Don Urquhart, Times-Chronicle
The 2022 Winemakers Cup saw a record turnout of over 140 participants from 41 different BC Wineries over the weekend at Baldy Mountain Resort. For the first time in the 14 editions, the Winemakers Cup was claimed by a woman – 26-year-old Jamie Park from Andrew Peller – who dusted the field with a record-setting time of only 61.28 seconds.
Park works in Kelowna for Peller as the Wine Specialist, Direct to Home for their Sandhill, Gray Monk and Red Rooster Wineries.
Meanwhile, the 2022 Winemakers Cup Top Snowboarder was Cameron Laverock, the Assistant Winemaker at Gray Monk Winery. The 29-year-old Cameron took home the prize for the Fastest Overall Snowboarder with a combined time of 86.23 seconds.
Event co-organizer, Felicity Johnson said: “a youthful wave has now become part of the scene at the Winemakers Cup. A new generation of wine industry employees have taken over the podium and are bringing new energy to this classic, time-honoured event. We could not be more pleased for both Jamie and Cameron as well as all the competitors,” she said.
A regular at the Winemakers Cup, Charlie Baessler from Corcelettes Estate Winery in Keremeos brought his children along this year. Photo submitted.
Started in 2008 as an idea to enable the South Okanagan wine industry to get together and get to know each other better out of the business realm and away from any industry politics.
“It is a chance to blow off some steam, ride the chairlift together, build friendships and just get to know each other in a non-competitive environment,” said Glenn Fawcett, Chief Wine Evangelist, Black Hills Estate Winery and co-organizer of the event.
The first event kicked off with 32 participants from the South Okanagan and each year it grew with participants being welcomed from outside the South Okanagan like Kelowna and the Similkameen region for instance. Sponsorship also picked up with various suppliers related to the wine business helping to support the growing event.
“We love the fact that it gives the opportunity to build relationships, to build familiarity, to create memories together that are outside the political domain. There was a three-year period where Baldy was closed and during that time the event shifted to Big White outside Kelowna.
But when Baldy reopened Fawcett says they wanted to return and support the local ski resort which also made for a cost-effective option. Anybody in the wine industry can participate and they get a full-day lift ticket, BBQ lunch with a beer, winemakers happy hour, collectors edition t-shirt, basically a $180 package for $25.
Event co-organizers Felicity Johnson and Glenn Fawcett. Photo, Don Urquhart.
The races are a dual-slalom format and everyone makes one run on each course with the fastest combined time winning. Fawcett laughs as notes some 80 per cent of the participants are purely there for fun and 20 per cent are ‘die-hards’.
As Charlie Baseler, from Corcelettes Estate Winery in Keremeos notes, the industry has an opportunity this time of the year to get together. “It’s well-timed and it’s good camaraderie and it’s fun! It’s as serious as you want to make it, there are some good rivalries out here and we like to poke a little fun,” he laughs.
Graham Dunkin from his namesake vineyard on Naramata Bench agrees that it’s a great industry mixer. “The industry is spread out over 80-90 miles along the valley and it’s good to see other people in the wine community and it really helps to build strength,” he said.
“And it’s just good for everybody to just get out and enjoy the winter. It’s kind of a slack time of the year and this is when you can afford to take a little time.” He adds that the industry is growing nicely in the right direction and “this just helps, it’s nice to meet and share ideas.”
And after two years of no events under COVID-19, “this is awesome,” says Troy Lucas, General Manager Food and Beverage at Baldy Mountain Resort. “It gets people out, people haven’t been to the mountain in a while, new families, new skiers who haven’t been up to Baldie. It’s great to get people out, everyone’s excited,” he enthuses.
With the 140 participants added to the mountain’s typical Saturday crowd, Baldie set a new daily guest record, he says.
Baldie’s season will end on April 2, with Lucas saying “we had a good run this year.” Over the next 1-3 years Baldie will be undergoing a transformation to turn it into a year-round activity centre which includes, among other things, a man-made lake and mountain biking trails.
