WHY DON’T YOU …

Since before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the world’s fastest bobsleigh/ skeleton/luge track has been in Whistler; and in winter, visitors can experience the thrill of these high-adrenaline sports in a couple of different ways. When there’s not an event or athlete training, the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) hosts public bobsleigh and skeleton programs. Bobsleigh participants speed down the track in four-person sleds with a professional pilot, negotiating the final 10 turns and achieving speeds of 125+ kilometres an hour. Skeleton riders receive instruction before taking two runs on the track’s final six corners and reach speeds of up to 100 km/h.

This winter, WSC will host the world’s best bobsleigh and skeleton athletes for the 2019 IBSF World Championships, Feb. 25 to March 10. The event is the culmination of the season in the two disciplines, in which racers achieve speeds of up to 145 km/h (90 mph). The event will feature some 285 athletes from 35 countries.

“It really showcases the best of the best, spanning over a two-week period,” said Chris Dornan, communications director for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. “It becomes a mini-Olympics of sorts for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton.” The action won’t be limited to the track, though. “The community has really embraced this facility since the Olympics, and an event like this creates that party-like atmosphere,” Dornan said. “We’ll definitely be connecting Whistler Village to the event, with entertainment and events in the Village.”