words: Johan Malkoski

After handing in his pro shred card 20 years ago, Rob Picard started the Whistler Valley Snowboard Club as a way to continue snowboarding every day. The initial goal of the club was to show local Whistler kids all aspects of ripping the mountain while hitting some of the contests thru out British Columbia. The program grew from 5 kids the first year, to over 80 these days developing some of Canada’s top snowboarders.

During the summer, WVSC used the Camp Of Champions facilities to continue practicing what they were preaching in the winter. So when the air was let out of the Camp Of Champions tires this summer, Rob and crew grabbed a compressor and blew new life into the snow, keeping COC’s 28 year summertime glacier snowboarding torch alive, and Whistler Valley Summer Camp was born.

With help from Whistler Blackcomb, and park builders Ty Weed and Lucas Ouellet, a progressive jump line was built, as well a rail line for the kids to throw down on. And throw down they did during the inaugural first week.

Killer weather graced session 1. From the WVSC park you could access the public park making laps long and full of everything you could imagine during July shredding. Snow conditions were fast and the t-bar lines were minimal. The week blew by as afternoons on the hill, led to evenings in the newly built Whistler Skate Park, as well as top to bottom bike park laps.

A big thanks to Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, Whistler Blackcomb, Rob Picard, Joe McAdoo, Antoine Malingrey, Sam Weston, Josh Howell, Gunner Marquis and the Chomlack family for the invite, coaching and hospitality.

For more information about Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, as well as next summers camp plans, contact them here.

Johan Malkoski is a rad dad and the International Sales Manager for Capita, Union and Coal. His kids Mac and Milo are rippers.