Nothing says spring skiing quite like when a sea of over 600 kids descend the slopes of Sun Peaks, bashing through moguls, racing through a ski-cross style kombi course or glalom race, tucking through a speed trap or launching off a speed jump.
This is seriously fun stuff, for the young skiers, their parents and the dozens upon dozens of volunteers who host this event, the largest in the province.
Ski racing at its finest.
And always nearby is the ultimate spectator and fan of youth skiing and ski racing – and a champion skier in her own right – Nancy Greene, the namesake of the NGSL program and festival. Nancy was on hand to cheer on the racers, sign helmets, and hand out awards. What a special treat for the kids.
In a busy season for the Sun Peaks Alpine Club, which saw them host a series of zone and club races, this 18th annual Nancy Greene Festival – sponsored by Hub International – has become the biggest NGSL festival in Canada. It was expected that over 2,000 guests in total came to enjoy the many perks on and around Sun Peaks, namely its fantastic skiing conditions this season.
SPAC president Duncan Currie, was most impressed by the overall experiences by the participating families.
“[The events aren’t about competitions because] results at a young age don’t necessarily translate to what you’re going to do as a young adult … We’re trying to create lifelong skiers rather than diehard ski racers,” Currie explained to Sun Peaks Independent News.
In addition, “Uncle Chris the Clown” who was all over the mountain, was seen keeping up to the youngsters and, of course, putting smiles on faces especially at the awards ceremony.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort and the Revelstoke Ski Club were excited to host their first Teck U14 Provincial Championships, welcoming 19 clubs from around the province to Revelstoke. There was a great showing from visiting clubs, with 226 athletes from Apex, Big White, Cypress, Fernie, Golden, Grouse, Kimberley, Lightning Creek, Mt. Seymour, Mt. Washington, Prince George, Red Mountain, Sasquatch, Smithers, Sun Peaks, Vernon, Whistler and Whitewater.
For this spring race, the athletes felt like they were back in winter with the cold weather arriving Friday, then Saturday and Sunday bringing about 8cms of fresh snow each day. The snow made for some challenging conditions at times, but everyone worked together to ensure the race was safe and fair.
Clubs started to arrive for training and free skiing on Thursday. The event kicked off on Friday with a two-run combined GS over two days (due to the large numbers of competitors). We wrapped up Saturday with a banquet at the Community Centre for all athletes and coaches where there was a presentation from Greg Hill who successfully skied over 2 million vertical feet in one year. A photo booth contest provided lots of fun pictures of the athletes – check out #TeckU14ProvincialsRevy on Instagram to see some of the photos. It was nice for all the kids to get together off the hill, sporting their BC Alpine/Teck “Send It” shirts provided by BC Alpine.
Sunday we were back on the slopes with our second discipline: the slalom race. It was a beautifully run race! The officials were able to run the races at 20-second intervals to get all racers through. Thank you to coaches, athletes, and volunteers for all working together for a super-smooth tear-down effort!
A highlight of the weekend was our announcer Mark Hatton from Mt. Seymour. A former luger and two-time Winter Olympian, Mark pumped up the energy by announcing at the race, the banquet and the awards. Also assisting at the final day’s awards was Benjamin Alexander, the first alpine skier to represent Jamaica at the Olympics, in Beijing 2022.
Top-3 finishers in GS:
U14 girls: Elena Deda (Whistler) Morgan Ring (Sun Peaks), Valerie Chan (Grouse)
“A huge thank you to Revelstoke Mountain Resort for hosting the event, all the visiting teams, coaches and parents for travelling to Revelstoke, BC Alpine for their hands-on support for this race and to all the hard-working volunteers who made it all possible!”
– U14 Provincials Race Organizing Committee
“We would also like to thank our local sponsors who provided lots of fun swag for us to send the athletes home with: Free Spirit Sports, Revy Outdoors, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Eagle Pass, Skookum, Mica Heli Ski, Wax Bench and WorkWest Workwear, Integrated Apparel, Tantrum Bikes, Flowt Bikes, Valhalla Pure, Powder Rentals, Pulse Boots, Southside Market, Save On Foods, Pharmasave and the Revelstoke Accommodation Association. Your generosity and community involvement are always greatly appreciated.
