Western Canada Cup #3 & #4 Moves To Sovereign Lake Nordic Club

| Wendy Shannon

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NORDIQ CANADA.

December 6th, 2021

RACE CHANGE NOTICE

BlackJack Ski Club Stop on Western Canada Cup Series Moves to Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, December 11-12

 VERNON, B.C.—Due to a lack of snow at the Black Jack Ski Club in Rossland, B.C., the second Open/U20 races on the Western Canada Cup Series calendar will be held at Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club near Vernon, B.C., December 11-12, 2021, Nordiq Canada announced on Monday.

Thanks to the hard work by the Organizing Committee and dedicated volunteers, Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club hosted the first Canada Cup races of the season, along with the Mexican Ski Nationals, this past weekend where many of the nation’s best U20 and Senior level skiers in Western Canada took advantage of great snow and amazing courses.

Working with our Divisional partner and host Organizing Committees, Nordiq Canada’s events team made the difficult decision to keep the senior level athletes at Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club for a second-straight week where snow conditions are better for U20 and Senior level racing.

As a result, a 5/10km classic interval start race will be held on December 11, followed by a 10/15km skate-ski mass start race on December 12.

On behalf of everyone at Nordiq Canada, we want to thank our community for working together to find solutions during these unfortunate circumstances delivered by Mother Nature. We would especially like to thank all of the volunteers at Black Jack Ski Club who worked tirelessly in an effort to host many of the nation’s best young skiers in the region, as well as our friends at Sovereign Lake for stepping up to help at the last minute and ensure Canada’s U20 and Senior cross-country skiers had an opportunity to race.

Should you have any questions with regards to this schedule change, please contact the Local Organizing Committee at [email protected]

Nordiq Canada is the governing body of para-nordic and cross-country skiing in Canada, which is the nation’s optimal sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. Its 60,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials, and skiers of all ages and abilities. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Haywood Securities Inc., AltaGas, Swix, and Lanctôt Sports– along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium, and B2Ten, Nordiq Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, and World Champions. For more information on Nordiq Canada, please visit us at www.nordiqcanada.ca.

 

Western Canada Cup #3-4 Event Page

Western Canada Cup #3-4 Race Notice

WCC 3/4 Athlete/Coach Registration Page

 

 

 

18cm of snow and we are open again!

| Wendy Shannon

This storm has brought 18cm of snow and we are open again but essentially starting from scratch. Please use caution as there are icy sections. There are lots of trees to contend with on still closed trails so please stick to groomed ones.

 

Thanks,

Troy Hudson

SLNC General Manager

SLNC Suspending Opening Day Until November 12th

| Wendy Shannon

NEWS RELEASE: November 4th, (7:30am)

SLNC is making the decision to suspend opening day until November 12th due to warm air temperatures and steady rain at our facility. 

PLEASE AVOID SKIING ON SLNC TRAILS UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE AS IT WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE EXISTING SNOWPACK.

Any previously purchased day tickets for the coming week will be deferred to another date or fully refunded.

Please contact the office at (250) 558-3036 to make the appropriate arrangements.

Kindly,

SLNC Management

Early Bird Season Pass Sales end October 31st

| Wendy Shannon

 

To get the best deal of the year, make sure you purchase your season passes prior to October 31st. Please remember to re-use your season pass RFID cards from last season to reduce waste and also make your online purchase process that much easier.

Visit our Pass Sales page to get the best value ski experience in the valley!

Ticket Sales Launch November 1st

| Wendy Shannon

 

Planning a visit to Sovereign Lake this November or December?

Why not pre-purchase your tickets online and save time at the ticket window. Sales for XC Skiing Morning and Afternoon Tickets go LIVE on November 1st. If you are planning to train early season as an individual or a group, make sure you check out our new 5 and 10 Time Prepaid Cards. These new RFID cards are not transferrable between family members and are assigned an RFID card that is reloadable.

Check out our RFID Questions and Answers page for more information.

Please remember that you MUST scan your pass daily at our ticket windows. Ski Tickets and Passes are being checked regularly by volunteers and staff members this season. 

We can’t wait to see you at Sovereign soon!

SLNC Programs Registration Closing November 15th

| Wendy Shannon

If you haven’t done so, please make sure that you are registered in our Youth and Adult Programs by the November 15th deadline. Many programs are already at capacity so don’t delay! Please remember to purchase your season pass at the same time as you must be a club member in order to participate in any club programming. Check out our e-store to purchase your passes and programs today.

For more information on our Youth Ski Programs, click HERE.

For more info on our Youth Biathlon Programs, click HERE.

For more info on our Adult Ski Programs, click HERE.

Early Bird Season Pass Sales End October 31st

| Wendy Shannon

 

To get the best deal of the year, make sure you purchase your season passes prior to October 31st. Please remember to re-use your season pass RFID cards from last season to reduce waste and also make your online purchase process that much easier.

Visit our Pass Sales page to get the best value ski experience in the valley!

SLNC Welcomes new Head Coach: Jacqueline Akerman

| Wendy Shannon

PRESS RELEASE: August 26, 2021

We are excited to introduce Jacqueline Akerman as the new Head Coach for Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.

Having lived in the Ottawa Region for most of her working career to date, she made the move out west just weeks ago to take up residence in Canmore at the National Training Centre and Head Office of Biathlon Canada. After some headhunting by former coach Eric de Nys, Jacqueline agreed to a conversation with our General Manager and the rest is history!

