This past weekend, Lightning Creek Ski Club marked its 50th anniversary at Troll Resort, bringing together generations of athletes, coaches, and supporters for a memorable celebration of community and skiing.
The day began with a dual glalom fun race, followed by a dinner in the lodge where it all began in 1972 with Lars and Astrid Fossberg. The evening program was led by MC and current club president Falko Kadenbach.
Falko welcomed alumnus Ian Grady, who raced with the club in the 1990s. Ian shared an engaging look at the region’s ski history, tracing its roots through the early ski hills in Wells and Quesnel. Representing a four-generation ski racing family, his perspective highlighted the deep heritage of the sport in the area. More on the Troll Ski Resort history from the Canadian Ski Museum.
The evening continued with club founders John Marien and Kris Dittman, who first envisioned Lightning Creek Ski Club in 1976. John reflected on the club’s early days and growth, while one of the most inspiring moments came from Kris—who is visually impaired—returning to the slopes that day to ski and run gates for the first time in over 20 years, a powerful reminder of skill, trust, and passion for the sport.
John also spoke about the early days of the Nancy Greene Ski League, which laid the foundation for the club’s youth programming, and the strong collaboration with Prince George Ski Club to support athlete development in the North.
Top photo (L to R): Mike Garry (coach), Neal Wood, Lucien Bellamy, Brice Bennet, Stuart Lebeck, Scott Turton, Ryan Cook, Toby Bellamy, Carly Felker, Mike Knault, Russel Wood. Above, left: Kris Dittman and John Marien. Above, right: Lightning Creek Ski Club today. Above: 1980s team.
Denis Wood, the club’s first Alpine Chair (1984), shared stories from the early racing years, including the introduction of electronic timing, the well-known Troll Downhill, and team travel across the province. His reflections emphasized the passion, commitment, and sense of adventure that defined the era.
Falko then carried the story forward into the early 2000s, recognizing key contributors and acknowledging the challenges that led to a temporary pause in operations from 2003 to 2009.
The club’s revival in 2009, led by John Marien, Dianne and Darrel Dagneau, and a dedicated volunteer group, was highlighted by Mike Sakakibara. He spoke about rebuilding the club’s foundation, including major investments in infrastructure such as the clubhouse (2014), timing systems, safety netting, and equipment—driven by strong leadership and community support.
Bringing the story to present day, Falko emphasized the importance of partnerships with clubs, resorts, sponsors, and provincial programs, as well as the continued development of coaches, officials, and volunteers. He recognized key contributors over the years, including longtime coach Karcsi Peter and past Alpine Chair Michelle Klapatiuk, whose efforts helped shape the club’s success.
The celebration also included video messages from BC Alpine CEO Anders Hestdalen and Olympic gold medallist Nancy Greene, both congratulating Lightning Creek on reaching this milestone.
A special recognition was given to John Marien for his lifelong commitment to the club—as founder, coach, and leader. He was presented with a BC Alpine team jacket and 50-year anniversary memorabilia in honour of his enduring impact.
The evening concluded with an open mic and time to reconnect, as past and present members gathered to celebrate five decades of skiing, community, and shared passion.
Sign up is now open for the annual MEGA Camp, GFF and the Boys Development Camp—featuring world-class training conditions, a star-studded coaching staff, and an unmatched lineup of training and learning opportunities that could define the 2026 season.
BC Alpine, in partnership with Sun Peaks Resort, will hosting this elite training opportunity from April 10–19, 2026. Widely regarded as some of the best training imaginable, this exclusive on-snow opportunity will take place while the mountain is closed to the public, creating an unmatched training environment for athletes and coaches. With spring conditions expected to be optimal, MEGA Camp offers clubs and racers a valuable head start on the 2026–27 season.
BC Alpine MEGA Camp
Athletes will benefit from up to 10 days of exclusive-access ski race training (weather and snow dependent) at a mountain closed to the public, providing racer-only lift access via the Elevation Lift. Training will take place across five varied trails — OSV, Bluff, Cariboo, Lower Chute and 5 Mile — offering diverse terrain and valuable on-snow exposure alongside BC Ski Team athletes and coaches.
Dates: April 10–19, 2026 (up to 10 days on snow)
Location: Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia
Cost: $100 per day per athlete/coach. (Includes lift access, lane space, and grooming; salt, if required, is additional)
Eligibility: Open to U12 athletes and older. Daily cap of 250 athletes.
