A future Olympian could be skiing through town this winter.
From March 6 to 12, 2015 Thunder Bay will see up to 180 athletes from across the province as it holds the Ontario Under-16 Alpine Championships.
Alpine Ontario technical director Brad Lashley, in Thunder Bay over the weekend to inspect Loch Lomond and Mount Baldy, said sites across the province have been busy making changes to adopt international standards, including in Thunder Bay.
"Here you've got two spectacular resorts with a long history in hosting events," he said.
"Each has its own challenges."
Width, height and slope have to meet those challenges, something local organizers have been bys preparing for. Event chair Dave Bradley said the city has a lot of talent and are ready to show it on the provincial stage. While making changes helps the city host bigger events, it also helps local skiers develop and move onto the national and international stages.
"There is talent in our town right now that could make (the Olympics) as long as we give them the opportunities they deserve," he said.
"It's a full page of capacity building right now."
The athletes also bring coaches ,support staff and family, making the event a sport tourism draw as well. While the local area doesn't have the length or verticality for some major alpine events like downhill, a lot of hard work could even bring a World Cup slalom event to the city in a decade or so Bradley said.
But for now organizers are happy to give Ontario's future potential Olympians a place to compete.
