Due to the long, harsh winters and the various mountains that carve their way through the rocky landscape, Canada is the perfect environment to test your mettle at winter sport.  Whether you want to challenge yourself on the various award-winning slopes in the Rocky Mountains or take in some of the action from the leading teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), snow simply does not stop play in Canada.  With a variety of slopes available, everyone from the most seasoned veteran to the absolute beginner will feel right at home, and with Canadians renowned worldwide for their friendly, polite attitude, there is nowhere better to go when the first snowflakes start to fall. 
 
Winter Olympics
 
In front of an emotionally-charged home crowd in Vancouver in 2010, Canada cemented their position as the dominant force in winter sports, winning 26 medals, the most a single nation has won at one Olympic Games.  With 14 of these medals being gold, success at the Winter Games is something that is incorporated into Canadian DNA.  The previous Canadian games, Calgary in 1988, are also famous for acting as a backdrop to one of the greatest underdog stories of the 20^th Century, Cool Runnings.  Calgary was also the stage where the plucky Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards captured everyone heart in his valiant attempts in the ski jumping event. 
 
As the most recent hosts of the Winter Olympics, Vancouver opened its doors to the indoor events, while the resort of Whistler was home to the skiing and Bobsled events.  The Whistler resort now offers the rare opportunity to test yourself against the world’s greatest by racing down the very same circuit that was used in 2010.  And what a circuit it is, featuring a vertical descent of more than a kilometre within the 3.1 kilometre circuit, the speeds you will achieve during your run of the second longest downhill ski run in the world will leave you thoroughly exhilarated. 
 
Skiing & Snowboarding
 
With nearly one and a half thousand miles of The Rockies running through Western Canada, there is certainly no shortage of place to test your ski/snowboard abilities.  The top spots are Cypress Mountain, which served as the venue for the freestyle ski and board events at the 2010 Games where those inspired by the X-Games can try out their tricks on a state-of-the-art half-pipe. 
 
If you’re seeking a more conventional downhill challenge instead, then don’t worry.  The Lake Louise Ski Resort combines white-knuckle thrills through skiing any of its 43 double black runs, the highest category of difficulty, with crisp, clean views of truly unspoiled Rockies, and the 180 inch annual snowfall means that the powdered stuff isn’t exactly in short supply.
 
Some will be put off by the thought of having to face a double black run, but don’t worry: Canada is just as accommodating for the beginner as it is for the seasoned veteran.  Those taking their first steps into the world of the slopes would do well to check out Mont-Tremblant, where 16 different beginner runs ensure that amateurs can get a deep level of experience, and the resort’s dedicated instructors are on hand to guide you every step of the way. 
 
Ice Hockey
 
Once you visit Canada you will soon realise that Ice Hockey is never far off from being the topic of conversation at many cafes, restaurants and bars.  With a rich of history of success, hundreds of thousands of fans descend upon the glorious stadium in between the months of October and April to witness the regular season.  The passion reaches new levels when the play-offs come around, as the top sixteen teams face off for the illustrious Stanley Cup.  Typically, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Canadian teams dominate the competition, with the Montreal Canadians and the Toronto Maple Leafs dominating the competition, with a combined 37 wins between them. 
 
Montreal makes an ideal location for those wanting to combine the fast-paced, furious action of the NHL, with beautiful, French-influenced culture.  Montreal also hosted the first ever organised indoor game in 1875, making it an essential pilgrimage for any true ice hockey fan. 
 
Toronto offer tourists a great opportunity to get involved in this adrenaline-filled sport, with a series of its rinks offering drop-in ice hockey sessions throughout the winter months, giving people of all levels to try their hand at Canada’s official sport, and soon you may find yourself out there, tearing up the ice like a true pro. 
 
Round Up
 
Whether you consider the wonderful world of winter sport to be an active participatory event or merely a viewing spectacle, you will be fully immersed in all the action with a visit to the truly passionate environment of Canada.

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