Whistler has been named one of nine finalist cities for three additional X Games locations beginning in 2013, ESPN announced Thursday morning (Jan. 26).
Of the nine cities, Whistler is the only one bidding for a winter event.
ESPN, which owns and operates the X Games, will now visit and evaluate the potential host locations over the next two months. The winning bids, which will host X Games events from 2013 to 2015, will be announced in April.
According to ESPN, the list was pared down from more than 40 bid cities representing 21 countries.
Whistler is the only Canadian or U.S. city that has been named as one of the nine finalists. Of the remaining eight, three are in Brazil — Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguacu. Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Santiago, Chile; Munich, Germany and Quintana Roo, Mexico are the other five in the running.
“It’s wonderful news that we’ve been shortlisted, and is a testament to the impressive resume that Whistler can offer ESPN and the X Games brand,” said Dave Brownlie, president and COO of Whistler Blackcomb, in a release from the Whistler bid’s local organizing committee (LOC). “A tremendous amount of work went into developing the bid from a wide range of local experts in their field, so we’re happy to see that work and level of expertise recognized.