Meal Plan: Cahilty Creek: $63.78 with tax and gratuity (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) – Email Kelly Dye – kellydye13@gmail.com
Girls Fast Forward (GFF)
Back by popular demand, the Girls Fast Forward Camp will once again inspire female-identifying ski racers from across the province with a world-class program led by some of Canada’s fastest athletes—World Cup racers and Olympians Cassidy Gray, Britt Richardson, Kiki Alexander, and others.
Dates: April 13–15th (3-day ski camp)
Location: Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia
Format: Three day development focussed ski camp.
Eligibility: Open to all registered female-identifying ski racers from BC, born 2013 and older
New to BC Alpine programming this season, the BC Boys Camp is designed to prepare male-identifying ski racers for FIS and beyond, with support from BC Alpine and former national team athletes in an exclusive alpine racing environment.
Dates: April 16–18th (3-day ski camp)
Location: Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia
Format: Three day development focussed ski camp.
Eligibility: Open to all registered male ski racers from BC, born 2010–2012.
“Our goal is to once again bring athletes and coaches from across B.C.—and beyond—together for high-quality training at a low cost. This gives BC racers more time on snow in their home province. Our last MEGA Camp was a great success, and we’re excited to expand the opportunity to make off-season training accessible to as many athletes as possible.” — Johnny Crichton, BC Alpine Vice President
The Red Mountain Racers overcame early-season challenges from Mother Nature and did what they do best – dig in and deliver.
The West Kootenay club near Rossland hosted the alpine events at the BC Winter Games from Feb. 26–28 at Red Mountain Resort. A total of 94 athletes—52 female and 42 male—from eight regions across British Columbia competed, many experiencing provincial-level racing for the first time.
The opening day featured giant slalom racing under cool temperatures, which helped keep the course in excellent shape throughout the competition. Day two brought sunny skies and cold snow conditions for slalom, creating another strong day of racing.
The event atmosphere was vibrant, with freeski and freestyle competitions taking place on a neighbouring slope, adding to the festival-like energy around the venue.
According to Red Mountain Racers program director Phil Patterson, early-season conditions at Red presented significant challenges, with one of the lowest snowpacks he has seen in many years. Despite the difficult start, the organizing team and volunteers worked tirelessly to prepare the venue and deliver a successful event once the snow arrived.
The Red Mountain Racers extended their thanks to Red Mountain Resort and BC Alpine for their support throughout the planning and delivery of the BC Winter Games. A special acknowledgement was also given to Technical Delegate Doug Hughes, who officiated his final race at the event after 25 years of mentorship and service to the sport.
BC Alpine also thanks photographer Steve Hilts of Fresh Shots Photography for capturing the event. All photos from the Games – including team photos and medal presentations – can be found HERE. A smaller collection of photos can be seen below (click or scroll to view).
BC Alpine would like to recognize the Race Organizing Committee for their perseverance and hard work. Race Chairs Mike McDowell and Jane Paterson led the team, supported by Chiefs of Race Vanessa Lunn, Brent Hahn, and Harold Rosco. Timing operations were overseen by Harold Roscoe and Trevor Anderson, while Jeff Theriault and Andrew East served as Chiefs of Course. Michelle Laurie led as Chief of Gates, with race administration managed by Christine Andison, Jane Paterson, and Lauren Roach. Technical Delegate Doug Hughes oversaw the competition.
BC Alpine also thanks Teck for its continued support of ski racing across the province.
A BC Alpine coach is currently in Bormio, Italy, on one of sport’s biggest stages.
Nick Cooper – “Coop,” as many know him (a nickname he shares, and competes for, with his dad Mike and uncle Nigel) – is preparing for the Olympic Winter Games. He’s there coaching a star athlete, Norwegian-born Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, as Lucas readies himself for the men’s Olympic giant slalom and slalom events.
Nick is very much at the top of the coaching mountain. His resume now includes World Cup medals and an Olympic coaching pedigree—an ascent that began right here in B.C. His coaching journey started with the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, where he worked as a U16 and FIS coach. He then move quickly into coaching the men’s BC Ski Team, later becoming head coach of the BCST program. Along the way, he earned the 2020 FIS Coach of the Year award and became the longest-tenured BC Ski Team coach ever (move over, Dusan!).
Nick moved on to Alpine Canada, coaching the World Cup and Europa Cup combined teams and then last year was handpicked by 22-time World Cup medallist Lucas to be his coach. Since then, the results have spoken loudly: five World Cup medals this season – three in GS and two in slalom.
