Whether you are 13 or 31, the Camp of Champions (COC) snowboard, ski and mountain bike camp at Whistler Blackcomb offers enthusiasts the opportunity of a lifetime—the chance to train with the pros and spend a summer in the snow. Whistler Blackcomb will be in the spotlight this month as the official Alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. COC offers four week-long sessions from June 24 to July 22, 2010. Packages include accommodations, airport pickup, daily breakfast and lunch, afternoon activities and the use of all facilities. Register now to learn from the top pros at the best summer terrain and bike park in the world, and number one ski resort in North America.
Founded in 1989 by legendary Canadian snowboarder Ken Achenbach, COC offers campers ages 11 and up the chance to learn from more than 40 of their chosen sport’s top pros. And it’s not just for kids. There’s an Adult Week that boasts evenings out in the legendary Whistler nightlife and even a Ladies’ Week for women who prefer female coaches. Ladies can also choose a spa day and other special afternoon activities. Send your child individually, attend as an adult or even come as a family!
The private Camp of Champions terrain park is designed and maintained by one of the world’s leading terrain park designers, Steve Petrie of Arena Snowparks. A master in his craft, the International Olympic Committee chose Petrie to build the half pipe for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic games at Whistler.
Since its inception, COC has developed many of the terrain and rail park designs that are now considered standard in the snowboard and ski world. The first superpipe, curved rails, “S” rails and jump designs were created here. The last Winter Olympics featured COC campers on the podium for the half pipe. Numerous Canadian and U.S. Olympic athletes got their start at Camp of Champions, and founder/camp director Ken Achenbach was inducted into the Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2001. At the end of every session, COC hosts a giant party at the compound—all campers receive prizes, all the BBQ they can eat, and one last chance to hang out with their new friends before heading home.
COC, based in Whistler, BC Canada, initially started out as a summer camp for snowboarders on the glacier, saw the addition of skiing in 1997, followed by downhill mountain biking in 2006. That first year, the camp attracted 75 campers—now the number has grown to 250 each week.
Camp of Champions recently formed a partnership with Whistler Blackcomb to create “The Dorm”—the ultimate place to stay and play with multiple 61" flat screen TVs linked to X-Box game platforms where campers can play Rockband and other popular video games. The rooms are also stocked with Apple iMac computers.
Additionally, the dorm features a demo room with all of the latest custom camp clothing and accessories from COC’s sponsors, plus more snowboard and ski equipment for campers to demo than found on most ski resorts. Besides that, there’s also a bike room loaded with a mix of the world’s premier downhill mountain bikes available for demos, as well as the 6-10 convenience store with its slurpee machine and snacks.
Another unique feature is the 10,000-squarefoot playground dubbed “The Compound.”
Imagine a 3200-square-foot tent with a 40foot wide mini ramp; 61" flat screens linked to Microsoft X-boxes; a 2600-watt sound system to simulate the actual concert experience while playing Rockband; ping pong, foosball tables, vintage video games, couches and more. Outside the tent is a basketball court and dodge ball area.
With a host of free afternoon activities like paintball, chilling at the lake, hitting up the local skate parks in Whistler or Squamish, luxuriating at the spa, or just hanging out in the village, campers may have as much fun off the mountain as they have on it.
For younger campers, parents can be confident that their children will be well-supervised.
There is a 10pm curfew, security cameras on all dorm floors, and key cards are required to access the buildings. Additionally there is a 24-hour front desk so that any camper or parent can have access to a staff member. For medical needs, Whistler has a state of the art medical clinic that can handle any injury or illness. For more, visit the parents section of the website at campofchampions.com/ whistler/parents/default.aspx. COC is truly a dream camp for kids!Ken Achenbach is one of the original instigators of the snowboarding curse that now afflicts mountains worldwide. He started the first exclusive snowboarding store in the world, “The Snoboard Shop,” in 1980, and campaigned tirelessly to get snowboarding accepted in Canada and other countries. He placed second in the World Championships in half pipe in 1982 and it’s been downhill ever since! Achenbach was the Canadian Champion from 1982-1989. The Snoboard Shop Pro Team was a powerhouse team from the ’80s through the mid ’90s, winning World Championship and National titles. Ken’s Snoboard Shop team was the Canadian Team before there was one. And although his shop is gone, the team is still influencing snowboarding to this day.
For the Camp of Champions summer camp, home is the world’s largest private terrain park and the world’s best lift-accessed downhill mountain biking at The Whistler Bike Park. The snow park is serviced by a t-bar lift. Located two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler Blackcomb is consistently ranked the number one ski resort in North America. The village of Whistler sits at the foot of both mountains and features numerous restaurants, cafes, shops, galleries and spas. COC’s coaches, a mix of top pro athletes, legends and dedicated professionals, live to ride and love sharing their stoke by teaching campers how to get good… fast. All this translates into a summer camp where anyone can have fun, safely learn to ride better and make friends that last a lifetime.
For detailed information, to register online and for all the latest information including pricing and session dates, visit: www.campofchampions.com.
