What People are Saying
Troy Hudson, Past SLNC General Manager
Welcome participants of the S2S Ski Marathon!
We are excited to host this new event at our world-class ski and race destination. SLNC has a strong pedigree in event hosting including annual Continental Cups, the 1991 and 2005 World Cups, and the 2011 World Masters Championships. Each winter we host North America's best athletes in early December, providing early season selection races for athletes attending International Continental Cups, World Cups and the Olympics.
With its high elevation, long season (November to May), superb snow conditions, and skilled race committees and volunteers, Sovereign Lake is a prime destination for racing!
Erik Flora, Coach, Elite Team and Director of APUNSC
SilverStar Resort and Sovereign Lake Nordic Club are on the top of my list for best places to ski in the world. They have some of the best snow anywhere and share a continuous network of 105 km beautifully manicured xc trails. You can ski from your front door, enjoy restaurants and bakeries in the village to fuel up after a day on the trails. Whether a ski camp, race weekend, or vacation SilverStar and Sovereign Lake are a great place to be!
Pat Pearce, 14 times Masters World Championship Gold Medalist
Nordic Skiing has become a big part of my life over the last decade and that’s why I’ve chosen to live and ski at Sovereign and Silver Star. With World Class trails, excellent grooming, mild temperatures, and a friendly welcoming ski community it would be hard to find a better place to ski and train and get the most out of winter including early season and late season snow.
As a Master Racer I look forward to supporting this new Loppet that showcases all that I appreciate about this ski area.
Norm Crerar, Founder of Nordic at SilverStar Resort, core organizer of the 1991 World Cup
I have been deeply involved in the nordic community here for many years and was very involved in both the 1991 World Cup and the 2011 World Masters. I am really excited to get back to welcoming the world and showing off our incredible trail network and Canadian Hospitality.
Andy Newell, four time Olympian, US elite coach
With some of the most scenic and challenging ski trails in North America, Sovereign Lake and SilverStar is the ideal place for marathon racing. I have travelled to the area on several occasions for training camps, races, and early season snow and I'm always blown away by the grooming, trail systems, and welcoming ski culture. With their World Cup and NorAm experience Sovereign / SilverStar is an ideal venue for what will become one of North America's premier skiing events. The thought of cozying up in one of their iconic ski chalets and competing in a point to point marathon is enough motivation for me to prioritize this event on my calendar. Sprinting to the finish line through SilverStar village is going to be epic!
Michael J. Mandli, President, American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, Board of Directors
Whether I am training, racing, or just going out for a cruise, SilverStar's guaranteed snow, the stunning scenery, and the impeccable grooming makes this one of my favorite places on earth. The trails range from easy to World Cup level, all with views of snow capped mountains, the very blue Kalamaka Lake, and the snow encrusted fir trees we call the Snow Ghosts. The altitude and temperatures are usually very mild allowing for quick adaptation. Most lodging lets me ski from my front door, and the obligatory short recovery walk to the village community always provides good food and entertainment. While I have skied many places around the world, the SilverStar Mountain experience is second to none.
Eric de Nys, Canadian National Team NextGen Coach
As a Vernon resident and former Head Coach of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, sure I am biased. However, after travelling the world, I can honestly say that Sovereign and SilverStar offer some of the best Nordic skiing on the planet! A plethora of snow, world class grooming, an expansive trail network, sun and relatively mild temperatures make it tough to beat. In April, ski in the morning then head down into the valley for some mountain biking, hitting the links or even out for a paddle board. It’s simply awesome!”
Kikkan Randall, Olympic Gold Medallist, IOC Member, Mom
SilverStar and Sovereign Lakes have beautifully groomed trails and with predictably great conditions from early to late season. I love this area and highly recommend it.
Rémi Drolet Olympian, Canadian National XC Team, World Junior Championship Medalist 2020
In my more than a decade of ski racing experience so far, the Sovereign Lake / Silver Star ski trails have been a place where I have made countless fond memories. From taking advantage of their amazing snow conditions for training from early November well through April to competing in events large and small, it has always been a joy to visit. The facilities are without a doubt among the very best in North America, and races are always extremely well organized! I am so excited for the S2S Ski Marathon as I know it will be an unforgettable experience.
Julien Locke, former National Ski Team member and founder of Nordic Pulse
Ever since watching Beckie Scott and Sara Renner race to the podium at the 2005 World Cup Festival at Sovereign Lake as an 11-year-old, Sovereign Lake & SilverStar have held a special place in my heart. Not only did the atmosphere and energy of that first trip inspire me as an athlete, it also was a fitting introduction to one of my favorite places to train well and push myself in competition. Through countless races and training camps in the 17 years since - from first tracks in early November to mid-winter race preparation to incredible spring conditions well into late April and early May - Sovereign Lake & Silverstar have been places where skiing feels like a dream. We can always count on Troy and the team to welcome us with fantastic grooming and generous hospitality.
Laura McCabe, Two Time Olympian and proud mother of an Olympian
My family has headed up to SilverStar for the past 19 years for the Methow team's fall camp. The excitement to ski on Sovereign and SilverStar trails in November for early snow is equal to the excitement of heading across the border to ski race on the amazing trail system and experience one of Canada's magical winter wonderlands. The trails at SilverStar and Sovereign are hands down one of my family's most favorite places. 105K of groomed trails never disappoints, the grooming is fantastic and there are many different terrain choices for skiing. The idea of racing from Sovereign to SilverStar puts a huge smile on my face. This event will be fantastic!