Lack of snow forces ski, snowboard teams to withdraw from BC Winter Games

The lack of snow isn’t just affecting recreational skiing and snowboarding in the province — it’s also having an impact on the upcoming BC Winter Games.

The BC Games Society says BC Alpine Ski, Freestyle BC, and BC Snowboard have withdrawn from the event due to what is being described as “unfavourable snow conditions in the host community.”

The Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games is set to take place from Feb. 22 to 25.

“A lack of snowpack on the mountain at Troll Ski Resort and the absence of heavy snowfall in the forecast influenced the final decision. Mountain-based sports, already facing a difficult and shortened winter season, require significant snowpack and technical venue builds to run safe and meaningful competition,” the BC Games Society said in a statement Thursday.

Freestyle BC executive director Josh Dueck says the decision to pull out from the games was a difficult one, but the lack of snow would have led to unsafe conditions for those participating.

“And for snow we need ideally a meter in order to build the bumps and the jumps and put in the safety fencing around the venue for kids to have a good time,” he said. “We just didn’t get that snowpack”

According to a report from B.C.’s ministry of water, land, and resource stewardship, released earlier this month, the provincial snowpack remains 39 per cent below normal across the province.

“We see places like Vancouver Island and the South Coast where the snowpack is much lower than normal,” said Dave Campbell, head of the BC River Forecast Centre.

The society notes both Biathlon BC and Cross Country BC will attend the event “regardless of snow conditions,” adding they are “exploring modified scenarios for on-snow competition or dryland events.”

It says the Nordic Provincial Sport Organizations will connect with participants about updates before the Winter Games.

Indoor events at the 2024 games will not be affected by snow conditions, the BC Games Society says. It adds more than 1,200 participants from across the province are expected to take part in the three-day sporting event.

But for the remaining athletes who won’t be going this year, they’ll have to wait until the next Winter Games.

“With a third of the season left, there is only so much we can make up,” Campbell said. “Say we get a normal snowpack by April — it’s certainly possible, but something we don’t expect to see.”

With files from Angela Bower.