Tag Archives: Whistler Blackcomb

We’re three days out from Kokanee Crankworx 2009 and Whistler Village is buzzing with preparations for one the biggest freeride mountain bike festival in the world. Scaffolding is going up for the big screen and awards stage. The Dual Slalom course is undergoing final tweaks before the big events, while John Cowan and crew are finessing the Boneyard with the love only an excavator can provide. Whistler Blackcomb’s very own events guru Seb Fremont is so dialed on Crankworx, he’s barely even using the famous French Canadian swearword, “Tabernak! – well, at least not in front of us.

More than 300 athletes are registered to participate in Kokanee Crankworx, including big names like Darren Berrecloth, Brandon Semenuk, Brian Lopes, Sam Hill, Shaun Palmer, and Ross Schnell. Seven of the top 20 ranked female downhill riders will be competing, while five of the top 20 ranked 4X riders are registered to charge the Giant Slalom.

This year, we have a few new events to add to the roster of good times, including the Block Party on August 8, which features the free premiere of “Kranked-Revolve,” by Radical Films, both on a massive outdoor screen and inside the infamous slopeside party venue, the Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC) where a Kokanee party is set to go off.

The Canadian Open Enduro is going to test the endurance – and leg muscles – of some 35 athletes as they take on the hybrid course, which features 20 per cent ascent and 80 per cent descent.

Meanwhile, the Saint Deep Summer Photography Challenge is guaranteed to inspire and get your adrenaline pumping with vivid images of epic mountain biking as five pro photographers (Mattias Fredriksson, Yorick Carroux, Harookz, Dan Barham and John Gibson) and one Wildcard (Bryan Ralph aka ralphie) face off in a slideshow presentation August 12 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Tickets are $15 and available at Guest Relations or by calling 1.866.218.9690.

Finally, as we head into the latter part of the week, we’re looking at a brand new music experience as Deraylor Music Festival hits town August 13 to 15. Modeled after the South by Southwest festival concept, Deraylor features 45+ DJs and bands at seven Whistler venues, including retro punk band DOA, hip hoppers Sweatshop Union and K-OS, DJ Vinyl Richie, great musical acts from across North America and even a huge surprise guest appearance. Three-day tickets are $35 and can be purchased in person at the two Showcase locations in Whistler (Marketplace and Village), and Vancouver-based Zulu Records, Beat Street Records, and Scratch Records.

Tune in to the Live Webcast at Go211
Thursday, Aug. 13 – 5:30-7pm PST
Friday, Aug. 14 – 6-8pm PST
Saturday, Aug. 15 – 5:30-7:30pm PST

That’s enough info for now. We’re heading back to swill some Kokanee and Monster – not necessarily in that order. Tune in this Friday as we bring you more updates from the Kokanee Crankworx hub o’ communications.

**I’m going to be one of the Crankworx bloggers this year. Visit Crankworx.com for more details about the event and select Results and Daily Blog to read the latest and greatest.

Snow Leopard on skis

July 27, 2009

Lifestyle, Travel & Adventure

Leave a Comment

DSCF0046

DSCF0033

It isn’t often you see an African man in a leopard-print ski jacket on Blackcomb’s Horstman Glacier.

We’ve all seen the movie Cool Runnings, which tells the story of the Jamaican Bobsleigh team and their quest for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary. This winter, the eyes of the world will be on Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, Ghana’s first and only Olympic skier.

I was lucky enough to meet Kwame and his family when they visited Whistler recently for a TV project I was helping coordinate. Humble and down to Earth, Kwame handles his blossoming fame with grace – and a lot of humour.

The Scottish-born, Ghanian-raised skier says he’s always been an athlete, participating in just about every sport you can think of. But, it wasn’t until he moved back to the UK as an adult and worked part-time at an indoor ski slope that he developed his passion for skiing. From the dry slopes to the real slopes, he’s come a long way, having recently obtained the correct number of points to guarantee his spot in the Olympics, requirements set out by the World Skiing Federation.

While “Snow Leopard” isn’t a name Kwame came up with (it was a nickname coined by a UK journalist), he’s made the most of his new found fame. The Snow Leopard has captured the hearts of the British and Ghanian fans and now he’s come to Canada to mark his territory. Kwame’s trip to Whistler included meeting a few of Canada’s past and future Olympians, experiencing Whistler’s summer activities, checking out the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and Horstman Glacier, and perhaps even taking a sneak peak at a certain downhill course.

Now that he’s experienced Whistler, Kwame says he’s even more motivated to amp up his training for the Olympics. It’s going to be a busy six months for the Snow Leopard, but he’s already envisioning himself at the bottom of the run throwing his helmet and gloves into the crowd and raising his hands in victory.

Without a big athlete budget to draw from, Kwame is mainly self-funded. He’s come up with a creative way to gather sponsorship dollars. He’s having a snow leopard ski suit designed for his debut in 2010 and is selling off the spots. For just £5 you could have your name on a leopard spot. That way, all his friends, family and fans can be with him on his Olympic journey. Sponsor him by clicking this link.