All systems go for 31st annual Iceman on Sunday
As much as it made life difficult for the people of Prince George, the snow bomb that buried the city in 45 centimetres of the white stuff Wednesday and Thursday came and went, leaving just enough time to clean it up.
Had that storm hit this weekend, it would have made it extremely difficult for organizers of the 31st annual Prince George Iceman multisport endurance race to pull off the event on Sunday.
The bone-chilling minus-30 C cold that greeted city residents Friday morning has also abated and after an overnight low of minus-15 C it should warm up a few degrees for the start of the race Sunday at 10 a.m. at Otway Nordic Centre.
“It seems like it’s either one end of the spectrum (too warm or not enough snow) or the other (too cold or too much snow),” said Iceman registrar Jim Van Bakel. “I’m glad the snow hit when it did because if that cold snap and the snow had come a few days later we’d be in a bit of trouble.
“It sure makes it look like winter out there, which is a great thing, and the city has done a great job of clearing roads along the routes. Hopefully the temperature stays the same way they’re predicting.”
A total of 515 racers are entered, about the same as last year. That includes 40 soloists, 69 adult teams and 31 junior teams.
They will start with the eightkilometre cross-country ski leg at Otway, then run 10 km to the Exhibition Park ice oval. After 12 laps (about five km, racers will run five km through a residential neighbourhood to the Aquatic Centre for the final event, the 800-metre swim.
The ice oval venue is the most susceptible to changing weather conditions.
Built and maintained exclusively by a hardworking crew of volunteers, the ice is expected to be will in pristine condition for Sunday’s race.
Van Bakel is also racing in Iceman as part of the Soloing is for Suckers team. The team category also includes The Ice Holes, Scrambled Legs and Achin’, MidLeg Crisis, The Heavy Breathers and the Oval Refrigeration Dream Team.
Bakel said more volunteers are needed. If you can help, call him at 778-349-4233.