World Cups in Alberta

Couldn't get out to Vancouver for the Games? Albertans had an opportunity to attend international-calibre competition closer to home during one of the seven world cup or Canadian trial events held in Alberta. Many of these events featured the same top athletes who were vying for a berth on the Olympic team - competition was stiff.

	FIL Luge November 20-21, 2009 Canada Olympic Park, Calgary luge.ca Sledding at the extreme - Canada’s national team took on the worlds best during the first World Cup event to hit Alberta in the 2009-10 season.
	FIS Alpine Men’s: November 28-29, 2009 / Women’s: December 4-6, 2009 Lake Louise winterstartworldcup.com A favourite stop on the Alpine World Cup tour, Lake Louise once again hosted the men’s and women’s downhill and Super G events.  Spectators and athletes continued to be entertained after dark during the Winterstart Festival in Banff and Lake Louise.
	ISU Speed Skating (long track) December 4-6, 2009 Olympic Oval, Calgary speedsk8.ca Known as the fastest ice in the world, the Calgary Olympic Oval played host to the worlds top long track speed skaters.  The Olympic Oval boasts over 150 world records set in long and short track speeding, many of which were set by the dominant Canadian team.
	CCA Canadian Curling Trials December 6-13, 2009 Rexall Place, Edmonton seasonofchampions.ca/rotr Hurry hard!  The outcome of this event determined which team represents Canada at the Olympic Games.
	FIS Freestyle (moguls and aerials) January 8-10, 2010 Canada Olympic Park, Calgary freestyleski.ca Freestyle made its Olympic debut as a demonstration sport in Calgary in 1988. In 2010, Calgary onced again play host to the world’s best freestyle skiers as Canada battled to retain top ranking status.
	FIS Snowboard (halfpipe and slopestyle) January 28-31, 2010 Canada Olympic Park, Calgary fissnowboardworldcup.com Canada Olympic Park’s 22 foot halfpipe is among the largest in the world.  It is the new standard for the sport of snowboarding and has been replicated at Cypress Mountain for the Vancouver 2010 Games.  The world’s top riders dazzled the crowd under the lights as they geared up for the Games.
	FIS Cross Country Skiing February 5-6, 2010 Canmore Nordic Centre albertaworldcup.com Only one week before the 2010 Opening Ceremony, the world’s top skiers made their last stop on the World Cup tour to complete in Alberta before heading to the Olympic Games.