BC Alpine Announces BC Ski Team Training Group and B2B Summer Program

ZAITSOFF, PRIDY BROTHERS LEAD 14 SKIERS NAMED TO BC SKI TEAM SUMMER TRAINING GROUP
Additional 24 athletes invited to B2B Summer Program

VANCOUVER, BC (June 10, 2009) – A record 38 skiers have been selected to participate in BC Alpine high performance training programs for the 2009 summer and fall months in an effort by the provincial association to broaden the talent base within the resurgent provincial club system.

“The ski clubs in BC are developing much more skilled and competitive racers from all over the province, which tells me that this is the time for a coordinated effort to pool that talent,” said newly appointed BC Alpine Athletic Director, Gordie Bowles. “Our goal is to continue with what the clubs have started and create an environment that allows the best athletes to train together and push each other to reach their full potential.”

BC Ski Team Summer Training Program
The BC Ski Team training group will be led by four men and two women who have met BC Team criteria. Sasha Zaitsoff (Balfour/Red Mountain Racers), Conrad and Morgan Pridy (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and Tyler Werry (Calgary/Fernie Alpine Ski Team) will head up the men’s squad while Sarah Freeman (Pincher Creek/Fernie Alpine Ski Team) and Jocelyn Ramsden (West Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) will lead the women’s group.

They will be joined by six high-potential athletes; Sarah Elliot (Oyama/Big White Racers) and Celine Rytz (Calgary/Fernie Alpine Ski Team) on the women’s side; Michael Cadman (Anmore/Whistler Mountain Ski Club), Spencer Morris (West Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club), William Konantz (West Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and Ford Swette (North Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club) for the men. These racers will be trying out for full-time spots on the BC Development Team to be named in November 2009.

Whistler’s Victoria Whitney, who won a Nor-Am Cup super-G at Panorama last season as a member of the BC Ski Team, has recently been named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team Training Group.

Gregor Druzina and Jordan Williams return to the BC Team coaching staff for 2009/10, Druzina as the women’s Head Coach and Williams as Head Coach for the men. Jeff McLennan of Whistler comes to BC Alpine from the Alberta Ski Team to take on the role of Assistant Coach of the men’s BC Team. In the women’s Assistant Coach position we welcome Sam Liddell of Scotland, whose most recent post involved coaching the British Women’s Technical Team.

B2B Performance Camps
The B2B Program for elite club athletes kicked off in Kelowna, May 23rd with a physical testing camp. A trip to Mt. Hood in Oregon at the end of June marks the first ski camp of the summer B2B program which will run until November 2009 and consist of two dryland camps and approximately 30 days of skiing at four on-snow camps.

The group of 24 athletes, aged 14 to 16 years, will be led by Whistler Cup medalists from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Kailee Darlington and Broderick Thompson. Whistler Mountain Ski Club coach Sean Frith has been contracted by BC Alpine as Head Coach for B2B program. Sean will be joined by Derek Trussler (Big White Racers), Ryan Jazic (Whistler Mountain Ski Club), former World Cup racer – and BCST alumnus – Christina Lustenberger (Revelstoke) as well as other guest coaches. Dusan Grasic, Head Coach of the Canadian men’s World Cup technical team, will be a guest coach at the June Mt. Hood ski camp.

Congratulations to the athletes who have qualified for the BC Ski Team Summer Training Program:
Women
Sarah Freeman (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Jocelyn Ramsden (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Sarah Elliot (Big White Racers)
Celine Rytz (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Alecia Willis (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – INVITEE
Men
Conrad Pridy (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Morgan Pridy (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Sasha Zaitsoff (Red Mountain Racers)
Tyler Werry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Michael Cadman (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Spencer Morris (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
William Konantz (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Ford Swette (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Ben MacLean (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – INVITEE

Congratulations to the following athletes who have qualified for the B2B Performance Camps:
Women
Mackenzie Patterson (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Alexandria Pankratz (Big White Racers)
Kailee Darlington (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Rebecca Bermel (Kimberley North Star Racers)
Amanda Birtig (Mt. Washington Ski Club)
Breanna Sorensen (Mt. Washington Ski Club)
Alix Wells (Prince George Ski Club)
Jamie Honsberger (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Hallie MacLachlan (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Charley Field (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Men
Daniel Kwong (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Roger Carry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Justin Hayto (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Broderick Thompson (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Spencer Curran (Grouse Tyee Ski Club)
Connar Huddart (Vernon Ski Club)
Martin Grasic (Windermere Valley Ski Club)
Peter Behncke (Revelstoke Ski Club)
Austin Llewellyn (Grouse Tyee Ski Club)
Logan Pehota (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Blake Ramsden (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Patrick Carry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Marcus Henry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Devin Spence (Big White Racers)