Banff (AB), Canada – Some of Canada’s top Nordic skiers have been using Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort in Banff as a training camp in the past two weeks. And, to coach John Jaques, the reason is simple.

“It’s the snow at this time of year,” he says.

Massive accumulations during Sunshine’s record snow year are lingering on into July, allowing the skiers to train at altitude on freshly groomed runs that freeze overnight. With early morning starts, the 30-40 skiers who make the daily trek in this alpine environment find they can get in a solid three or four hours of hard work before their bodies give out and the snow softens up.

“Our athletes are really cooked,” laughs Jaques. “They’ve had lots of great volume and lots of great skiing.”

Sunshine’s terrain has a long history as a training ground. But it was Jaques, head coach of the Rocky Mountain Racers, who decided the team needed an alternative to the Haig Glacier training site (in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country) and placed the phone call to see if the team could use Sunshine.

“Sunshine is a unique place,” he says, noting Sunshine’s policy of providing free skiing during the winter to members of the national ski team. “They’ve been supporting national teams for years.”

Para-Nordic coach Robin McKeever agreed the snow is key, but also “The altitude is what we’re looking for. I can’t get our sit-skiers on the Haig Glacier anyway. (If a storm arises), the only way in and out is by helicopter.”

Sunshine Village provides organizational support, including help from Al Matheson, the mountain operations manager who oversees the resort’s ski patrol. The Rocky Mountain Racers is bringing up future members of Canada’s cross-country, biathlon and Para-Nordic teams. The club also has several members of both junior and senior Canadian national ski teams.

John Scurfield, vice-president of Sunshine Village added, “These athletes give Canada so much pride, it is nice that Sunshine Village can give back to them.”