N-Ski
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OutdOOr
Pursuits
T o W hiS
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Zip it
Go for gold at Whistler Sliding Centre
Need For Speed
the Whistler Sliding
Facility staff give us a heave to get
Centre, I relish in my Olympian
moving and, in the blink of an eye, I’m
moment (albeit an imaginary one).
on my way to an experience like no
The centre boasts the world’s fastest
other. As our sled races down the icy
bobsled track and served as
surface, 4 Gs of force hit my
the bobsled, skeleton and
body like a speeding train. It’s
luge venue during the 2010
all I can do to keep my head
Olympic Winter Games.
and upper body from banging
Caa Extra
Open from mid-December
around in the confined
accidents
to April, the centre offers
quarters. Winding around 10
happen: always
purchase travel
a bobsled experience in
turns—including the final and
insurance even
addition to other adrenaline-
fastest Thunderbird Corner—
when travelling
in Canada
pumping activities, like
we reach a top speed of 127
caamanitoba.
Canada’s only public skeleton
kilometres/hour, zooming to
com/insurance
course.
the finish line in 40 seconds.
But back to the bobsled.
Top to bottom, I can’t wipe
Before I can overthink what’s
the smile off my face, in spite
to come—namely take-your-breath-
of the pressure bearing down on me
away G-force speeds—I take my place
around the last few turns. For those
within a four-person sled, piloted by a
40 seconds, I live the Winter Olympic
professional bobsledder.
dreams of every Canadian kid.
Standing atop
54
fall 2017
CAA manitoba
dowN the tube
tubing is winter’s great equal-
izer: an activity that appeals to
kids and grown-ups, regard-
less of alpine ability. a quick
gondola ride up blackcomb
mountain transports you to
Coca-Cola Tube Park, where
you can grab a tube and
head up the magic carpet