Top BC Skiers to Host Annual Fundraising Gala in Vancouver; Peak to Peak 2017 | BC Alpine Ski Association

Photo from BC Alpine website: www.bcalpine.com

Vancouver, BC (Friday, October 27, 2017) – Canada’s top alpine and ski cross athletes will gather at Vancouver’s Blue Water Café on Wednesday, November 1st for the 12th annual Peak to Peak Gala. The evening is organized by BC Alpine to raise funds for training facilities, coaching and safety equipment for provincial and national ski programs. The popular event is attended by a variety of corporations and ski enthusiasts, and has raised more than $1.4 million for ski racing since it began in 2005.

The evening will recognize the achievements of national alpine and ski cross team members including Manuel Osborne-Paradis (North Vancouver) who earned a bronze medal at the 2017 World Alpine Ski Championships, Georgia Simmerling (West Vancouver), three-time Olympian and 2016 Rio Olympic cycling bronze medalist, and Whistler’s Marielle Thompson, 2014 Sochi Olympic ski cross gold medalist and three-time Crystal Globe winner.

Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Simmerling and Thompson will be joined by national team racers Broderick Thompson (Whistler), Brodie Seger (North Vancouver), Riley Seger (North Vancouver) and Sam Mulligan (Vancouver). Also attending will be retired national team skier and 15-time Canadian champion Britt Janyk (Whistler), one of the finest male technical skiers that Canada has produced, Mike Janyk (Whistler) and Kathy Kreiner (North Vancouver), a gold medalist in the1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

The highlight of the evening will be the live auction featuring a generous donation from One Ocean Expeditions, Squamish-based Polar Cruise operator. The lucky winner will experience an action-packed sensational expedition cruise to Antarctica!

"Travelling with One Ocean Expeditions changed me forever,” said Olympian Kelly Vanderbeek who joined an Arctic expedition this summer. “Seeing polar bears in their natural environment, visiting remote communities like Pond Inlet and experiencing daylight throughout the night are memories I both cherish and share.”

"We are honoured to host such influential guests such as Kelly Vanderbeek on our voyages,” said Andrew Prossin, Managing Director of One Ocean Expeditions. “Kelly brought her unique story of home-life, extensive training, difficulties and dreams into the Arctic, in an environment where such goals seem impossibly distant at times. Our support and involvement with the communities in which we visit is a core part of our philosophy, and Kelly was instrumental in our visit to Pond Inlet to share with local children her story of overcoming fear and obstacles to pursue her dreams. Offering insight at this exceptional level of achievement inspired not only the local youth, but also our guests, as she shared awareness of what you can accomplish with such dedication and commitment”.

“The alpine ski community in BC is thrilled and grateful to have wonderful supporters like One Ocean Expeditions,” said  Bruce Goldsmid, event organizer and retired BC Alpine CEO. They help make athletes’ dreams come true!”

About BC Alpine:
The BC Alpine Ski Association is the provincial governing body for alpine ski racing, overseeing its 31 member ski clubs. As a member of Alpine Canada Alpin, BC Alpine’s mandate is to promote and lead competitive and non-competitive alpine skiing programs, govern and conduct alpine ski competitions, select and train members of high performance programs – including the BC Ski Team – and encourage and assist the formation of alpine ski clubs within British Columbia. Please visit us at www.bcalpine.com