Weathering a crisis

Leading up to this week's Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games in Grand Falls-Windsor, there was concern about unseasonably warm weather wreaking havoc on the Exploits Valley cross-country ski trail system.

The problems faced by the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, if you will, but on a much smaller scale.

Some even feared cross-country skiing, the Games' only outdoor winter sport, would have to be moved, or worse still, cancelled. Possible alternate venues included a local park or trails in nearby Gander.

But event convener Mark Whiffen never doubted the event would go ahead.

"We have a good base throughout the trail system which was worked on since the very first snowfall ... the trails were packed in really well."

Whiffen says conditions Sunday were almost ideal for the free/skate style events and today's classic style participants shouldn't have any concerns.

"In the free race, you're using the middle sections and passing. I'm expecting less wear on the track tomorrow," Whiffen says.

Nevertheless, should the weather work against organizers over the next few days, the course can deteriorate.

"When it gets mild, as it did later in the day, sometimes if it gets too soft it'll wear in certain areas," he says.

"It's just a matter of patching it up."

That may sound simple, but patching it up is no easy chore. In fact, members of the town's Department of Recreation and Parks division have been keeping the trails being used this week for the Games in tip-top shape since early February.

Unlike Vancouver, they didn't have the luxury of trucking or flying in mounds of fresh white powder. At first, snow from roadside culverts was used, but it proved to be too dirty and coarse.

So on a daily basis, up to six town staffers have been digging snow from shaded wooded areas and carting it to the trails.

One of the diligent trail groomers, Bob Buckley, couldn't estimate how much snow he's shovelled, but knows he's getting plenty of exercise.

"If I had to guess, I'd say we're hiking some 15 to 20 kilometres a day. So, I'm really glad this is going ahead," Buckley says.

Skiers themselves had mixed reactions.

"I've skied in better conditions," admitted St. Anthony native Katie Rumbolt, a part of the Western team.

"We raced at nationals last year in Ontario and the conditions were about the same, maybe a little more mud there."

"There are some bad spots on the trail, but it was fast," added Plum Point's Colton Tatchell, also with Western.

But on the whole, Whiffen says the feedback was positive.

"We managed it pretty well and got some advice from the technical delegate for the provincial association.

"And the guys on the trail have been managing it really well over the last couple of days especially."

koliver@thetelegram.com

• 
• 









































































• View the gallery