by Kathy Stahr | Nov 17, 2016 | Member News
BC Ski Team 16/17 (left to right) Emilie-Soleil Patterson, Alexander Valentin, Cameron Alexander, Asher Jordan, Kyle Alexander, Max Kirshenblatt and Kristina Natalenko. Missing from photo: Mikayla Martin (injured)
BC Alpine is proud to introduce the 2016-17 BC Ski Team led by Head Coach Nick Cooper and supported by Ryan Jazic (Women’s Head Coach) and Pierre Luc Dumoulin (Men’s Head Coach).
Nine promising athletes will represent BC this season in regional, national and Nor-Am competitions. Returning members Mikayla Martin (WMSC), Antonia Wearmouth (Grouse Tyee), Cameron Alexander (WMSC) and Max Kirshenblatt (WMSC) welcome rookies Soleil Patterson (Red Mountain Racers), Kristina Natalenko (Grouse Tyee), Alexander Valentin (WMSC), Asher Jordan (WMSC) and Kyle Alexander (WMSC).
After an intense summer and fall in the gym, and on snow in Chile and Europe, the team is melding together and learning to work well as a group. The addition of national team athletes-turned-coaches, Morgan Pridy and Britt Tilston (Janyk), brought another level of complexity and strength to our summer program. Tilston and Pridy come with an abundance of World Cup experience and their contributions to the day to day physical preparation of our squad offered unique and invaluable learning opportunities.
“We recently returned from Europe where we encountered some tough, but excellent character-building conditions,” said Athletic Director Johnny Crichton. “Everyone came away with great experiences from the camp and we're looking forward to race season starting at the end of the month. We have a good mix of experience, talent and desire within this group. We expect the younger racers to learn from their older teammates who will be gunning for Nor-Am points.”
“I’m very excited to get this race season underway," said Head Coach Nick Cooper. “We have had one of the best prep periods I’ve ever been a part of with the BC team – hard icy snow for three weeks in Chile and challenging winter conditions for two weeks in Europe. The young guns have worked hard all summer and have had great leadership from our four returning athletes. I think we are ready to surprise some people this season. I’ve seen a massive change in our rookies’ skiing and our vets have been extremely driven and detail-oriented all summer. They are entering the season as prepared as they have ever been. I can’t wait to see what they can do!”
B
C Ski Team – Women
Antonia Wearmouth (Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club)
Mikayla Martin (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Soleil Patterson (Red Mountain Racers)
Kristina Natalenko (Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club)
BC Ski Team – Men
Cameron Alexander (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Max Kirshenblatt (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Asher Jordan (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Kyle Alexander (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Alexander Valentin (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
BC Ski Team – Coaches
Nick Cooper – BC Ski Team Head Coach
Ryan Jazic – BC Women's Team Head Coach
PL Dumoulin – BC Men's Team Head Coach
by Kathy Stahr | Oct 18, 2016 | Member News
Canada’s top alpine and ski cross athletes will gather at Vancouver’s Blue Water Café for the 11th annual Peak to Peak Gala, Wednesday November 2, 2016. The evening is organized by BC Alpine to raise funds for training facilities, coaching and safety equipment for provincial and national ski programs. The popular event is attended by a variety of companies and ski enthusiast and has raised more than $1.4 million for ski racing since it began in 2005.
The evening will recognize the achievements of national alpine and ski cross team members, including Ontario’s Dustin Cook who earned a silver medal at the 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships, Georgia Simmerling, three-time Olympian and 2016 Rio Olympic cycling bronze medalist and Whistler’s Marielle Thompson, 2014 Sochi Olympic ski cross gold medalist.
Thompson, along with veteran speed skier and three-time World Cup winner Manuel Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, will be on hand to mingle with the crowd. They will be joined by national team racers Broderick Thompson (Whistler), Brodie Seger (North Vancouver), Riley Seger (North Vancouver) and Stefanie Fleckenstein (West Vancouver). Also attending will be retired 2010 Vancouver Olympic ski cross gold medalist Ashleigh McIvor Demerit (Whistler), retired national team skier and 15-time Canadian champion Britt Janyk (Whistler) and Crazy Canuck Steve Podborski, 1980 Lake Placid Olympic downhill bronze medalist.
The highlight of the evening will be the live auction featuring a generous donation from One Ocean Expeditions, Squamish-based Polar Cruise operator. The lucky winner will experience an action-packed sensational expedition cruise to the Arctic!
“My wife and I traveled with One Ocean Expeditions to the Arctic,” said Doug Horswill, Peak to Peak guest. “We both mark it as the best travel experience we’ve ever had. The One Ocean team was fantastic, the learning was out of this world and the trip exceeded all of our expectations in every way!”
Other highlights of the Peak to Peak auction will be a 4-day Heli-Skiing excursion with CMH at K2 in the Monashee and Selkirk ranges, a luxurious fishing trip in the Canadian wilderness at the Sonora Resort, and a deluxe Helicopter skiing package at Mike Wiegele's Heli-ski Village Resort in Blue River, BC where you will experience the world’s finest powder!
“The alpine ski community in BC is thrilled and grateful to have such generous supporters. They make athletes’ dreams come true,” said Bruce Goldsmid, BC Alpine CEO. BC Alpine would like to sincerely thank everyone who is supporting the 2016 Peak to Peak gala. Please visit our Peak to Peak website for more information on our sponsors, athletes and exciting auction items!