When I caught up with Nick at the end of a long day in Bormio, he was buzzing with anticipation for what lies ahead.
How has your Olympic experience in Cortina been so far?
To be honest, I just arrived, and we’re in Bormio—not Cortina—so there isn’t an Olympic Village, or much of an Olympic vibe yet. But Bormio is a very cool setting. It’s a classic setting and beautiful. That said, we’re completely focused on the task at hand, which is preparing Lucas to perform his best.
How is Lucas looking heading into the slalom?
The preparation has been incredible. We’ve been testing equipment, skis, and really dialing in slope preparation. This hill is flatter than many others, so we trained specifically with that in mind. Overall, we’ve done everything we can, and the team feels confident.
What are your expectations for the upcoming races?
It’s tough to say—there are at least 10 guys who can legitimately win the slalom. It’s going to be a dogfight. In the GS, I think we have a realistic chance at a medal. It all depends on how race day plays out, but yes, I believe he can do it.
Lucas has generated buzz around the world for years. What’s it like coaching the Norwegian-born Brazilian star?
It’s been great. I’ve worked with many incredible athletes, and everyone is unique, but his ski racing IQ is insane. He’s a very special athlete. Building this relationship and being part of his journey has been exciting. My role is to support his vision of success and help instill confidence. It’s been a lot of fun.
Tell us about your coaching journey through BC Alpine and how it all began.
At first, it was mostly for fun—enjoying Whistler and making more money than banging nails. But I remember a conversation with Mike Janyk where he challenged me about whether I really wanted to be a proper ski coach. That stuck with me. Eventually, I approached Dusan and committed to the path.
You’ve been known as a culture-building coach. How did you approach that?
First, I had great mentors who showed me the way—Dusan [Grasic], Jazz [Ryan Jazic] and Johnny [Crichton] especially. Beyond that, it comes down to how hard you’re willing to work. Prepare good slopes. Make training productive. Put in the effort. Wake up every day ready to work.
Several of your former BC Ski Team athletes—Brodie, Riley, and Cam—are in Bormio. Have you seen them?
I stay close with almost all my former athletes. I’ve talked to all three of them and will be seeing them soon. It’s incredible to see what they’ve been up to.
Any advice for young coaches in BC looking to pursue high-performance coaching?
Be the hardest-working person on the hill. Do right by your athletes. Relate to them, speak their language, stay flexible, and adapt. Your job is to bring out the best in them—and to do that, you need to understand who they are.
BC Ski Team 2019Cameron Alexander (left) and Nick.Celebrating a World Cup podium at Alta Badia, Italy.
Many will remember the magic of last January all too well.
Jack Crawford charged out of the start gate at the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbühel wearing bib 20 and attacked the Streif with full commitment, capturing Canada’s first victory on the iconic course since Todd Brooker in 1984. Longtime teammate Cam Alexander, also a Whistler Mountain Ski Club alum, added to the celebration with a third-place finish, delivering a memorable double podium for Canada.
It was a stunning performance on one of the world’s most demanding racecourses, played out in front of more than 45,000 passionate ski racing fans.
Fast forward to 2026, and Alexander appears to be rounding into top form once again. He posted a strong seventh-place finish last weekend on the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland—one of the sport’s most storied venues. Fittingly, his first post-race thoughts turned to Kitzbühel.
“Today is a good confidence boost and I’m feeling good heading into the upcoming races, especially Kitzbühel next week,” Alexander said to Alpine Canada. “I tweaked my knee in Val Gardena and wasn’t feeling good enough to race the downhills, and I didn’t feel like myself there or in Livigno. Being able to really push today felt great.”
Crawford finished 26th in the race, while Brodie Seger—also of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club—placed 46th. Seger’s result came one day after a close call in the super-G, where he spun out and narrowly avoided the safety nets, missing them by inches.
Top: Jack Crawford in the start gate at the 2025 Kitzbuhel downhill. Photo: Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool. Above. Cam Alexander charging the Lauberhorn last weekend. Photo by Alpine Canada/GEPA.
As the province’s fastest ski racers and their coaches fine-tune final preparations for the 2025–26 racing season, BC Alpine has launched a new athlete showcase portal on its website. The platform is designed to help promote the team and its athletes, while giving the broader ski community an opportunity to get to know them a little better.
Click the link below to see the seven athletes and three coaches.