Last, but not least, thank you to our Platinum Sponsors: Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Eagle Pass Heliski, Cabot, Regent Hotel, Cheers Liquor Store, Best Western, Stoke Hotel, The Keg Kelowna, Skookum Bike & Ski and Downie Timber. Thanks also to Tourism Revelstoke for supporting our banquet.”
The MEGA camp is back. Considered some of the “best training imaginable”, BC Alpine in partnership with Sun Peaks Resort, are hosting this exclusive training opportunity – the mountain will be closed to the public – from April 12th to the 23rd, 2023. Conditions are expected to be optimal for training and this opportunity will give clubs and racers a big jump on next season.
“Our goal is to again bring athletes and coaches from around our province, as well as other provinces, together for a variety of training opportunities for a low cost. This will give BC racers more time on-snow in their home province. Last year was a great success and we aim to grow the opportunity to make great off- season training available to as many athletes as we can.
Johnny Crichton, BC Alpine Vice President
BC Alpine will centrally manage the Sun Peaks “Training Centre” in terms of tickets and lane space. We will help to create different environments for all the teams and clubs that want to take advantage of this great training.
ATHLETES MUST COME WITH A CLUB COACH(athletes and coaches MUST be in good standing with their PSO)
TEAMS MUST BRING THEIR OWN COACHES AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ATHLETES
Benefits:
12 days of exclusive-access ski race training (weather/snow dependent)
Mountain closed to public – access for racers only. Cycle on Elevation Lift only
5 different trails with different terrain to work on ski technique and tactics – trails include OSV, Bluff, Cariboo, Lower Chute, and 5 Mile
On snow exposure to the BC Ski Team athletes and coaches
Q&A with BC Ski Team athletes and coaches
Legend Coaches (TBD) will be in attendance
FIS races (GS/SL) on April 22 and 23; OSV booked out for this race; start fee waved for these races (lift and lane fee still required).
Groups confirmed so far:
BCST & BCST invitee training groups (men and women)
Performance Level Coaching Course
Ontario Ski Team and Ontario Development Team
Ontario U16 Groups
AND the 2023 Girls Fast Forward Camp is confirmed in Sun Peaks for April 17 to 19 (during the Mega Camp – cost and details to come). For more information about the GFF Camp email Montana Molyneux at montanam@bcalpine.com
Eligibility:
All athletes U12 and older (cap at 250 athletes per day)
Dates:
April 12 to 23, 2023 (12 possible days on snow)
Where:
Sun Peaks Resort, BC
Cost:
$100 per day per athlete/coach (includes lane, lift and grooming)
Lodging can be booked by parents at the Sun Peaks Grand or the Cahilty Hotel and Suites. (NOTE: the Cahilty will offer a meal plan for those interested)
The momentum for the upcoming BC Alpine Girls Fast Forward (GFF) camp at Sun Peaks is picking up steam! Four current World Cup skiers are now confirmed to be in attendance, to work directly with the skiers and pass on their knowledge and experience to the 2023 participants. (please note the registration deadline has been extended to April 5th. Registration details below).
Cassidy Gray
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Sam Mulligan
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Britt Richardson
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Photo: Alpine Canada Alpin
Stef Fleckenstein
Photo: Stef Fleckenstein
Photo: Stef Fleckenstein
“I’m so excited for this year because we get to build on the already strong community we have. The concept of this camp and the good energy put into it is something I hope that every girl in Canada will get to experience in this sport.”
– Cassidy gray
In addition to these incredible athletes, 7 additional coaches – club or provincial program directors and head coaches – will anchor the camp and all the activities, ranging from female-lead training, to video tech talks, physical training, tuning room sessions and athlete “fireside” chats.
Coaches:
Katie Findlay
Britt Tilston (Janyk)
Sam Fournier
Katie Spittlehouse
Montana Molyneux
Leslie Firstbrook
Marie-Ève Boulianne
What to expect:
Female-led training sessions on & off snow
On-snow training sessions that allow athletes to work on their position on the ski through technical free skiing, drills, and courses
Smaller groups on snow to create a stronger connection with coaches and athletes
Video tech talks with Olympians
Athlete “fireside” chat
Tuning room guidance from the BC Women’s Ski Team
Core sessions from certified strength and conditioning coaches & Olympians
AND SO many chances to connect with female-identifying athletes from all over BC (think about it as meeting your future FIS teammates a little early😊)
Details:
Who – BC Alpine registered skiers with YOB 2009 & older (entering U16 in the 23/24 season & OLDER)
Where – Sun Peaks Resort, BC
When – Arrive April 16th between 6:00pm – 7:30pm, and depart April 19th at 11:30am after morning ski (We understand some U14/U16 athletes may be traveling from Whistler Cup and we are ready to accommodate late arrivals. More communication will come through once athletes are registered)
Cost – $600.00 (includes accommodation April 16th, 17th and 18th, all meals on the 17th, 18th & breakfast 19th, GFF swag, lift tickets, training space)
Payment and Registration DEADLINE EXTENDED to April 5th!
