Celebrating it’s Sweet Sixteen this year, the 2011 TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) recently wrapped up in Whistler. Running from April 15 – 24, 2011, the WSSF celebrates all things snow, sports, art, culture, fashion, and music. This year, falling on the Easter Long Weekend coupled with the last weekend for the Whistler Mountain ski season (Blackcomb Mountain closes May 30), rendered a bustling Whistler village, home to a festival that saw all walks of life, from large European families to young suburban hipsters to single Vancouverites in high heels and mini skirts. A huge festival with a great vibe and something for everyone.
Once again, Chevrolet Canada was a leading sponsor of the WSSF. My man George Saratlic, Product Communications Manager at GM of Canada, asked if I’d be interested in going again this year. With a resounding ‘yes,’ found myself and fellow auto writer Russ Purcell, planted in a 2011 Chevy Camaro SS convertible as we set off to The Fairmont Chateau Whistler for a couple nights stay, where we’d hook up with a pair of other bloggers.
I attended the TWSSF with Chevrolet Canada last year as well, my first time in Whistler. And stoked to do it all again in 2011. Check out my blog post from last year’s event here > Amee @ WSSF 2010
2011 marks the first year the new Chevy Camaro comes in the soft-top form. Fortunately, the weather from Vancouver to Whistler the Friday afternoon we departed was sunny, thus, top down the entire way. The 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible is available in a either a 3.6L V6 producing 312-hp, or the 6.2L V8 (also found in the Corvette) making 400-hp with the automatic tranny (426-hp with the stick shift). We had the V8, of course.
For more info on the 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible, visit here.
Below: Russ and myself at the helm:
Saturday morning kicked off with breakfast at the hotel with George and Jennifer Tice, PR Manager at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler:
While the other bloggers & tweeters attended the Chevy Test Drive Tweetup at the Whistler Conference Centre, yours truly opted for a day on the mountain. Hey, this would be my last, proper boarding day of the season and my first time hitting the infamous slopes of Whistler Blackcomb. And I’m glad I did, because spring skiing/boarding means one thing: Slush Cup. Hooking up for a quick run with Amber Turnau, part of the Whistler Blackcomb PR team, Amber led me to the slush cup taking place halfway up Blackcomb Mountain. While the slush cup is nothing new to these parts, 2011 was the first year sponsored by the WSSF. The gathering was overwhelming, the weather was just perfect, and the jumps were hilarious.
Some of the slushy shenanigans:
In addition to GM’s Chevy title sponsorship in the WSSF, the automaker also sponsors the GMC Race Centre located on Cougar Milk on Blackcomb Mountain…a free, dual Giant Slalom course open to the public (yes, this is just a sign):
A not-so-terrific shot from my Blackberry camera, but a beautiful scene nonetheless:
Couple other randoms with my little Canon S95…my sole camera for the trip:
Our Chevy Road Trip to the WSSF ended off with a few drinks, the Big Air competition with the winner taking home a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze (AJAC’s 2011 Canadian Car of the Year), and on my stroll back to the hotel through Whistler Village, a thumping crowd at the Chevy DJ booth with a little fireworks action in the background. A great trip with the perfect ending.
