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A Day in the Life of a

 2010 Alpine Olympic Volunteer

by: Murray Wood & Elizabeth Urbach

Nov 2008  -  Now that the Chiefs of Race and Chiefs of Course have been named for the Alpine Skiing events of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, much more detailed planning has started. The purpose of this article is to give Alpine skiing volunteers a preview of a typical work day on the 2010 Alpine courses. 

For those who are familiar with the “Alpine Volunteer experience", much will be the same as in previous years.  However, there will be some significant differences. 

To those who are new to the Alpine Volunteer experience, Welcome! We are glad to have you aboard. To start, however, we must come clean on one item. Being a volunteer Alpine skiing racer worker involves long hours. 

We're sorry to have to share this, but for many race workers 8:00 to 5:00 is a short day and we had a good chuckle when these hours were mentioned during the (VANOC) interview process.

Do you wish you volunteered for another sport?  Hopefully not!  As much work as it is, Alpine ski race volunteering provides a great experience and, when it’s all over, most volunteers will have made many new friends and will be keen to do it again. 

During the 2010 Winter Olympic events in Whistler, life will not be "business as usual".  For one thing, parking for private cars at Whistler's Creekside venue for the Alpine ski races will be virtually non-existent and public transport will be greatly enhanced.    Alpine Volunteers will commute to Creekside via the WAVE (Bus), arriving by 6:00 in the morning.  

The first activity of the day will be to go through security. After the first day of work, Alpine Volunteers leave their skis and tools at Creekside,  in volunteer lockers, and will just carry ski boots and clothing home at night and to work each day.   After passing through security, Alpine Volunteers will  check-in for the day at the CanSki building where everyone will be scanned to ensure that they are scheduled to work that day.  Don't forget your accreditation!

Following check-in, volunteers will head to their locker to gather their gear, before going to their individual daily team briefing. The location for team briefings will be announced at a later date.  Unfortunately, team briefings during the Games will not take place in Dusty’s Bar and Grill, which has been our habitual morning meeting spot for many years.

After a briefing from their Crew Chief, given over a quick breakfast, volunteer course workers will grab a bagged lunch and, at 7:00 or earlier, and in the company of their crew, will head up the Creekside gondola to start their day on the race course. 

For the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, all Mens Alpine skiing events will be held on the Dave Murray downhill course and all Ladies events and Paralympic events will be held on Franz's downhill course.  Most course crew will be pre-assigned to either the Men's or Ladies course. 

On "race days" the first activity of the day will be to help prepare for course inspection, first by the race jury, and then by the athletes.    During inspection by the athletes, the racers and coaches "slip" the course to determine and memorize the best race line. Course Crews will await instructions for any changes or repairs to the course that may be required by the jury.  Some course workers will have time to grab refreshments at the volunteer warming tent.  However, all Course Crews must be in their assigned place, at the side of the course, by 9:20 AM, a half an hour prior to the start of the forerunners.

Meanwhile, down in the finish area, spectators will be loading into the stand and the anticipation will build.

At 9:50, the first forerunners will test the track to make sure it’s suitable for the racers. At 10:00 the broadcast cameras will be fired up and the race will go live to the world. Course crews will be in place to quickly make repairs to the course, as the race proceeds.  The intention will be to provide all racers with the same race conditions, whether they are an early or late starter.

Be Careful! Only venture out onto the track if you are asked to and only if it is completely safe to do so.   Look to your Crew Chief for instruction.

At 12:00  noon, the race finishes. Due to all of the hard work that countless volunteers have put in to prepare the racecourses, the races will go like clockwork and keep on schedule.  Following the race, volunteers will grab a hot cup of coffee or a bowl of soup from the volunteer warming tent located on the mountain, near the course.

After the race, Chief of Course and the Coordinators, together with the race jury, will determine what work is needed to make the race course ready for the next day. Course Crews will return to the track, at 1:00 PM, to carry out the work. Usually there is a lot to do and the “Job Jar” is full.  Your Crew Chief will let you know what’s required and will guide you in your work.

At 5:00PM, after a day on the mountain ends, the volunteers head down the mountain to leave their gear in the lockers and to check out. As they head out of the Creekside venue they may visit the Weasel House to have a refreshment with their crewmates, to share stories of the day, to discuss the next days likely activity and to get ready to go again. Don’t stay too long as morning comes early!  A WAVE bus will be waiting to take you home.

Yes it’s a long day but it’s a lot of fun. Course workers will have a ringside seat to one of the most exciting events of the Games. They will meet some great people and will make many new friends. 

We can’t wait. We hope to see you there!

Murray Wood has been a Whistler Weasel Worker for many years, and has served as Chief of Gates at numerous races, including the 2008 Whistler World Cup.    Elizabeth Urbach is a rowing World Champion (2005) and is involved with the Olympic movement as the Alpine Coordinator for VANOC.  Elizabeth is also a director of the Canadian Sport Center Pacific and was a recipient of the Ottawa Sports Awards Individual Sport Award for Rowing.