BCST racer Dylan Stevens and coach Eric Schwenck are in Tarvisio, Italy, gaining experience and taking on the world’s best ski racers under 21 years of age. Eric sent in this report on Friday:
“After a successful DH training run on Tuesday, where Dylan had his first look and his first time skiing down the track Wednesday was cancelled because of heavy rain. Due to the heavy rain and snowfall overnight the start for Thursdays DH race was lowered to the SG start and the teams all inspected. After an hour delay the race organizers decided to further lower the start and change the DH to a 2 run sprint DH race. All the teams did a quick re-inspection of the course and the women kicked out of the gate at 11am with the men immediately following.
Dylan, starting with bib 43, punched his way into 24th in a 3-way tie with a German and Hungarian athlete, with a time of 51.16, 1.49 back from the Swiss leader. Dylan kicked out of the gate 7th in the second run. He made a small mistake in the large triple gate at the top of the course which lost speed for the middle flats.
With a strong final section of the shortened course Dylan finished with a final time of 1:42.45, 2.34 back from the German winner in 27th place.”
To view Dylan Stevens’ first run in Thursday’s downhill race click the button below (scrub to 40.19, Bib #43)
With all five Okanagan clubs, in addition to Smithers, Prince George and Lightning Creek from the North, a total of 127 racers were treated to a few days or racing at Sun Peaks during a Teck Okanagan Zone race which featured ski cross and GS races.
Thursday allowed for the racers to inspect and run the ski cross track – on the new Powder Excavating Ski Cross course – with one timed run for seeding during a perfect bluebird day. The next day (powder!) the racers each had three heats with four points being awarded for first place, three points for second, two for third and one for fourth. The top four point getters were matched in the Big Final and finishers rive through eight matched up in the Small Final.
The ski cross course had bumps, jumps and nine banked corners (see diagram below). The skills and improvement by all racers were tremendous.
The racing weekend was capped off on Saturday and Sunday with two-run GS races on the famous on OSV run. All U12 through U16 racers experienced a wide range of conditions over the two days and ran a max length course testing their training endurance and skill.
With a relatively new ROC taking charge of the event, even they were striving to learning and improve daily. Lessons learned and major improvements over the course of the weekend by us all. Massive shout out to TD Jim Martin for educating all of the ROC and on becoming better at our volunteer positions and helping grow a new generation of Sun Peaks Alpine Club ROC members for the future.
The Sasquatch Mountain Ski Club welcomed skiers from all over the Coast zone to their beautiful mountain for a series of U10 and U12 races. With a range of weather conditions – first sun, then a brief windy rain storm – followed by sunshine again, there were plenty of smiles and good action.
A fun highlight was a hot dog lunch served by volunteers from the Hemlock Valley Fire Department. The Whistler Mountain Ski Club won the Sasquatch Cup as the top U12 team, presented at the awards inside the main lodge, with hot chocolate and poutine served.
A big thank you to Sasquatch Mountain Resort for hosting the races and congratulations to all the racers and ski clubs that attended.
On a brisk but picture-perfect weekend, the North Zone NGSL congregated at Troll Mountain as the Lightning Creek Ski Club hosted another successful Ski the North NGSL Festival.
Saturday’s event started with a dual glalom after group photo, a short break for lunch and then a moguls event (each skier had a run on the blue and red course) and lastly to the jump competition where the youngsters had two jumps each. These young skiers were mighty impressive with the longest distance a whopping 12.5 meters!
Sunday featured both a kombi and speed trap, where the kids had fun weaving through the gates, and jumping over others. The speed trap was also a big hit, we had a big score board, showing the speeds. The coaches got in on the action too, going over 80 kms!
Next a scavenger hunt and ski poker, where the racers had to ski five chosen runs and pick up a card at each run. The player’s hands dictated the order athletes went up to pick their prizes in.
With $15 lift tickets for skiers aged 7-13 and complimentary coach passes and $94 entry fee (which included a hoodie) the event was affordable, fun and a great collaboration with the ever-supportive Troll Mountain Resort. BC Alpine congratulations the Lightning Creek Ski Club and once again thanks Troll Mountain for being supportive hosts and partners.
What a blast! Have a look at those smiles!
Race Organizers
ROC Chair Julie Backer
Chief of Race Falko Kadenbach
Chief of Course Karcsi
Chief of Timing Sean Seabourne
Chief of Gates Julie Dinsdale
Race Admin Molly S and Tamara Goyer
Chief of volunteers Jacci Leggett
Chief of ceremonies Sean Scallion & Janene Sellers
– Report submitted by Tamara Goyer, NGSL Coordinator, Lightning Creek Ski Club.
Under challenging pre-race conditions to a bluebird race day, the Teck Open (Round 2) and inaugural Rob Boyd Cup, hosted by the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, tested the race crew, athletes, coaches and volunteers who ultimately prevailed to deliver some great racing.
Originally intended as a Teck Open Speed event with super-G races on the Dave Murray National Training Centre, stormy conditions with heavy precipitation required WMSC to pivot and run three two-run SL races on consecutive days.
The conditions were challenging on Friday and Saturday, with U16 athletes showing their resilience and adaptability. Volunteer course workers were kept very busy maintaining a safe race environment in the changing weather conditions. Sunday provided terrific conditions for the final race day.
The awards were held at Garbo Hut on the final day with Rob Boyd distributing the awards. The ever-gracious Rob Boyd had some wise words in a message for the athletes:
Eric Krastev, Grouse-Tyee. Photo by Blue Rabbit Photography
“If the inaugural Rob Boyd Cup can teach us anything, it is that we need to be able to pivot the plans to work with the weather,” said Rob. “In the words of the late, great Dave Murray ‘anyone can race well on a sunny day’, meaning the ones with mettle and a positive mindset will succeed when the weather and conditions become challenging.”
– Rob boyd
Men: 22 February 2025 – Bodie Ottem (SPAC), Declan Kirker (WMSC), Eric Krastev (Grouse), Eames Kim (Grouse), Tristan Yee (Grouse), Eilliot Roscoe (Red Mountain), Bodie Morgan (WMSC), Caleb Shaw (Vernon), Timothy Chiu (WMSC), and Ziggy Suchy (WMSC).
Eric Krastev of Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club with the Rob Boyd Cup. Brodie Ottem, SPAC, middle left and Declan Kirker from WMSC at right. (Rob Boyd at left)
