07/08 Men’s and Women’s BC Ski Teams and Training Groups Announced | BC Alpine Ski Association

BC Alpine’s 2007/08 Provincial Ski Teams were announced at a recent BC Alpine Ski Association Spring general meeting in Vernon.

Returning to lead a small, but formidable men’s team next season is Invermere’s Ben Thomsen of the Windermere Valley Ski Club. Thomsen will be joined once again by Whistler’s Conrad Pridy of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, who earned his spot on the squad in 2006/07. Rounding out a team of four men are two younger athletes who spent much of last year traveling as “invitees” with the team. Morgan Pridy (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and Sasha Zaitsoff (Balfour/Red Mountain Racers) have stepped up to earn full team status for the upcoming season.

Head Coach Glenn Thomsen (Invermere) and BC Alpine have also selected Mathieu Leduc (Comox/Mt. Washington Ski Club) and Stan Rey (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) as “invitees” to the team. Leduc and Rey will train with the team during the summer and fall and will be reassessed in December, 2007. Thomsen, who is beginning his 4th season with the Men’s BC Ski Team, is looking forward to a highly competitive year with this talented group of athletes. “We are all excited to get rolling with the new season,” said Thomsen. “The first fitness tests have already been completed and the guys are off to a running start with their individual dryland programs. We will hit the snow for our first ski camp in Whistler from May 18 – 21. After that, it’s Mt. Hood in July, Farnham Glacier in September and Portillo, Chile in October.”

There has been a lot of exuberance on the women’s side following the announcement by Alpine Canada Alpin that three young ladies from BC had been named to a newly formed “Women’s 2010 Acceleration Team”. Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna (Big White Racers), Georgia Simmerling of West Vancouver (Grouse Tyee Ski Club) and Elli Terwiel of Heffley Creek (Sun Peaks Alpine Club) are among 12 Canadian “high potential” female athletes being offered an opportunity to gain experience against tough international competition. Final selection to the Women’s 2010 Acceleration Team for the 2007/08 season will be made in October upon completion of the training period. Women’s BC Ski Team Head Coach, Nancy O’Neill is delighted about the opportunity these girls have been given. “It is a credit to all their hard work as well as the dedication of many skilled coaches who spent time with them throughout their development – and we can’t forget the commitment from the parents and the clubs who supported these gifted athletes from the start!”

The 2007/08 Women’s BC Ski Team looks leaner, but no less imposing. A truly sensational competitive season in 06/07 has secured Whistler’s Victoria Whitney full BC Team status this year. Whitney will miss teammates Terwiel, Serwa and Simmerling, but is rooting for them and will not have to travel alone. O’Neill, now in her 6th season coaching the team, has invited Sandra MacDonald (Summerland/Apex Ski Club) and Wiktoria Glowczynski (Sun Peaks/Sun Peaks Alpine Club) to train with the BC Team for the summer/fall period with an evaluation prior to Christmas. Both MacDonald and Glowczynski returned from knee injuries late last season.

Former BC Team member Lindsay Kraft has announced her plans to attend Middlebury College on an NCAA scholarship, where she will race and train under the direction of Head Coach Steve Bartlett, former US Ski Team coach. Alison Leighton, a long standing member of the BC Ski Team, is presently considering several college racing opportunities that have been offered to her.

On behalf of BC Alpine, we sincerely congratulate all the above-named athletes and wish them every success as they continue on the journey toward fulfilling their dreams.