Smithers Ski & Snowboard Club hosted three thrilling days at the North Zone Finals, April 15 to 17, on Hudson Bay Mountain Resort. Yukon, Prince George Ski Team, Lightning Creek Ski Club, and Smithers Ski & Snowboard Club were in attendance, with 95 athletes ranging from ages 9 to 66.
Smithers North Zone Finals – Katie Lo
Smithers North Zone Finals – Malia Rowell and Bridie Hikisch, slalom start prep
The weather was stunning, with clear cool skies, making for impeccable track surface conditions and each day went off without a hitch. Volunteers put on an incredible GS and slalom, and then wrapped up with a inter-club/age Team Dual in head to head team format.
To top it off, the zone families came together after over two years with 165 in attendance at the year-end banquet, with awards, zone trophies, and the much anticipated team skits. There were smiles, cheers, and celebrations all weekend!
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.
Selection: BC Alpine Awards Committee makes the final selection for this award
5. Moira Jaatteenmaki Officials’ Award
Criteria
A continued dedication to the Officials’ program and the sport of ski racing by serving as a committed BC Alpine Official over a period of several seasons
As a result of his or her contributions, this Official has helped ski racing continue at the highest level in the province, offering participating athletes the best opportunities for advancement in their pursuit of excellence in the sport.
We know there are many outstanding and dedicated coaches who keep the clubs going and the athletes fit and motivated. We will be recognizing them too! A committee of Program Directors and Coaches, along with BC Alpine, will honour coaches in the following categories:
On April 2nd and 3rd, the final weekend of the Mount Washington Ski Resort’s scheduled 2021/2022 season, 195 athletes from teams across the Coast Zone, including Whistler, the 4 Lower Mainland ski teams (Cypress, Grouse, Seymour, Sasquatch) joined 30 Mount Washington Ski Club athletes to compete in the Teck Coast Zone Finals. The two-day event was scheduled to have 3 different age groups being timed for top place in slalom on the Saturday and head-to-head racing in the Dual Slalom on the Sunday. (See awesome action shots in Don Tait’s Flickr Albums)
The conditions were excellent on Saturday for a great race. The snow was hard, the weather was clear and the race committee and equipment operated flawlessly. The U12 age group raced two individually timed slalom races while the U14s & U16s combined the two times of their runs for a total overall ranking. (FIND FULL RESULTS HERE)
Top three included:
U12 girls Run 1: Cecily Gibbons (Whistler), Anya McColm (Whistler), Danica Williams (Mt Washington)
U12 Boys Run 1: Joe Orde (Grouse), Eric Krastev (Grouse), Aaron Na (Cypress)
U12 Girls Run 2: Nikita Ciesla (Grouse), Charlotte Severin (Grouse), Danica Williams (Mt Washington)
U12 Boys Run 2: Aaron Na (Cypress), Joe Orde (Grouse), Bodie Morgan (Whistler)
U16 Girls: Maeve Pretty (Grouse), Alice Cameron-Boyes (Cypress), Rachel Na (Cypress)
U16 Boys: Nick Kokot (Whistler), Malcolm Elvidge (Grouse), Archie Clark (Whistler)
Danica Williams, MWSC – PHOTO CREDIT: Don Tait
Unfortunately, the Sunday races were cancelled as too much snow fell over a short period of time to be able to safely run the race.
“Its too bad we could not safely run the race. The Dual Slalom is a fun event to watch as athletes go head-to-head with the winners moving on to the next round until a winner is determined. We tried our best but we could not keep up with the falling snow. Ironically, 30 minutes after we officially cancelled the race, the sun came out, the powder skiing was amazing and Mount Washington had great weather for the ‘Slush Cup’”
Ryan Williams, Chief of Race for the Teck Zone Finals
The Mt Washington Ski Club celebrated its 40th year this year. Athletes can be as young as 5 years old in the Nancy Greene Ski League and as old as 18 years old and racing on the interprovincial FIS race circuit. Thank you to the following sponsors for 2021/2022: Race Series Sponsor – Teck; Platinum (Mount Washington) – Rick Gibson of Royal LePage, Colonial Countertops, Gold (Mount Washington) – Ryan Williams of REMAX, Accent Inns Vancouver Island, Arrowsmith Bikes, Ski Tak Hut, Frame & Co Injury Law, Grant Signs.
