin is set to descend the slopes competing with the words fastest men at the 2008 Subaru Velocity Challenge World Cup of Speed Skiing held March 5-8 in Sun Peaks Resort. The current UK speed skiing record holder Marc is ranked 5th in the world with a speed of 245.23 km/h.

This year marks the 19th running of this truly unique event and organizers are preparing for the biggest one yet. “We have speed skiers from 9 countries coming to Sun Peaks for the event this year and they are some of the fastest skiers on the planet” says Adam Earle, Velocity Challenge Organizer.

Unlike many speed skiing tracks in Europe that are smooth and concave in shape allowing racers to see the whole speed track from each start, the course at Sun Peaks is convex with several rolls on it meaning the racers only see a small portion of it prior to accelerating up to 175 km/h. “Our track is legendary in the world of speed skiing” says Earle, “It has been said that it is one of the toughest courses in the world to ski and we love having that designation.”

According to Earle, even the racers that have been well over 200 km/h on skis find the Headwalls a true test of their skiing as they try to keep their skis on the ground at 175 km/h.

The Headwalls speed skiing track can be accessed by skiers, snowboarders and foot passengers on the Sunburst chairlift that services the Sunburst mid-mountain restaurant, allowing great views of this spectacle of speed.

Fast Facts

• Speed Skiing is the fastest non-motorized sport on the planet (0 to 170 km/h in 8 sec)
• Velocity Challenge World Cup is the only Speed Skiing event in North America
• 50 racers expected from 9 countries
• Headwalls Speed Skiing Track
• 38 degree slope

Who’s Coming to Sun Peaks Resort

World’s Fastest Man – Simone Origone (Italy) – 251.41 km/h
Yvan Origone (Italy) - 250.70 km/h
Philippe May (Switzerland) - 250.00 km/h
Ross Anderson (USA) - 247.93 km/h
Marc Poncin (UK) - 245.23 km/h
Justin Garey (Canada)– 234.83 km/h
Don Gagnon (Canada) – 226.27 km/h
Kenny Dale (Headwalls Course Record) – 177.21 km/h

World’s Fastest Woman – Sanna Tidstrand (Sweden) – 242.59 km/h
Karine Dubouchet (France) - 242.26 km/h
Tracie Sachs (USA) - 238.57 km/h
Elena Banfo (Italy) - 238.41 km/h
Teria Davies (Sun Peaks) - 214.16 km/h

For more information about the 2008 Subaru Velocity Challenge visit Velocitychallenge.com or Sunpeaksresort.com.

For more general information, visit Canada.travel.