“From our first conversation and throughout the interview process, I just felt as though Jacqueline was immediately the right person for the job. Her incredible passion and excitement for skiing, knowledge of our sport, and connection to not only the XC ski community but also the Biathlon community made complete sense to bring her on board as the new leader of our Programs Team”, said Troy Hudson. “Jacqueline will be starting her new position here in October so we have some time to bring her up to speed through our Programs Advisory Team to be ready for winter and our first competition here, on Dec 4-5th at the Canada Cup”

Jacqueline (Jacq) stated, “I am incredibly pleased to join the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club Family! I see an amazing community full of support, skill, and passion. SLNC has an exceptional amount of enthusiasm, talent, vision, and momentum. I am proud to be chosen to be part of the team, and I look forward to continuing to build from the foundation of so many before me. I can’t wait to meet you all and put on that plaid for the very first time!”   

Board Representative and Programs Director Cyndy Flores also had some kind words following our interview process. “The SLNC BOD is excited to welcome Jacqueline and her partner Annik to the Sovereign family. The BOD was very impressed with her qualifications and coaching philosophy and unanimously approved the offer to Jacqueline.  Choosing a Head Coach for our Club is one of the biggest decisions we can make as a BOD and we truly feel Jacqueline is the right coach that will help guide the sports development here at our club and fulfill our strategic objectives of growing competitive and non-competitive programs for our members and families.”

We are looking forward to an amazing winter at Sovereign Lake! With Jacqueline at the helm, we now have a complete Programs Advisory Team. She is joined by Mike Bell (Master’s Lead Coach), Andrew Casey (Skill Development Lead Coach), and Lynn Algra (Biathlon Coach).

Bring on the snow!

SLNC Bids Farewell to Head Coach Eric de Nys

| Wendy Shannon
On behalf of the Sovereign Lake Board, we would like to congratulate Eric De Nys on his new position as Next-Gen Coach with Nordic Canada. Eric is an exceptional coach and we have been fortunate to have experienced his knowledge, energy, and skills these past four years at SLNC.

As the SLNC Head Coach, Eric’s vision and passion has elevated our skiers and coaches at all levels, we have seen our Programs number grow year after year and our Nordic community has expanded.  We are a better Nordic Club because of Eric.

Eric will have a lasting impact on SLNC and will now go on to create an outstanding program as Nordiq Canada’s Next Gen coach, something that will benefit many skiers and coaches across Canada.  Nordiq Canada and all the Canadian U23 and Juniors are lucky to have his coaching talent.

You will be sadly missed at Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, and we are appreciative of your time with us.
We wish you all the best in your career and will see you on the trails.

The Sovereign Lake Board of Directors and Management Team

Note From Coach Eric
Greetings and NOT goodbye to my Sovereign Family.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the last four years with the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.  I have had the opportunity to work with a talented, motivated, and dedicated group of athletes supported by an amazing parent group and an equally dedicated group of coaches.  It is because of all your efforts that we have been able to build the Sovereign Lake programs into what it is today.

From the nervous anticipation of that first-ever race to the exhilaration of a Youth Olympic Games and representing your country, we have a lot to be proud of and I hope that in my departure I leave behind a passion for excellence, a drive to be your best and an inherent love of Nordic skiing and the outdoors we can perform it in.  There are no limits to what we can achieve; we simply must set our minds to it and consistently put in the work.

As I transition to a new job, please know that it is NOT goodbye as I will be remaining in Vernon and continue to be an advocate for Sovereign Lake.  The jacket might change but the pursuit will remain the same.  I look forward to following the continued growth of the Sovereign Lake Nordic and continue to contribute where I can.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

See you on the trails!

Eric

SLNC becomes the first Living Wage Ski Area Employer in Canada

| Wendy Shannon

For immediate release: 11 June 2021

Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, in Vernon BC, is the first ski area in Canada to signify its commitment to ending working poverty, by paying all its staff and contracted workers a Living Wage

The living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses. The calculation is based on a two-parent family with two children – the most common family unit in BC – with each parent working full-time. The Living Wage for Kamloops is $15.92 an hour.

“Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is honoured to be recognized as a Living Wage Employer. In placing our employees’ health and financial stability front and centre, we help to build long-term sustainable employment opportunities for our community, while reducing training costs in this traditional high staff turnover industry. With an 80% annual return rate of our employees, it helps maintain a friendly and familiar atmosphere for our members and guests. We want to ensure that as an employer we can foster inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. By meeting and exceeding these minimum benchmarks for a living wage, we are creating a strong team more akin to a family than just a job” Troy Hudson, Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.

 

“We’re delighted that Sovereign Lake Nordic Club has come on board as a Living Wage Employer. Paying a Living Wage is good for the employer, the employee and the local community. We invite other ski areas and local employers to join the Living Wage movement,” said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families Campaign Organizer.

 

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. There are nearly 250 Living Wage Employers in BC, with over 25,000 employees who don’t need to worry about how they will afford rent, food, and other essentials for their family because they are guaranteed to earn a Living Wage.

Contact

Notes

  1. The Living Wage for Families Campaign annually calculates the Living Wage for communities across British Columbia. They certify employers that pay a living wage to their staff and contractors, and advocate for complementary government policies that would help families make ends meet. Their goal is for every working British Columbian to make a living wage.