The International Ski Federation (FIS) season is underway, after a series of four races this week showcased the top ski racers from the west at the Alberta Alpine GMC Cup in Panorama.
BC Ski Team newcomer Jasmine Coubrough had an impressive week, scoring an overall podium (third place) as well as the top U19 in the Wednesday’s giant slalom (GS), and finished inside the top 15 in three of the four races.
Sascha Gilbert (WMSC) got things going for the men’s team with a second place finish on Wednesday’s GS after posting the fastest first-run time and wrapped up the four-day series with a fifth place in slalom. Dylan Timm (FAST) also finished second, this time in the men’s Thursday’s slalom, just 0.13 seconds off the top step of the podium.
BC Alpine follows Alpine Canada’s Safe Sport guidelines which are committed to improving safety, respect, and prevention of harassment in sport. The Safe Sport environment ensures that athletes, coaches, and staff have a safe, inclusive, and supportive training and competition environment. Everyone has a role to play in creating a healthy physical and mental environment for sport participation.
As of December 16, 2023, our Code of Conduct and complaints process have been updated. They pertain to BC Alpine, all its member clubs, all registered members, and participants.
The new complaints management process is as follows:
We have centralized the intake for complaints to make sure the process is simple, safe, and independent. All complaints will go through an independent third party, either via the Integrity Counts Online Form, or by phone to 1 (800) 758-9412.
The independent third party will determine the nature of the complaint. Minor infractions will be sent back to the club for internal review and resolution. Major infractions and maltreatment will be handled independently under BC Alpine’s contract with the independent third party. The definitions of infractions and maltreatment can be found in the updated Code of Conduct document in the BC Alpine Policy Files.
BC Alpine members, clubs, and affiliated organizations must adhere to all of BC Alpine’s governing documents and policies, and when required, amend their own rules to comply or align with those of BC Alpine.
All non-Safe Sport matters relating to selection, programing, finance, media, etc., should go through the regular club channels.
NOTE: BC Alpine will cover the initial cost of filing a complaint with the independent third party. After their assessment, any case work for MAJOR infractions or maltreatment will be charged to the member club based on rates agreed to in BC Alpine’s contract with the independent third party. For more information please contact Anders Hestdalen atandersh@bcalpine.com.
Expanding on its strength as a unified province with a shared culture of both excellence and participation, BC Alpine officially announces the launch of a five-year strategic plan, starting immediately.
With 32 active ski clubs in nearly all ski resorts across the province and more than 6,700 members and thousands of volunteers – as well as a successful provincial team program which consistently qualifies skiers for the national ski team – the sport is as popular as ever in the province.
“We’re in a very good position to expand on our strengths and make ski racing the number one winter sport in the province,” said Anders Hestdalen, BC Alpine CEO.
The strategic plan is focussed on four key areas:
1. Increase Awareness:
By raising awareness of ski racing and the benefits it brings to communities, ski resorts and fans across the province, it will attract new members to get involved with the sport.
2. Improve Education
By delivering the highest level of educational training to parents, athletes, officials, club executives and coaches, the provincial association and its member clubs will increase the ability to provide an exceptional sport experience.
3. Athletic Excellence
The goal is to deliver the best provincial athletic development program with a focus on performance, health and mental wellness that encourages well-rounded athletes to reach their maximum potential.
4. Financial Viability
With increased revenue from sponsorships and fundraising, BC Alpine can further support athlete and coach development at all levels and with all clubs to reduce the costs associated with the sport.
At the link below is the condensed one-page plan. For the full Strategic Plan, email andersh@bcalpine.com for a copy.
Below are the marquee statistics outlining the position of BC Alpine from 2012 to 2022. These are the foundations that BC Alpine is building upon in the new structure and plan.
Vision: Inspire skiers for life and develop world-class athletes.
Productive Brainstorm & Action Team
The Strategic Plan committee, which represents a diverse and skilled group of professionals and ski racing experts from around the province, met regularly for eight months to candidly and openly speak about the strengths and challenges facing the sport today. The outcome of the meetings was a succinct plan and direction which was delivered to the the general members and 100+ participants at the BC Alpine AGM & Summit in Sun Peaks in October 2023.
