Weather postpones snow kite race north of Regina
Around 100 participants were forced to pack up their giant kites at Saturday's Red Bull event
A much-anticipated snow kite race northwest of Regina was cancelled on Saturday due to blowing snow and freezing temperatures.
About 100 snowboarders and skiers were forced to pack up their giant kites and escape the cold at the Red Bull Kite Farm competition, which was rescheduled for Sunday with warmer weather in the forecast.
The 50-kilometre race is billed as the first-ever North American endurance snow kite event.
Early Saturday morning, organizers were hopeful that the race would go ahead. Enthusiastic riders welcomed 60 km/hr winds and bundled up against the cold, which felt like -36 C with the windchill.
Some local riders relished the harsh conditions.
"You can go faster," Corrie Coons said, adding that the weather "makes it a little bit more extreme."
Marty Roy from Winnipeg was hoping it would give Prairie riders an edge over other competitors.
"I love it. I think there are people here from California and the coast — they're not going to like it," Roy said.
The racetrack is a five-kilometre loop with riders expected to complete 10 laps. The racers must scramble for positioning off the start line and try to avoid crashing into other participants or getting their kites snarled.
"The strategy is to try and avoid a tangle. Get out in front, get clean and race clean," said Josh Barker, director of the Alberta Kiteboarding Association.
By 11:30 a.m. CST on Saturday, the race committee determined that blowing snow had created white-out conditions and that low visibility could endanger the riders.
Organizers had prepared for the possibility of a back-up race to take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, but with scaled down activities for the public.
The fastest skier and fastest snowboarder will win an all-expense paid trip to the Red Bull world championship in Norway.