The TELUS Nancy Greene Alpine Classic (TNGAC) is reaching its 28th edition, with Olympic gold medalist Kelsey Serwa returning as a guest coach.
In addition to Serwa, three-time Olympian and two-time medalist Nancy Greene Raine, her son Willy Raine, who was a Canadian ski cross coach for 10 years, Elli Terwiel, a Sun Peaks Olympian and her parents George and Anne Terwiel are also coaching.
This event will run the weekend of Jan. 24 to Jan. 25, 2025, with races starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25.
About the TELUS Nancy Greene Alpine Classic
As a fundraising event first and foremost, the primary beneficiary is the Sun Peaks Education society, with a small portion of funds going toward the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation.
According to TNGAC 2025 communication coordinator Corina Tataru, this event has fundraised nearly $1,000,000 over the past years, helping build the Sun Peaks Community Health Centre (SPES) and continuing to support Sun Peaks Education Society in funding “annual operating costs of the Sun Peaks Secondary Academy and a capital fund for community facilities in a future school.”
With a similar amount of participants as last year, Nancy Greene said they’re at just a few teams under the 40 team limit for this year.
“This year has been difficult because with Al passing away, I haven’t been as involved,” she explained. “But I’m super, super pleased with the committee that we have in charge.”
The new Powder Ventures cross course at which the race is held has made the event much easier to put on than in past editions, being dirt based and needing less snow.
Folks can view the race from the Village base or on the sidelines of the course, but the event’s festivities are open mostly to racers and guests.
External contributors
Many organizations have taken on different levels of sponsorships, aside from TELUS, the title sponsor since 1997.
Gold sponsors include Bear Country Sun Peaks Resort, Century 21 Diamante, A&T Project Developments, Bottoms Bar & Grill at Sun Peaks Resort, Powder Ventures Excavating Ltd. and HUB International.
Araya Law, Kelson Group, Remax – Sun Peaks Realty, ServiceMaster of Kamloops and Engel & Völkers Sun Peaks are silver sponsors with Sun Peaks Lodge, MJB Lawyers,
CML Properties and The Fireplace Centre as bronze level sponsors.
Food and event sponsors include Tribe Management Inc. as the exclusive sponsor for the racer’s breakfast and Newport Structures Ltd. as the exclusive social events sponsor for the Friday evening pre-race party.
“A lot of the sponsors are able to put in teams,” Greene said, adding that TELUS has made up about seven teams this year from guests and sales reps.
Many other businesses have come forward to help out by contributing to the silent auction, which Greene said will be in-person only this year, taking place at the celebration party on Saturday night which includes awards as well.
Some of these auction items are a punch card for Sun Peaks Alpine Fitness, a pizza party from Mountain High Pizza, a gift certificate for Jugger Bean Tattoo, a men’s haircut and women’s formal updo from Style for Everyone, a three course dinner from the Steakhouse and a cocktail party for 20 at Earl’s.
“If anybody is interested, they could contact somebody who’s at the gala and get them to bid for them,” Greene said of the auction.
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