Third annual SROAMazing Race provides plenty of excitement and laughter for downtown Nelson
By Nelson Daily Staff
Beautiful autumn sunshine filled the downtown core of Nelson Saturday afternoon.
And so did costume-clad contestants entered in the third annual SROAMazing Race.
Organized by students enrolled in the Selkirk College Ski Resort Operations and Management Program (SROAM), the charity scavenger hunt filled the streets of Nelson’s streets as race teams completed a series of activities and games around town for a chance to win a heap of snow sport related prizes.
“The SROAMazing Race is an annual event that started three years ago to raise awareness for avalanche safety, promote the SROAM program and as a final project for our Special Events and Marketing course that we take in our second year,” said Katherine Seleski one of the many race organizers.
“The race takes place on a Saturday in October every year, sending teams of four all over Nelson collecting photos and objects and participating in activities to gain points.
“These points then are counted to place rank teams to win some awesome prizes.”
Teams of four spend their allotted time completing games, finding items and taking photos for points to be totaled at the race close.
Funds raised by the SROAMazing Race are donated to the Avalanche Awareness Beyond the Boundaries Society (AABBS), which provides youth with avalanche trainings and courses to improve their knowledge of the backcountry.
Seleski said the third annual SROAMazing Race proved to be a hard fought race with the SROAM Jabroni’s coming in first by a tight margin.
I Ski Better Than You finished a valiant second.
Best costume went to SROAMazing Roller Coaster.
“This year, our amazing sponsors have donated over $10,000 in prizes to the race,” Seleski said.
“Both K2 and Armada donated two pairs of skis each, as well as packages from Whitewater, Orage, Saga, Whistler Blackcomb, Motus Massage, Planks Clothing, Kootenay Credit Union, CWSAA and much . . . much more.”
The Ski Resort Operations and Management (SROAM) program has been around for just over 30 years, operating in Nelson, BC since inception.
As an integral part of Selkirk College’s Tourism department, the SROAM program educates students on the snow industry with classes in grooming, risk management, business communication, special events and so much more. Students spend three semesters in class and a fourth on a paid co-op at a ski resort of their choosing in any position.
The SROAM diploma also works as the first two years of a university degree at some Canadian universities.
“Quite an amazing way of getting a degree,” Seleski exclaimed.
And it was quite a wild day for shoppers in the Nelson downtown.
