Story
The 2008 Canada Post Freestyle Skiing Grand Prix at Cypress Mountain received $30,000 from Hosting BC. The event drew 134 athletes, aged 17-30, who came from 17 countries including Belarus, Ukraine, Finland and Canada. There were 2,000 spectators and the TV audience was estimated at 142,400. Almost 250 volunteers supported the event.
Direct economic benefit included 1,240 hotel room nights booked as well as increased revenue for the local hospitality industry and goods and services suppliers. The BC Freestyle Ski Association organized a junior development day called Sparks of Freestyle, where 34 children learned from national team athletes. The Squamish First Nation hosted a welcome dinner for teams and provided a race office at Chief Joe Mathias Centre. Local volunteers, including college and high school students, upgraded their skills to form an experienced pool of resources for future events. The aerial and mogul courses developed for the event can now be used for local and regional skiers and media exposure provided promotion for Cypress Mountain both nationally and locally.
