March 3, 2010
MLA Celebrates the Triumph at Cypress Mountain

VICTORIA - West Vancouver – Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre made the following statement in the legislature yesterday calling attention to the tireless efforts of staff and volunteers that contributed to the medals mined by Canada’s athletes at Cypress Mountain.

“With all the accolades flowing about the success of the Vancouver games, I thought it was fitting to single out the triumphs at Cypress Mountain, the venue for moguls, aerials and snowboarding that's located at the south end of the constituency that I'm so proud to represent.

“I'd like to pay tribute to the folks at Cypress Mountain: the GM, Linda Swain, and her team, who were required to close operations early due to mild, rainy weather — a once-in-a-hundred-year event. A tribute to John Furlong and Tim Gayda, the VP of Sport at VANOC, along with Paul Skelton, the manager of Cypress sports operations, who was the miracle worker of 2010.

“By February 24, the Globe and Mail had reported that Paul's crew of 50 snow makers, groomers, mountain transport and builders had used 150,000 pounds of straw, made 400 helicopter trips, flown or trucked in 9,000 cubic metres of snow and turned 21 million gallons of water into snow — a 24-7 operation nurturing the mountain and working the course continuously, which in turn yielded some of the most memorable moments of these golden games: four gold and two silver medals.

“Let me count. Alex Bilodeau, the first gold on Canadian soil ever for men's moguls; Maelle Ricker, the first gold for a Canadian woman at home for women's snowboard cross; and Ashleigh McIvor, gold in the women's ski cross. I have to note that these latter two superb female athletes reside in Sea to Sky, so we're especially proud.

“There was Jasey Jay Anderson, gold in men's parallel giant slalom for snowboarding; Jennifer Heil, silver in women's moguls; and Mike Robertson, silver in snowboard cross.

“I would just like the House to join us in congratulating all the athletes, organizers, workers and VANOC volunteers for making us proud Canadians. As someone said so aptly, it was the little mountain that could.”

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