A Solid Organization for the 30 Anniversary of Canada’s Biggest Cross-Country Ski Event
By: Gatineau Loppet Team (2007/11/01)
Gatineau, Thursday, November 1, 2007 – On the eve of its 30th anniversary, Canada’s biggest cross-country ski celebration is taking on a new moniker, the Gatineau Loppet! This is the name that will be used for the various races and numerous activities that will be taking place between February 15 and 17, 2008.
A new moniker
Formerly known as the Keskinada, Gatineau 55 and even Rivière Rouge, the Gatineau Loppet organization expects this new moniker to make it easier to remember the name of an event that brings together Gatineau and Ottawa’s population as well as thousands of users of Gatineau Park.
The word Loppet, which means “great gathering”, is a link with the past and evokes the idea of the race’s affiliation with the Worldloppet family, a circuit that connects the 14 most prestigious races on the face of the planet.
Important support
The event, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary, will in fact be getting a nice boost from Développement économique – CLD Gatineau (DE – CLDG), which has given it a $50,000 grant to ensure the event’s sustainability.
Strategies for rounding up skiers
This grant will be used, among other things, to implement strategies for encouraging registrations directly among potential clients. An aggressive Internet promotion effort will help redirect skiers to the organization’s Web site, which will be reviewed and improved in an effort to increase the amount of information it provides.
Loyalty
Loyalty development programs will also be introduced to develop skiers’ sense of identification with the event. The Gatineau Loppet Challenge will help mark the efforts made by skiers who complete both 53 K events (men and women) and both 29 K events (women only). Skiers who have taken part 5, 10, 15 or 20 or more times will also receive special notice.
The environment as a core concern
An environmental strategy will also be developed for the event, and the theme of the Mini, the 2 K children’s circuit, will be organized around this theme.
Boosting attendance
As everyone knows, the Gatineau Loppet has exciting circuits for all skiers. The shorter ones are within everyone’s range. The organization wants to boost registrations by 10% this year. It should be noted that many activities require no special skill: the giant ski competition, visits to the Salon du ski and to the Agora de l’industrie des sports d’hiver or even just turning up to watch the impressive mass starts. Gatineau and Ottawa residents will, in fact, be invited to experience the event and cheer on the thousands of skiers.
The Gatineau Loppet will also give students from the international schools the opportunity to meet up with skiers from more than 20 countries.
An association with Right to Play
A new partnership has been signed with the Right to Play organization, which gives children from underdeveloped countries the tools they need to grow through the practice of a sport. Thirty registrations for the Gatineau Loppet will be auctioned off on www.righttoplay-ski.com, and the profits will go towards developing Right to Play programs, with projects in 22 countries, through 46 different initiatives in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
A team that delivers with dedication
The job of implementing all these strategies is being handled by several volunteers, the members of the organizing committee and board of directors, and the employees of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival.
The agreement between the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival and the Gatineau Loppet has been renewed for three years. This will mean significant annual savings in the cost of organizing the event.
Information:
Éric Brulotte
Communications Officer
Gatineau Loppet / Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau
819-243-2331, extension 183
Cell: 819-319-0387
brulotte.eric@montgolfieresgati
"Winning Moves"