“After being away from the inner workings of ski racing for quite some time, it was exciting and inspiring to dive into the productive process of helping BC Alpine define their strategic plan. This document is a true reflection of collaboration, experience and innovative thinking – the result is an exciting and progressive plan to guide and direct the operation of BC Alpine and it clubs.“
–
– Emily Brydon, Fernie [three-time Olympian and 9-time World Cup medalist]
Acknowledgements
Our partners & sponsors provide the opportunity tosupport the BC Alpine ski community with a structured, open and safe sport environment that empowers each member to become the best version of themselves, one turn at a time. We thank all of our sponsors and partners for providing these opportunities.
Have you read Michael Janyk’s book yet? The Whistler racer and BC Alpine alumnus, poured his heart and soul into these pages, and the response has been unanimously positive. Mike covers a lot of ground in this book, which starts and ends in Whistler. Below are some of the reactions to the book by some of his former teammates, other athletes and sports professionals.
Reading Mike’s book “Go to the Start” is like taking a roller coaster ride of the highs and lows of a life lived chasing the dream. Mike was able to capture the “behind the scenes” of being a World Cup Ski racer. The book left me feeling proud of what we accomplished as a team of athletes, coaches and support staff! Any aspiring Olympian will be well served reading Mike’s book to learn what’s in store for them if they choose to chase the dream!
Thomas Grandi, Olympian, 2x World Cup winner
“‘Dad, I’ve never seen you read a book so quickly‘ my kids said to me after I read Mike’s book. I couldn’t put it down. The stories, the race scene and the historic venues seemed all too familiar. I felt like I was racing alongside Janyk and the Canadian slalom team. I thoroughly enjoyed Mike’s book and his journey as a ski racer. Chasing the snow and traveling the world was a gift his whole family enjoyed. Congratulations on an outstanding career.”
Brian Stemmle, CBC broadcaster, 4x Olympian
“I am so grateful for this book! Mike embarks us on his incredible journey from a young aspiring athlete to the highest level of the sport – highlighting the highs and lows that come with it all. As a retired World Cup athlete, I have lived the same emotions that he had but I honestly thought that I was alone with them. This book helped me feel even better about my athletic career. It is more about the journey and not the results that we should thrive for. I hope that all the young athlete of any sports get the chance to read this book as it highlights the importance of perseverance. This book will fuel your fire and show you how to keep it burning. Thank you Mike for sharing your amazing journey.”
Louis-Pierre Hélie, Canadian alpine & ski cross team, Olympian, coach
“Through his struggles and joys, and all the places and spaces in between, I witnessed someone learn who they are, find peace with who that person is and ultimately embrace changes and challenges in ways that allow for growth and development as a human being. This is why I love this book so much.”
Clara Hughes, 6x Olympic medalist, mental health advocate
“If you have ever strapped on skis and dreamed of racing your way to victory, you will find yourself somewhere on the pages of Mike Janyk’s odyssey through the sport – from the doubt and loathing, to the ecstasy of the near-perfect performance. The same holds for anyone pursuing individual sport where even the very best lose far more often than they win. So why? As Janyk would instruct himself throughout his decades of racing, just “go to the start” and find out. This is a wonderful tale of on one man’s many hard-earned answers over the years, filled with invaluable lessons for could-be champions as well as the many more participants. As it turns out, it’s not about the wins.”
Steve Porino, Broadcaster, NBC Sports
“Go to the Start is a captivating journey into the heart, mind, and body of a world-class ski racer. The challenges Mike Janyk faced (and overcame) and the lessons he learned can be valuable for anyone striving to be their best at anything.”
Jim Taylor, sport psychologist, former world-ranked ski racer
BC Alpine is currently looking for new corporate partners for the Nancy Greene Ski League (up to U12) and for the provincial FIS race series. The three-year partnership with Sporting Life concluded this past summer.
BC Alpine CEO Anders Hestdalen is currently in conversations with several BC-invested companies that share the passion for youth sport, skiing, community building, athletic performance and outdoor activity.
“We believe that the properties we have are attractive, and we are looking for the right partners who share our passion and want to build long lasting relationships like the ones we have with Teck Resources, Haywood Securities, Karbon, Anthem Properties, Greg Gardner and CTS,” he said.
