Skip to content

Ready, set, slide: Bobsled races return to Rossland this Saturday

The Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race will thunder down Spokane Street on Saturday, January 25, starting at 9 a.m.
bobsled_wintercarnival-14-1
Building on last year’s successful return, the event promises another adrenaline-packed day of speed, competition, and community spirit.

The Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race will thunder down Spokane Street on Saturday, January 25, starting at 9 a.m.

Building on last year’s successful return, the event promises another adrenaline-packed day of speed, competition, and community spirit.

Event Chair Jon Marion has worked tirelessly to uphold this cherished Rossland tradition. After overcoming challenges, the race continues to be a symbol of the community’s resilience and its appetite for high-adrenaline sport and spectacle.

“We’re ensuring this race stays a cornerstone of the Rossland Winter Carnival,” says Marion, an enthusiast and participant, racing The Damn Fast Eager Beaver for nearly two decades. “This tradition has lasted over a century, and we’re committed to keeping it alive and exciting.”

Building a homemade bobsled and racing it down eight icy blocks of Spokane Street may sound insane, but year after year, around 120 thrill-seekers, grouped into four-person teams on 30 sleds, saddle up and glide to victory.

Last year’s event, limited to a half-course due to weather, demonstrated the community’s support for the race’s revival. Organizers are even more excited this year, with fantastic winter conditions paving the way for the full eight-block track to be run for the first time in five years.

Safety remains a top priority, with enhanced measures including increased signage, expanded spectator zones, additional hay bales, and more safety volunteers and enhanced communication on the course. Local emergency services will again be notified of the event and granted access to the race area, and a "spec-tations" code of conduct will be posted to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all.

“Winter Carnival is Rossland’s busiest weekend of the year, and one of its biggest events is the bobsled race,” says Marion. “Every year, there are different sleds, but the ones from the 50s and 60s, or even earlier, are the ones that always secure those coveted top positions.”

Nostalgic sleds include Woody’s Tire, Iron Maiden, The Pink Canoe, Bobbi’s Bus, and more. Marion’s Eager Beaver isn’t the fastest of the bunch, but it’s no slouch either, reaching top speeds of 72 km per hour. With an eclectic group of riders, Marion is thrilled to bring his team together again and enjoy the camaraderie of the local bobsled community that ignites once a year.

Organizers have once again secured Kootenay Deluxe Construction as a corporate sponsor and are excited to feature AM Ford’s Tower of Power timing station, powered by a new Ford electric truck, and built by Chinook Scaffolding.

Registration and sled inspection will take place at the Calcutta event on Thursday, January 23, at the Rossland Legion. Doors open at 5 p.m., with sled inspections from 6-6:30 p.m., followed by registration. At 7:30 p.m., the highly anticipated bobsled Calcutta will begin, where attendees can bet on their favourite teams, adding an extra layer of competition. The evening will wrap up with a performance by the Boomtown Garter Girls at 8 p.m.

Anyone interested in volunteering on race day is encouraged to meet at 8 a.m. for a volunteer meeting at the Tower of Power at the bottom of the course. While some positions have been filled, organizers are still seeking additional flaggers.

After the race, winners will be awarded at noon in the beer garden inside the Olaus Ice Palace—an outdoor venue for the Blizzard Music Festival, running alongside the Rossland Winter Carnival. For a full roster of events taking place during the oldest Canadian winter carnival, January 23-26, visit rosslandwintercarnival.com.

“The bobsled race showcases everything that makes Rossland special—our creativity, our community spirit, and our love of fun,” says Marion. “It’s a can’t-miss event for locals and visitors alike.”