Calgary, Alta. (March 14, 2016) – This year, Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) reinstated a national awards program with a fresh new lens, to recognize impassioned members of the ski racing community, along with its athletes, for their extraordinary contributions and success in ski racing. Today, ACA announced the winners of the 2016 Canadian Ski Racing Awards, presented by Helly Hansen.
The 2016 Canadian Ski Racing Awards recognize Canada’s top athletes in alpine, para-alpine and ski cross racing, as well as deserving coaches and volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to the sport. Over 20,000 Canadians participated in voting for their favourite athletes, at www.acaawards.org.
“The ACA Awards are an important initiative for Canadian ski racing, giving recognition to the lifeblood of our sport. Athletes, volunteers, coaches and builders deserve to be acknowledged for their tireless dedication to ski racing,” said Mark Rubinstein, CEO and President of Alpine Canada Alpin. “We are overwhelmed by the number of nominations and votes we received. It’s an honour to recognize several individuals that have given so much to our sport. Congratulations to all the nominees and this year’s winners.”
The independent Awards Committee, chaired by former World Cup champion Emily Brydon (B.C), selected the winners based on specific criteria developed prior to the launch of the awards. Other committee members include ACA alumni Kelly Vanderbeek (Alta.) and Julien Cousineau (Que.), along with Shannon Sullivan (Ont.), Joanna Magee (Alta.) and Gordie Bowles (B.C.).
"It was an exciting and inspiring inaugural year for the Canadian Ski Racing Awards. There were a lot of fantastic nominations and applications across all categories, which all deserve merit and recognition,” said Brydon of the engagement from the ski racing community. “The volunteers are the backbone of the sport we love so much and the coaches empower athletes to develop, grow and achieve amazing accomplishments throughout their careers. The stories of our athletes inspire and educate us on the power of sport and achieving our goals and dreams; excellence is very apparent. On behalf of the committee, I would like to congratulate all winners, nominees and applicants – there were a lot of tough decisions but we are extremely proud of the winners selected.”
This year’s Canadian Ski Racing Awards, presented by Helly Hansen, recognize the following individuals for their passion, dedication and contributions to ski racing in Canada:
Volunteer of the Year: Jennifer Voss, Hemlock Valley, BC
Jennifer Voss is a highly dedicated volunteer at the club level, volunteering for countless U16 races, and taking on everything from gate judging, hand timing, race office duties and everything in between. In addition to this, Voss also made time to be the Race Administrator for the Whistler Cup speed events and help train and mentor the Race Administrator for the 2016 BC Winter Games. Jenn has been courageously battling pancreatic cancer since September 2014 and continues to be an inspiration to many in the BC ski racing community!
Jenn Voss (black jacket) – RA at recent Hemlock U10 race 2 days after receiving chemotherapy
Male Coach of the Year: Francis Royal, Quebec City, Que.
Francis Royal was selected based on his determination and perseverance as a coach. His passion for ski racing constantly pushes athletes to improve. He is a mentor and coach to all his athletes and exemplifies the standard in coaching excellence.
Female Coach of the Year: Danielle Robson, Whistler, BC
Based out of Whistler, BC, Robson raced at the provincial and Nor-Am level before shifting her focus to coaching. Robson’s calm demeanour and ability to create a fun and focused team environment has been shared at all levels of ski racing.
Male Alpine Athlete of the Year: Trevor Philp, Calgary, Alta.
Trevor Philp exemplifies an athlete that has showed continued improvement and promise throughout his career on the Canadian Alpine Ski Team. This season, Philp has achieved several career accomplishments, qualifying for second runs in giant slalom, slalom and alpine combined races. Philp achieved a career-best 14th-place finish in the Kitzbühel slalom in January.
Female Alpine Athlete of the Year: Larisa Yurkiw, Owen Sound, Ont.
Larisa Yurkiw of Team Larisa has been crowned Canada’s speed queen this season, landing on the podium a total of three times so far, including two second-place finishes and a third-place finish. Yurkiw’s success on the circuit has put her in second-place in the overall downhill FIS World Cup rankings, sitting just behind famed U.S. skier and 2016 champion, Lindsey Vonn.
Male Para Alpine Athlete of the Year: Mac Marcoux (Guide: BJ Marcoux), Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
This dynamic sibling duo made a splash last year on the IPC World Cup circuit and continued to prove their dominance again this year securing the Crystal Globe in both downhill and super G disciplines. Guided by brother BJ Marcoux, Mac landed on the podium a total of nine times this season.
Female Para Alpine Athlete of the Year: Alana Ramsay, Calgary, Alta.
Alana Ramsay’s breakout season was culminated by seven podium-finishes across slalom, giant slalom and super G races. This season was the first time Ramsay landed on the World Cup podium, showing consistency race after race, and ending the season ranked third overall in the standing category.
Male Ski Cross Athlete of the Year: Christopher Del Bosco, Montreal, Que.
Veteran ski cross athlete, Chris Del Bosco, proved experience can be the key to success, ending the season with a handful of podiums and trophies to add to his collection. Del Bosco had a total of five podium finishes, finishing second overall in the World Cup ski cross rankings and returned to the podium at the X Games, finishing in third-place.
Female Ski Cross Athlete of the Year: Marielle Thompson, Whistler, BC
Olympic gold medalist, Marielle Thompson, returned back to the 2015-16 season after an injury last year and picked up right where she left off, capturing four first-place finishes and a total of six podiums. Thompson ended the season ranked in the number two spot overall for female athletes on the World Cup ski cross tour.
Minogue Award of Excellence: Jack Crawford, Toronto, Ont. (and the Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Canadian Development Team athlete, Jack (James) Crawford will receive the $10,000 grant for winning the Minogue Award of Excellence for his achievement as a development athlete. Crawford’s performance in the Nor-Am races and at this year’s FIS Junior World Ski Championships highlight his promise as a force to be reckoned with on the World Cup circuit in years to come. Crawford secured a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in the super G race and countless podium-finishes on the Nor-Am circuit across all disciplines.
Builder Award: Eddie Creed
The Builder Award is extended to the late Eddie Creed (1921-2015) for his esteemed accomplishments and contributions to ski racing in Canada. Creed’s philanthropic endeavours and investment in the Nancy Green Ski League, along with this dedication to the ski community, make him a legacy in our community. Eddie was the Chairman of the Board for Alpine Canada from 1968 through the 1971 season, significantly strengthening the organization under his stewardship. ACA bestows this award to Creed for his contributions to our program over the years, helping to build the organization to the success it is today.
Honourable mentions in the Builder Cateogry go to Jurg Gfeller and Christopher Edgell.
To view the criteria for each category, please visit the National Awards Guide here. Fan voting and nominations contributed to one portion of the overall criteria.
Award recipients will be honoured at the 2016 Sport Chek Canadian Championships on Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Whistler, B.C. Thank you to everyone who nominated, voted and contributed to this year’s award process. We are thankful to have such an engaged and supportive community of fans and stakeholders championing our sport.
For further information or press inquiries, please contact Ashley Shantz at ashantz@alpinecanada.org or call 587.226.3007.