Dreadnaught Racing hosted the FIS Masters Cup and Canadian Masters Alpine Championships from February 7 – 10 at Kimberley Alpine Resort. Over 80 athletes enjoyed 4 days of spectacular racing, including super G, alpine combined, GS and slalom competitions.
As this was a test event to determine if the Dreadnaught ROC and Kimberley Alpine Resort would be great hosts for the 2024 FIS World Criterium Masters’ Race, several members of the FIS Steering Committee attended this event. Representatives from Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Austria, USA, and many Canadian athletes from across the country, all attended this test event to provide feedback to the selection committee for 2024.
If Dreadnaught and Kimberley Alpine Resort are selected as hosts for the 2024 Criterium, this will mark the first time this level of Masters’ racing has ever been held in Canada. The ROC and our hardworking volunteers eagerly await a decision in May for the opportunity to host this prestigious International event.
Bruce Holliday – PHOTO by Steve Hilts
A month later Dreadnaught Racing ROC, Kimberley Alpine Resort and our amazing cast of volunteers were back to host to the 2023 Canadian Senior National Championships March 13 – 17. This event attracted over 200 athletes from across Canada including Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and BC, as well as many athletes from the USA and other international destinations. This is the first time in over 40 years that Kimberley has hosted this coveted event.
Freshshots.ca by Steve Hilts
Freshshots.ca by Steve Hilts
In preparation for Canadian Senior Nationals racing our course crew worked tirelessly creating a perfect foundation for the tracks by watering both the Dreadnaught/Rosa run and the NEWLY homologated Rosa GS run wall to wall. In true form, when you plan a speed event, Mother Nature shows up with a different idea. Despite dishing out some problematic fog and variable rain/sleet/snow, the volunteers, coaches and athletes pitched in to get the track back in shape and we were able to crown champions in all 3 disciplines, super-G, GS and slalom, for both men and women. Outside the fences our young Kimberley Alpine Team athletes were excited to participate in an outdoor bib draw alongside the top 15 racers in the event!
Freshshots.ca by Steve Hilts
By all accounts the new Rosa Giant Slalom was a big hit in its inaugural year, and as a surprise to all, we even utilized this track to run the super G, which was a treat for all those in attendance. A new favorite race track has emerged for the future! A big thank you to all the officials, Alpine Canada, BC Alpine, athletes, coaches, volunteers and of course Mother Nature who came through with 3 spectacular bluebird days to conclude a great event!
After a couple of years of downtime with COVID and the unfortunate incident with the arson of the Kimberley main lift, the Dreadnaught annual Speed Series came back with a vengeance. With record attendance of over 120 athletes for downhill races from across the country, it was a very high energy event! Ontario, Alberta and BC along with some international athletes made up the field of speed enthusiasts at the 2023 event.
Teams were able to hone their skills with 12-15 runs on the downhill track at the 3-day speed camp before the race began. Then at the race event we ran 2 downhill training runs, followed by downhill race 1 and of course Mother Nature decided to start snowing on the first downhill race day. We were able to get the downhill race one run off, but just prior to the start of the night slalom everyone battled a full-on blizzard! The athletes, coaches and race crew all jumped in to help to ensure the show would go on and by the second run under the lights the snow had stopped and there was a great finish to the race.
As we had planned a rest/weather day the following day this allowed for a reset of safety systems, grooming and slipping to get the track back in shape for downhill 2. The next day everyone was ready to go when, despite being minus 20+, we had to postpone the race “due to a flood” in one of the slopeside condo buildings that left many athletes without dry gear to race! The following day downhill race 2 took place followed by a super G the following day.
Although we had some predictable and unpredictable challenges, overall the 11-day event was a success thanks to the united efforts of volunteers, coaches and athletes! Thank you everyone!!
