The Whistler Mountain Ski Club delivered another successful race weekend, this time under blue skies and on an ideal hard-packed racing surface.
The first Coast Zone race of the season for the U14 age group was held on the Ptarmigan run at Whistler Mountain, welcoming athletes from across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Racing action kicked off on Saturday with a two-run combined giant slalom (GS), followed by a two-run combined slalom on Sunday. The event also served as a qualifier for the BC Winter Games, scheduled for February 25–March 1 at Red Mountain Resort.
“The coaches and volunteers came together to make this race a memorable experience,” said Whistler Mountain Ski Club representatives. “We’re grateful to the Dave Murray National Training Centre and Vail Resorts for their continued efforts in maintaining safe and high-quality race conditions on Ptarmigan.”
BC Alpine extends its thanks to the dedicated volunteer team whose efforts made the weekend possible, including Chief of Race Andrew Kirker, Chief of Course David Trent, Start Referee Michelle Douglas, Finish Referee Duncan Reid, Chief of Slip Chris Kelly, Chief of Timing Amie Chu, Chief of Gates Mirna Kokot, Race Office and Administration lead Gwendolyn Margetson, and Volunteer Coordinators Jenn Heyries and Marie-Eve Thierrien.
Challenging conditions kept athletes, coaches, and course crews on their toes last weekend as U16 racers took on the Ptarmigan run at the Dave Murray National Training Centre on Whistler Mountain.
The first Whistler Mountain Ski Club–hosted race of the season—and the first Coast Zone race for the U16 age group—went ahead thanks to a tremendous collective effort. Mild temperatures and heavy snowfall tested racers throughout the weekend, demanding focus, adaptability, and resilience.
“All of the coaches were pleased with the grit and determination the athletes showed despite the challenging course conditions,” said WMSC coach Jayden Metcalfe. “We loved seeing so many positive attitudes, smiling faces, and supportive teammates. The hard work put in during the pre-season was clearly reflected in a race environment.”
BC Alpine would like to extend a sincere thank you to the dedicated volunteers who made the event possible, including Chief of Race Josh Douglas, Chief of Course Andrew Kirker, Start Referee Martin Suchy, Finish Referees Josh Sarkis and Duncan Reid, Chief of Slip Darren Chalmers, Chief of Timing Amie Chu, Chief of Gates Euan Cormack, and Chief of Manual Timing Isabelle Poirier.
Despite demanding conditions, the weekend delivered strong performances and an exciting start to the Coast Zone U16 racing season.
As the province’s fastest ski racers and their coaches fine-tune final preparations for the 2025–26 racing season, BC Alpine has launched a new athlete showcase portal on its website. The platform is designed to help promote the team and its athletes, while giving the broader ski community an opportunity to get to know them a little better.
Click the link below to see the seven athletes and three coaches.
In the spirit of cooperation, creativity, and finding great training opportunities, two Coastal ski clubs teamed up for a memorable trip to Baldy Mountain Resortover the Christmas holidays.
The idea to head to Mount Baldy early in the holiday break originated with the Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club, which had explored the option well in advance and worked with the resort for weeks to organize a training camp. With limited snowfall on the Coast, the Cypress Ski Club decided to join the camp on relatively short notice.
From December 19 to 23, four athletes from the Cypress Ski Club’s U16 group joined Grouse Mountain’s U14 and U16 athletes, continuing a strong collaborative relationship that has been building between the two clubs since the start of the season.
Mount Baldy proved to be an exceptionally welcoming host. Despite being a smaller resort with no snowmaking capabilities, it offered excellent training terrain and quickly became an ideal alternative to North Shore conditions at the time.
“We completed four full days of slalom training in a truly wintery environment—cold, quiet, and peaceful—far from the crowds typically found at North Shore resorts or in Whistler during this time of year when snow conditions are good,” said Ferdinand Gros, Cypress Ski Club U16 head coach.
Cypress Ski Club was thrilled to be part of the camp and would like to sincerely thank the Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club and Mount Baldy Resort for their warm welcome, hospitality, and outstanding support throughout the week.
“The overall experience was great—a mountain that, in a lifetime of skiing, was almost a myth turned out to be a fairytale,” said Ryan Jazic, Grouse Tyee head coach. “We were treated incredibly well by both the locals and mountain staff. The athletes loved the snow and the lack of crowds and lift lines, which kept the terrain in great shape both on and off piste. The stunning views when the sun came out were a bonus, and the old-school vibe made the experience truly unique.”
