March 5, 2005

Olympics would have run successfully

The Olympic Winter Games will take place in Vancouver and Whistler February 12 to 28, 2010. That would have been last week; and events held at Whistler Blackcomb would have run without delay. Whistler in 2010 will be the site for the Olympic Alpine (downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, combined), Nordic (biathlon, cross country skiing, Nordic combined), Sliding (ski jumping, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton) and all Paralympic events. The Paralympic Games are scheduled from March 12-21, 2010.

"All of the training runs and all of the races would have gone off without a hitch if this were 2010," says Anton Horvath, Whistler Blackcomb Weather and Avalanche Forecaster. "The only exception would have been the training runs on February 12, which would have been rescheduled for the next day due to fog on the course."

Horvath has been observing the weather and snow conditions very closely over the period when the Olympic Games would have been held, recording total height of snow, new snow, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, maximum, minimum and present temperatures at the Environment Canada Weather Station set up at 1650m on Whistler Mountain specifically for the Olympics. Visibility and snow depth observations are also recorded at the events finish area. All observations are taken at the approximate time of the competition or mid-day when training runs are scheduled.

"1650m is very close to where the beginning of the Men's and Women's Downhill, Giant Slalom and Super G races will take place," says Horvath. "Environment Canada has placed an additional weather station and Anemometer (wind speed measurement) at the finish area in Creekside and at the top of the Garbanzo Chair on Whistler. They have also placed other Weather Stations in British Columbia including one on Mount Waddington to help them improve Mountain Weather Forecasts specifically for the Olympic Winter Games in 2010."

"Track/course conditions for the Alpine speed events would have been generally hard and fast due to temperature inversions most nights. The inversions brought cold temperatures to the lower mountain zone. Course conditions began to soften up late in the day on February 24 and 25, which wouldn't have been a problem for the Men's and Women's Slalom scheduled for these dates," continues Anton.

Whistler Blackcomb operations crews continue to work day and night to create world-class conditions on the mountains this winter. Both mountains are 85% open, with 6900 acres of terrain and 5280 vertical feet of skiing and riding - delivering the largest ski area in North America.

For up-to-date weather information and snow conditions visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com or call 1-866-218-9690.

Whistler Blackcomb is an Intrawest resort. Intrawest Corporation (IDR:NYSE; ITW:TSX) is one of the world's leading destination resort and adventure travel companies. Intrawest has interests in 10 mountain resorts in North America's most popular mountain destinations, including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company owns Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world, and a 67 percent interest in Abercrombie & Kent, the world leader in luxury adventure travel. The Intrawest network also includes Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida and Club Intrawest - a private resort club with nine locations throughout North America. Intrawest is developing five additional resort village developments at locations in North America and Europe. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com.

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Contact: Public Relations
604-938-7669
publicrelations@intrawest.com

website: www.whistlerblackcomb.com