Ski Nationals at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre
October 16, 2019
Announced last fall, the 2020 national championships for cross-country skiing will take place at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre (SLNC), 20 minutes from Vernon and only minutes from SilverStar Mountain, on March 25 to April 2, 2020, and will attract over 800 athletes plus their support staff. The event organizer, the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, is seeking support from the community.
With a $200,000 price tag, hosting the national championships is no small feat, but the organizer is up to the task.
“It will take the entire community and local businesses to support this high-profile event,” says Jeff Basset, a volunteer with the sponsorship committee.
Some local businesses have already committed to sponsoring the event, one of which is Stussi Sport, who is the title sponsor. Kal Tire has also stepped up to support the even with a sizable donation. Ski Nationals 2020 sponsorships range from $500 to $15,000 and include various levels of recognition and involvement and community support is needed to make this event as successful it should be.
“It is estimated that there will be a 2.3 million-dollar economic impact to Greater Vernon with hotel stays, food and general tourism,” says Basset noting that many area businesses will see the return.
Financial aid is not the only assistance the non-profit organization is seeking. About 300 volunteers will be needed to run the event.
“Interested parties can apply to volunteer on the event website,” says Bassett.
The Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of cross-country skiing as a lifelong activity. Committed to the provision of high-quality facilities, programs and services, the SLNC operates the largest cross-country ski club in Canada with over 2,000 members which had held various world-class events such as a World Cup and World Masters. Sovereign Lake operates 50 km of daily groomed cross-country ski trails and 20 km of snowshoe trails within Silver Star Provincial Park.
The Canadian Ski Championships are an annual event hosted in partnership with Nordiq Canada, the national governing sport body for cross-country skiing and include the Junior & Senior Championships and double as the championships for Canadian Universities and Colleges.
