Housekeeping Olympics: Banff Aspen Lodge mops floor with competition to win consecutive gold

Alberta's premier hotels moppedthe floor with theircompetition, quiteliterally,at the Housekeeping Olympics Thursday night in Banff.

Sixteen teams of eight went head to headas they competed in five events:mop race, bed-making competition, upright vacuum relay, towel-folding and towel art competition andbuffer pad toss.

For the second year in a row, the Banff Aspen Lodge was crowned this year's gold medal-winning team.

"You need to work your brain, especially with the towel art. It's hard. You have to really practice for it," said Angel Santos,head of housekeeping at Banff Aspen Lodge, and team captain.

But the toughest event by far is the bed-making, said Santos.

"You have to make it really perfectly, especially the edges," Santossaid.

Hours before the competition began, Santos said she was still cracking the whip, drilling her teammate on foldinghospitalbedcorners.

"I told him, I'mgonnayell onyou, and you have to perfect it!" she laughed.

A welcome mixer

Now in its fourth year, the friendly competition doubles asawelcome event forseasonal staffwhomay be new to Banff's hospitality scene, saidDarrenReeder, executive director of theBanff Lake Louis Hospitality Association.

It's a chance for them to build camaraderie and exchange expertise with veteran hotel staff, he said.

"Just to model to people the kind of behavior that we need to demonstrate to an international visitor base that expect a world-class experience,"Reedersaid.

Banff MayorKaren Sorensen said it's also a chance to thank and celebrate all the work these people do behind the scenes.

"These are the people who make our resorts successful, who make Banff a popular destination. We just could not be who we are to the world without these staff and the people who come and help us out," she said.

All about teamwork

More than 400 people turned out to the event, most of whom were dressed in costume tocheer on their colleagues and teammates.

The winners are rewarded not only with gold, bronze and silver medals, but also with recreation perks, including ski and white-water raftingpasses, helicopter adventures and golf bookings.

For Santos, who has competed in every year, it's not just about the prizes.

It's an opportunity "to show our teamwork ...to show them that we are one of the best," she said.

"Everyone participates as a player, or a supporteror a cheerleader.It doesn't matter."

With files fromThe Homestretchand Mike Symington