The Royal LePage Snow to Surf is a multi-sport relay race that begins with an alpine skiing leg at Mount Washington Alpine Resort and ends with a canoe ride into Comox Marina. In between there are six other legs: Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, running, mountain biking, kayaking and road racing.
This year’s event is scheduled for April 28, 2013. “The snowshoe leg has been discussed for some time and seems a natural fit for an adventure race,” event spokesperson Tim Defert said. “Snowshoeing is the fastest growing segment of Nordic winter activities.”
Traditionally there were two running segments. Snowshoeing will replace the first running leg and will take place on logging roads from near one of the turnouts on the Strathcona Parkway to the start of the second running leg.
This will detour the race portion that caused congestion on the parkway during the race in previous years. “It should be lots of fun,” Defert said. If the snow levels fluctuate, the snowshoeing can change back to a running leg in any given year.
“We make a change every five or six years,” Snow to Surf chairperson Rick Gibson said. “It makes sense. We always like to keep the race exciting and there are many snowshoers out there.”
Two hundred teams of nine helped Royal lepage Snow to Surf celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2012. The event draws thousands of spectators to Comox Marina, where the race wraps up with the canoeists running up the boat ramp to ring the bell. For more information, check out the Royal LePage Snow to Surf website at http://www.snowtosurf.com/”>www.snowtosurf.com.