About BC Alpine:
The BC Alpine Ski Association is the provincial governing body for alpine ski racing, overseeing its 31 member ski clubs. As a member of Alpine Canada Alpin, BC Alpine’s mandate is to promote and lead competitive and non-competitive alpine skiing programs, govern and conduct alpine ski competitions, select and train members of high performance programs – including the BC Ski Team – and encourage and assist the formation of alpine ski clubs within British Columbia. Please visit us at www.bcalpine.com
by Kathy Stahr | Oct 12, 2016 | Member News
RIP Heiko Socher, 1930 to 2016
The ski racing fraternity and generations of ski racers lost a friend and a legend on Friday. For 25 years, Heiko and his wife Linda owned and operated Fernie Snow Valley in the Canadian Rockies. He was always willing to provide training slopes for ski racers and to host ski races from Kinder events to the legendary Fernie Nor-Am Downhills.
Heiko had two children who were ski racers. Elke was on the BC Ski Team during the Glenn Wurtele era. She attended and raced for Simon Fraser University and now lives and works in Palo Alto CA with her husband and family. Ralf Socher was on the BC Ski Team during the Robin Tolhurst and Helmut Spiegel eras. Ralf competed for Canada in the Lillehammer Olympics and was a Canadian and American Downhill Ski champion. Following Ralf’s ski racing career, he graduated from Stanford University and now is a commercial airline pilot in Boulder CO.
“Heiko was always benevolent to the ski racers. He would provide complimentary ski-lift operation that allowed Fernie youngsters to ski and to train after school and would allow terrain for races, including Nor-Am Downhill events. Heiko had a big heart and quietly, would help families who could not afford to pay their ski racing fees” said Mike Delich, a long-time Fernie friend and business associate.
After the sale of Fernie Snow Valley to Resorts of the Canadian Rockies in 1997, Heiko continued to leave legacies. He built iconic mountain trails, including Heiko’s Trail, from Hartley Lake to Island Lake Lodge through the Rockies and also developed historic buildings in Fernie.
Fernie mourns his passing, Heiko was 86
Our sympathies are with Linda, Elke and Ralf and their families.
A celebration of life will be held in early December.
Photo Credit: Judy McMahon
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/heiko-socher-dies-fernie-1.3801429
by Kathy Stahr | Oct 5, 2016 | Member News
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR DESERVING BURSARY AND AWARD RECIPIENTS!
In conjunction with our Annual General Meeting, the 2015/16 BC Alpine Goldie Awards were handed out on Saturday, October 1st at Kelowna's Bohemian Cafe. Thank you to everyone who attended, and of course to the fabulous staff at the Bohemian for another delicious meal enjoyed by all!
It was a fun celebration honouring some of the amazing people who contribute so much to our sport.
2016 Dave Murray Ski Foundation Bursary ($750)
Myles Kowalczyk, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
2016 Dave Murray Ski Foundation Bursary ($750)
Soleil Patterson, Red Mountain Racers
2016 Bob Parsons’ Memorial Fund Bursary ($1,000)
Katrina Voss, Hemlock Ski Club
2016 Bob Parsons’ Memorial Fund Bursary ($1,000)
Kosta Petkovic, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
2016 Ski Canada Magazine Bursary ($1,000)
Olin Wakkary, Cypress Ski Club
2016 Cary Mullen Sportsmanship Award
Kristof Panke, Red Mountain Racers
2016 Cary Mullen Sportsmanship Award
Ravi Vliet, Vernon Ski Club/Windermere Valley Ski Club
2016 Coast Zone Official/Volunteer of the Year
Henry Voss, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
2016 Kootenay Zone Official/Volunteer of the Year
Vanessa Lunn, Red Mountain Racers
2016 North Zone Official/Volunteer of the Year
Cobey Oliemans, Smithers Ski Club
2016 Okanagan Zone Official/Volunteer of the Year
Sandy Kersey, Vernon Ski Club
2016 Moira Jaatteenmaki Officials Award
Carmen Kirshenblatt, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
2016 BC Alpine Volunteer of the Year
Christine Andison, Red Mountain Racers
2016 Event of the Year
Nancy Greene Ski League Festival, Sun Peaks Alpine Club
2016 Mountain Resort of the Year
Grouse Mountain Resort
2016 Club Development of the Year
Lightning Creek Ski Club
2016 Long Term President's Award
Richard Prokopanko, Whistler
by Kathy Stahr | Sep 22, 2016 | Member News
PLEASE RSVP by visiting our SIGN UP page!
2016 BC Alpine Member Summit and Annual General Meeting (VIEW AGENDA AND OTHER AGM DOCUMENTS HERE):
When: Saturday, October 1st, 2016 (light buffet lunch at 11:30 am, meeting from 12:00 noon to approximately 5:00 pm)
Where: The Coast Capri Hotel, 1171 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna BC V1Y 6E8, coastcaprihotel.com
**To book a room at the Coast Capri you can call Central Reservations at 1.800.663.1144, or the hotel directly at 1.250.860.6060. Be sure to let them know you're with BC Alpine and quote group number CCH-GFC19416 to access the special group rate.
IF YOU DON'T BOOK BEFORE FRIDAY, SEPT 16th YOU MIGHT BE OUT OF LUCK!
2016 Goldie Awards Banquet and Social (SO much fun!!):
When: Saturday, October 1st, 2016 at 6:00 pm (more details to follow)
Where: Bohemian Cafe & Catering Co., 524 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6P1
PLEASE RSVP as soon as you can by visiting our SIGN UP page. Everyone is welcome and we want to make sure we can accommate all of you. Any questions, please contact Kathy at kathys@bcalpine.com
