Canada set to host Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships

Co-hosts Canada Snowboard and the Canadian Paralympic Committee are proud to announce Big White Ski Resort (Kelowna, British Columbia) as official host mountain for the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships, which will run February 1-8 2017. Approximately 100 Para athletes from over 25 countries will travel to Big White Ski Resort to take part in both Snowboardcross and Banked Slalom events in three different categories, Lower Limb-1 (SBLL-1), Lower Limb-2  (SBLL-2), and Upper Limb-1 (SBUL) . Canadians will be looking to improve on their performance at the Molina 2015 World Para Snowboard Championships, which saw Alex Massie (Barrie, Ontario) take home a Bronze medal in SBLL-2 Snowboardcross.
 
In conjunction with Big White Ski Resort, once the training base for the Canadian national Para-snowboard team, Canada Snowboard has already hosted four Para-snowboard World Cup events.
 
“Canada Snowboard is both honoured and elated to be hosting the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships in February 2017 and we are pleased to be working with our partners,  IPC Snowboard, Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), and the host venue Big White Ski Resort, to deliver an outstanding event.” said Patrick Jarvis, Executive Director of Canada Snowboard. “Our organizing committee will work hard to ensure that the organization of the event matches the exploits and the performances of the Para-snowboard athletes who will be competing for the title of world champion. 
 
Canada Snowboard is also extremely grateful for the financial support of Sport Canada and the Province of British Columbia to make our hosting of this event possible. With this support and the efforts of all the key stakeholders including sponsors, volunteers and technical leaders, we expect this to be the highlight of the year for Para-snowboard, setting the stage for the riders looking to compete at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in South Korea.”
 
Flynn Seddon, Director of Terrain Park & Outdoor Events at Big White Ski Resort,
commented on the quality of the facilities, something that his staff has had the chance to refine over the past few years:
 
“When we first had an opportunity to host a Para World Cup we put a lot of attention into what the riders on the circuit needed to help grow the sport. We're very proud of the working relationship we have with all the coaches and athletes on the tour and we really try to use our venue and that relationship to continue to develop the Para-snowboarding.”

As the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games loom closer, the world’s top athletes are eager to prove themselves against a larger field, and the Canadian national Para-snowboard team is no exception. Sochi 2014 Paralympian John Leslie (Ottawa, Ontario) is eager to test himself on the World Championships course: 
 
“Like most of the events leading up to a winter games you must get everything out of it as you can. Having a World Championships in Canada and at our "home" race course will boost my confidence and should hopefully lead to some good racing. I will have a solid idea of where I stand in the world and what will need to be done to come out with a gold in 2018 and at the world championships.”
 
John also hopes the event will not only have a big turnout, but will have a lasting impact on the sport in Canada:
 
“Big White has always gone above and beyond when it comes to hosting a World class event. From the course quality to the banquet,everything is done in amazing fashion. It would be great if we could interest the local communities into coming out and cheering on all the athletes. When I look back on the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships I hope the legacy is the connection with the community and drawing the biggest crowd to our event.”  
 
For more information on the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships, please visit our website.

For more information on Canada Snowboard's Para-snowboard program please click here.

To schedule an interview with any of our national team athletes, or for information regarding athlete media availability, please contact:
 
Eric Escaravage
Communications Coordinator
Canada Snowboard
613-862-6532
revp.rfpnenintr@pnanqnfabjobneq.pn

Information on media accreditation, press lodging & services will be available in the coming weeks.