Discussion: Ski orienteering - Canadian & North Americans

I am toying with the idea of hosting a couple of "big" ski orienteering races in Western Canada, and I'd like some feedback - especially on what it would take to get people to come, and when would be a good time.

2013 Canadian Champs - at Whistler Olympic Park
(nearest airport: Vancouver)
Sound like a good idea?
Some time in March perhaps?
Would it work with a back-to-back weekend event in Canmore?

2014 North American Champs - at Canmore Nordic Centre
(nearest airport: Calgary)
Sound like a good idea?
(Note: CNC is perfect skiO terrain)
What would it take to get people to come?
When would be a good time?

If there is to be a new North American Ski-O Champs, held in alternating years like the foot-O version, perhaps it should be take place in odd years. Or, at least not be in the same country as the NAOC.

Just a thought...

To be honest I know nothing about the NASOC. I "heard" that it should be held next season in Canada, but I don't know that for a fact

Just a thought but, would it be too much to link the Vancouver Sprint Camp in with the Ski-O?

I'd definitely go, as long as this year's is after we're back from ski-woc (which is the first couple weeks of March).

I would argue those locations sell themselves even as races on their own but I'm not sure 2013 with so little lead time could be taken seriously as a championship as most people would have made their winter travel plans by now. Does a 'big' weekend need to be a Champs race?

Oooh, exciting! Ski WOC is in odd years, so having North American ski-o champs in even years actually does make sense, I'd argue that it's fine to have it in the same country as NAOCs, it's quite a different event at quite a different time of year. (Was the one in Tahoe the first NASOCs?)

For the 2013 event, it would be hard for me to squeeze into March with the world champs taking up a big chunk of time and money in the first half of the month.... But NASOCs in 2014 at Canmore would be great and I'd totally be there. I'd don't know when is the best time- is there a weekend in winter that is at least a shared 3 day weekend for USA + Canada and could be utilized? Otherwise, perhaps end-of-season (late Feb, early March) when folks have gotten on skis a fair bit, but aren't yet stressed to be playing foot-o?

I'll echo Hammer's comment that 2013 would be hard to pull off, in my case because I'll have run out of vacation by then. But absolutely let's get something big for 2014, esp. as the Sierra ski-o tour in 2012 was NA champs!

I like the idea of attempting to match up 3-day weekends for the US and Canada, but I'm not sure that's feasible - in the US, we have president's day in Feb. (this year it's the 18th?), but nothing in March. Personally, I'm more tempted by a long weekend than by a week of events.

If the event is a WRE, I will definitely be there.