JANUARY 11th UPDATE: Don’t forget to register, it is a 2-Step process!
AWG Registration
- AWG Registration & Waiver Submission (Part 1): https://albertawintergames.ca/registration-information/ (direct link: https://albertagames.rampinteractive.com/public/participantreg.aspx)
- Zone4 Registration & Fee Payment (Part 2): https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=34154
DECEMBER 17th UPDATE: Thank you Racers, Volunteers, Snow Makers and Groomers!! The AWG Qualifier & Orange Crush Time Trial was a success! Results are posted on Zone4.ca and Event Points are posted on the Event Website. Contact your Zone Head Coach if you have any questions about the AWG Selection Process (Zone 6: Ulf Kleppe – headcoach@edmontonnordic.ca).
Alberta Winter Games (AWG) are back this year, after missing 2022 due to COVID. AWG is an event that only happens every two years, and it is a great sporting experience! Zone 6 is us, Edmonton! We are the biggest club in Edmonton, so we will host the Zone 6 Qualifier for Cross-country and Biathlon. At the Cross-country Qualifier, we will also have events for younger Track Attack athletes as well as U18 to Masters athletes. The Biathlon Qualifier will be separate, on December 17th. Athletes can choose to compete in both qualifiers, but will need to choose between teams if they qualify for both (AWG competitions are simultaneous). The Cross-country Qualifier will overlap with training on December 16th, and everyone will be expected to participate, whether skiing, cheering, or helping run the event (course support like marshalling, forerunning, etc.). As the host club, it is an exciting opportunity to support our teammates and participate in the event, whether or not you are eligible or interested in attending AWG!
Below is information on the Cross-country Qualifier and Alberta Winter Games:
Alberta Winter Games Zone 6 Cross-country Qualifier
- Zone4 sign-up: https://zone4.ca/event/2023/EMWvr3/
- Event Page: https://edmontonnordic.ca/2024-alberta-winter-games-cross-country-qualifier-&-orange-crush-time-trial
- What: Zone 6 AWG Qualification event
- Why: The Qualifier determines which athletes will represent our zone at Alberta Winter Games 2024
- When: morning of Saturday, December 16, 2023 (Back-up date in the event of extreme cold or no snow is January 6, 2024)
- Where: Gold Bar or Capilano (exact location will be snow and grooming dependent)
- Who: U12 to U16 athletes
- Additional Info:
- The Qualifier will be One Event or a Series of Two Events on the same day (skate, classic, or both – snow & grooming dependent)
- The Qualifier is open to athletes outside of ENSC that train or live in Edmonton (i.e., UofA Nordic, Strathcona Wilderness Centre, Independent)
- The Qualifier will have a fee (estimate $15), and Zone4 registration will open on Monday, November 20 (https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=33723)
- Details on technique for the Qualifier to come (snow & grooming dependent), but likely classic individual start, plus a short (sprint distance) skate prologue skate
- Distances will be similar to what the actual race distances are at the AWG (See Technical Package link below)
- There will be additional events for younger and older athletes on the same day too!
Alberta Winter Games
- What: ALBERTA WINTER GAMES 2024 – Cross-country
- When: FEBRUARY 16 – 19, 2024 (but… note that the Qualifier is on December 16, 2023)
- Where: Grande Prairie, AB (AWG organizes busing to and from the games, and athlete food and accommodation is included)
- Who: Ages between 11* and 16 {Age 11 *as of February 16, 2024 (we also need 2 volunteer parent chaperones [1 male; 1 female])}
- AGE GROUPS
- U12: 11 – 12 years of age – born in 2013* or 2012 (2 males, 2 females)
- U14: 13 – 14 years of age – born in 2011 or 2010 (3 males, 3 females)
- U16: 15 – 16 years of age – born in 2009 or 2008 (3 males, 3 females)
- * Athletes must be at least 11 years of age by the opening day of the Alberta Games – Born before February 16, 2013
More information about Alberta Winter Games and who is eligible
- Zone 6 is Edmonton (see map of zones in General Info link below)
- Nordiq Alberta: https://nordiqalberta.ca/races/canada-winter-games/
- Technical Package: https://nordiqalberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/cross-country-ski-tech-package-may-15-1.pdf
- Eligibility (for athletes, coaches, & chaperones): https://nordiqalberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/alberta-games-eligibility-1.pdf
- General Info: https://nordiqalberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/General-Information-for-PSCs.pdf
- AWG website: https://www.2024awg.com/team
- Biathlon Alberta: https://biathlon.ca/team-alberta/alberta-winter-games/
ZONE 6 TEAM COMPOSITION
- 16 athletes per Zone (8 females, 8 males… see above)
- Some Zones do not fill-up, so it may be possible for Zone 6 to send more athletes if lots of athletes participate in the Qualifier (see the “Fill Policy” in the technical package)
- As per the eligibility document, “Individual athletes shall participate in only ONE sport at the Alberta Games”, but Biathletes can still do the cross-country qualifier and choose which sport to enter
- Eligible athletes must train or live in Zone 6 (this means athletes from St. Albert or Sherwood Park, that train at Gold Bar, can qualify for Zone 6)
In addition to this email, there will be an AWG Information Session during the last 20 min of training this Saturday, November 25th. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend too!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If anyone can volunteer to help run this event, please email Brent Welsh at rbwelsh@gmail.com. He is looking for volunteers to help with Manual Timing (7 people) and Bib Distribution (2 people) at the Start/Finish, course marshals (at least 2, final # depends on course), course set-up/take-down (at least 2 for each). Any athletes or parents interested in AWG are encouraged to email their coach to let them know.
