When 58 female ski racers from all over the province descended on Sun Peaks last week, the energy and willingness to learn was at an all-time high.
The all-female coaching staff – along with special guest national team skiers Cassidy Gray and Sam Mulligan – packed in a high volume of on-snow training, guest presentations, video analysis, tech talks, and pretty much anything that could be crammed into three intense and rewarding days.
A total of 11 coaches, including club program directors and age coaches, BCST staff and the guest coaches, lead the athletes over the three days with on-snow work and off-hill instruction and presentations.
According to GFF lead coach Montana Molyneux (Coach Monty), some of the highlights included working alongside Cassidy Gray, who was part of the Canadian team that won gold in the world junior parallel race at Panorama earlier this season, as well as a 60 person synchro and human slalom.
“We started by going back to the basics on snow and slowing it down and working on their position over their ski over a high volume of runs,” said Coach Monty. “And the Tech Talks and video with Cassidy were a big hit and as well recovery and visualization training with Rebekah Smiley (GFF coach and SPAC coach).”
The GFF camp was kicked off by a message from Erin Mielzynski, who recently retired from the World Cup, to set the tone for a productive and learning based camp.
GFF 2022 COACHING TEAM: Back row, from left: Sam Mulligan, Leslie Firstbrook, Katie Findlay, Montana Molyneux, Sam Fournier, Alice Muirhead, Marouska Smith, Rebekah Smiley. Front row: Cassidy Gray, Anja Matson, Kate Matson, Maia Matson, Daria Mezenina.
Alpine Canada announced this week a roster of skiers who have qualified for the national ski team, including eight BC skiers.
After a breakthrough season for many of the BC alumnus – including Jack Crawford, who took home a bronze medal from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, and Cameron Alexander, who scored Canada’s only alpine World Cup win of the season – the teams will spend the spring and summer months training in Whistler and Calgary at Canadian Sport Institute training centres.
The BC men make up over 60 percent of the national team roster.
“BC is proud of all its athletes and coaches who are currently working with ACA as well as those on the pathway to make the National Team in the near future”,” said Johnny Crichton, BC Alpine VP.
Alpine Women in Sport is pleased to present their final webinar, Physical Literacy with Jamie McCartney, on May 4th, 2022 at 6:30 pm PST/9:30 pm EST
Join renowned strength and conditioning coach, Jamie McCartney, as he presents the importance of dryland for various age levels and how coaches can prepare, plan and execute a successful dryland program! This webinar will provide education credit towards coach licensing.
Jamie McCartney (CSCS, ChPC) is currently the Physical Performance Lead & Technical Push Coach for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton and the owner of Titan Performance Inc. He is the former Strength and Conditioning and technical coach with Alpine Canada Alpin, U.S.A Paralympic Alpine, Calgary Roughnecks Lacrosse, Rugby Canada, and other individual national-level athletes. Jamie has worked within the Canadian Sport Institute for 6.5 years, primarily servicing the sports science and coaching needs of Alpine Canada, Water Polo Canada and various other team and athlete projects. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Psychology.
After a thorough and detailed process of who would be crowned Mackenzie Investments “Top Peak” ski community in the country, Kimberley came out on top, tied with Adanac Ski Hill, near Sudbury, Ontario.
Each will receive $50,000 to invest in local community projects. Rounding out the top five was Sommet Saint- Sauveur (Que.), Fernie Alpine Resort (BC) and Mont Blanc (Que.) placed third, fourth and fifth respectively.
“We’re thrilled at the spirit all the teams displayed as they came together this year to not just compete, but to also celebrate the sport they love and support their local communities,” said Barry McInerney, President and CEO, Mackenzie Investments. “In a race that was truly too close to call, the judging panel felt that both Team Adanac and Team Kimberley were deserving co-winners for their exceptional efforts and enthusiasm.”
Former Olympian and World Cup winner Manuel Osborne-Paradis – a BCST alumna – was part of the judging process.
“I was honoured to have been part of the judging panel and I’d like to thank all of the teams for their enthusiasm, dedication and engagement,” said Mr. Osborne-Paradis. “It was a tremendous sophomore year for Top Peak, and we look forward to many more exciting seasons!”
Top Peak is a national competition that seeks to identify one special ski community that exemplifies the Top Peak mantra: “Be Invested. On and Off the Hill.” This year’s program, which featured 68 teams from across the country, offered a hybrid model of live programming in an effort to rally Canadian ski communities for a chance to win $50,000 to put towards a local, community initiative – not to mention bragging rights for winning the coveted Mackenzie Top Peak “Crown”.
Mr. McInerney noted that Adanac Ski Hill and Kimberley Alpine Resort faced a variety of challenges they had to overcome this ski season, including the ongoing impact of the pandemic and, in the case of Kimberley, a fire that destroyed their main chair lift.
Both winners plan to put their prize earnings toward facility and equipment upgrades that will benefit their local ski communities. Team Adanac is earmarking their funds to help in the construction of a multipurpose ski shack to house equipment, facilitate races and act as a supplemental area for athletes. Team Kimberley will be helping expand access to future ski programs and upgrade their club’s training equipment.
