No snow? No problem. P.E.I. biathlon event gets help from ski park

A biathlon event on P.E.I. will be good to go, thanks to a little help from snow-making friends at Brookvale Provincial Ski Park.

This weekend, Biathlon PEI is set to host the 2017 Atlantic Cup #3 and Cadet Provincial Championships, but in the weeks leading up to the event they ran into a problem: no snow.

"We're in desperate need of snow,"said board member LynnBoudreau.

"We have over 80 racers for this weekend, so to put them into that stadium arearight now, there's spots that are just sheer ice. So it just comes down to a danger issue,"

Luckily the trails are in good shape, and Brookvale Provincial Ski Park is coming to the rescue. It has agreed to make 15 to 20 truckloads of snow to fill the stadium. That should put many in the community at ease, said Boudreau.

"Last weekend Martock was supposed to run the Atlantic Cup #2 and they didn't have enough snow and cancelled," she said.

"All the biathletes in the Maritimes are just kind of holding their breath, and lots of emails of, 'Is it going to go?' "

Competition changes

There is still more snow that they need in order to have their full course, but Boudreau says they reached a compromise with Brookvale.

"We're realistic in knowing that they can only make so much snow;they have to continue to make snow for the hill." she said

So instead they have taken out the 150-metre penalty loop.

"So when the athletes shoot for every shot they miss they would ski that 150 metre loop," she said.

"By taking it out, it takes out a lot of space that would normally be required, and we just won't have enough snow to be able to do it. "

Boudreau saidthe move brings mixed reactions, but that they can only do what nature allows.

This isn't the first time the event has had to deal with a lack of snow. Last year ice shavings from local rinks were trucked in to make up the deficit, along with snow made from Brookvale.

With the help of Island Coastal, Boudreau hope the snow will start being trucked to the stadium Wednesdaynight with the hopes of getting it groomed on Thursday in time for the weekend event.

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