Pemberton’s group of young German Olympic guests has departed, leaving with a fond farewell and taking away their favourable impressions of the Spud Valley and Sea to Sky corridor.

About 48 young athletes and eight instructors with the German Olympic Youth Camp stayed in Pemberton through most of the 2010 Games period, using the Copperdome Lodge as their base from which they ventured out to explore and absorb the Olympic events and atmosphere.

The German Olympic Youth Camp, coordinated by German Olympic and sport organizations, offers rising young athletes the chance to experience the glory of the Games first-hand and inspires them to reach the Olympics themselves in their future.

The high-achieving participants, who also excel in cultural and social pursuits outside of their sporting talents, also soak up experiences of the cultures and customs of the host communities.

The group arrived the day before the Olympic Opening Ceremony and set up shop in the Copperdome Lodge in Pemberton Meadows, where they stayed until their departure last Friday (Feb. 26). They headed down to Whistler and Vancouver frequently over their two weeks in the corridor, taking in many Olympic competitions and getting a thorough glimpse into the Games environment.

They interacted with athletes, got inside looks at facilities such as the Olympic athletes’ village and German nation houses, and enjoyed experiences like skiing in Whistler with German Olympic champion Rosi Mittermaier.

Kai Gemeinder, one of eight instructors who led the camp, said the group truly enjoyed their stay in Pemberton. They danced away a day at the Lil’wat Nation Celebration Powwow in Mount Currie on Feb. 20 and 21, and “enjoyed it very much,” Gemeinder said.

“We had a great day over there… we danced all day long,” he said.

They also relished the kindness of the Pemberton community.

“People here were so friendly. They were so happy to have us here, and we were happy to be here. We enjoyed our time very, very much,” Gemeinder said. “Our lodge was great, where we lived, at the Copperdome Lodge. Everything was brilliant, even (most of) the weather.”

Michael Zenkner, a 19-year-old ice dancer, said he enjoyed watching Olympic competitions in bobsleigh, luge, speed skating and freestyle skiing, and visiting the Germany houses and athletes’ village. Zenkner, who with his partner finished first at the 2009 German junior championships and 22nd at the 2009 junior world championships, thought Pemberton was “really nice.”

“It’s a small, cute village,” he said.

It sounds as though the young German athletes certainly liked to dance: Zenkner talked about how they also boogied at the youth video dance party at the community centre.

“We had a lot of fun, we all danced with people here. It was really nice,” Zenkner said.

He said the experiences he gained through the camp did help inspire him to pursue his own Olympic dreams.

“You have all the impressions, all the feelings, of the Olympic Games,” he said.

The camp’s participants were all accomplished young German athletes ranging in age from 16 to 20, who have already accumulated a mountain of medals from competitions such as German and European championships and even World Cup events.

They are also skilful singers, dancers and performers, as they proved in their farewell festivities at the Pemberton Community Centre on Thursday (Feb. 25). Switching back and forth between German and English for their audience of more than 100 people, the camp participants staged several sport demonstrations, skits, songs and dances and expressed their gratitude to their leaders and to the Pemberton community that hosted their memorable Games experience.

Among the audience members were 2010 Olympic women’s skeleton bronze medallist Anja Huber, who participated in the 2002 German Olympic Youth Camp, and her world champion teammate Marion Trott.

Alexandra Ross, the Pemberton Spirit of B.C. committee member and past economic development coordinator for Pemberton and Area C, has been working since April 2009 to bring the German group to the region, and she said they were blown away by their Pemberton experience. Ian Porter, owner of the Copperdome Lodge, said it was a pleasure hosting the “well-organized and highly motivated group of individuals.”

“Groups like the German Olympic Youth Camp epitomize the Olympic experience and its ability to change people’s lives,” Porter said in an email to The Question.