by Kathy Stahr | Mar 12, 2020 | Member News
SEE IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ALPINE CANADA
Calgary AB, (March 12, 2020) – "Due to ongoing and evolving concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Alpine Canada, in consultation with its provincial and territorial partners, recommends the cancellation of all domestic ski races planned for the remainder of the ski season.
In keeping with health advisories from the Government of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and after consulting with medical professionals, we are prioritizing the health and safety of our community, fans, athletes, staff, and volunteers involved in these events.
“We know that this decision will impact many racers, families, resorts and organizers who have put so much time and effort preparing,” said Vania Grandi, President and CEO of Alpine Canada. “The health and safety of our athletes, volunteers and community must come first and for this reason we have jointly made this difficult decision.”
Decisions regarding training programs will be taken by each of the provincial and territorial organizations."
MESSAGE FROM BC ALPINE CEO ANDERS HESTDALEN
"BC Alpine stands behind the difficult decision made by Alpine Canada Alpin, together with the other Canadian PSOs. BC Alpine has therefore decided to cancel all planned training camps, as well as training requiring travel for the BC Ski Team. Participants at the World Junior Championships in Narvik, Norway will follow quarantine protocol for travel home to Canada. Please note all planned BC Alpine-organized camps will be cancelled until further notice. We recommend BC Alpine member ski clubs follow local health authority guidelines, limit travel and stay up-to-date on the latest recommendations with regard to club training."
by Kathy Stahr | Mar 11, 2020 | Member News
Front L-R: Grace Brulotte (Fernie Adaptive Ski Program), Julia Delich O'Brien (Canadian Alpine Ski Team, Denver University NCAA Ski Team), Chris Slubicki (Ski Coach, former Chair Alpine Canada, philanthropist)
Back L-R: Danielle Sunquist (Canadian Ski Cross Team, 2010 Olympian), Scott Courtimanche (Fernie Adaptive Ski Program ), Andy Cohen (Fernie Alpine Resort and Fernie Adaptive Ski Program), Zuzanna and Garyk Simpson ( GRIZ and Ski Base Fernie ), Henry Georgi (Adventurer, Outdoor Photographer)
The celebration of Class of 2020 into the Fernie Ski Wall of Fame was a great success on March 6. Over 130 attendees celebrated the contributions by the Pioneers to the Fernie snow sports industry, the legacies left in the community by the Builders and the recognition and milestones of Sport Leaders in international competitions. Congratulations all!!
by Kathy Stahr | Mar 10, 2020 | Member News
NGSL Okanagan Zone Finals @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort, March 7-8, 2020
The Revelstoke Ski Club was thrilled to host the NGSL Okanagan Zone Finals at Revelstoke Mountain Resort on March 7 & 8! 179 racers (62 in Saturday’s U6/U8 events, and 117 in Sunday’s U10/U12 events) and their families, representing eight ski clubs, enjoyed a weekend of fast Dual Glalom skiing under mainly sunny skies.
A huge thank you goes out to the more than 100 volunteers from Revelstoke and other clubs who were integral in making this event a great success!
The event would not be possible without the support from all of our sponsors, including Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Speers Construction, Eagle Pass Heliski, Regent Hotel, Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation, Skookum Cycle & Ski, Save On Foods and La Baguette.
~ thank you to Trista Skerry for this report, and Giles Shearing and Rob Sidjak for taking photos! MORE GREAT PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE
Top 3 Results by Category:
U6 FEMALE
1st BIGWHT Amelia Thomas
2nd BIGWHT Macy Clement
3rd BALDY Adela Stewart
U6 MALE
1st VERNON Charlie Brovender
2nd SPAC Michael O'Flaherty
3rd BIGWHT Miles Mason
U8 – MALE
1st REV Kaeson Kurtz
2nd SPAC Rya Todd
3rd REV Mateo Colvin
U8 – FEMALE
1st VERNON Lilli Brovender
2nd SPAC Sophie Thompson
3rd REV Charlotte Kernaghan
U10 FEMALE
1st SPAC Ava Dye
2nd GKHAT Zoe Burns
3rd REV Alea Johnson
U12 FEMALE
1st REV Madelyn Skerry
2nd REV Claire Brown
3rd REV Zyia Davies
U10 MALE
1st REV Egan Kelly
2nd REV Nick Macpherson
3rd SPAC Kaden Liddy
U12 MALE
1st REV Wyatt Tondl
2nd SPAC Finn Prelypchan
3rd BIGWHT Keir Phillips
by Kathy Stahr | Mar 9, 2020 | Member News
Panorama Mountain Village and the Windermere Valley Ski Club need lots more volunteers to host one of the season's most popular events…the FIS Spring Series, April 1 to 6, 2020!
This is your opportunity to get close to the action while some of the best skiers in the province wrap up the season by competing for GS, super-G and slalom glory. There are openings in just about every position, on and off the hill, and you are practically guaranteed great weather at this time of year. The ROC offers free accommodation, lift tickets, delicious BBQ lunches and plenty of fun in the sun!
Interested? Please contact Gordon Bagan at gordon@bagan.ca.
by Kathy Stahr | Mar 9, 2020 | Member News
Mount Seymour Ski Club hosts annual Enquist Slalom event sponsored by Teck
The classic Teck Enquist Slalom was held March 7 & 8 under ideal winter conditions at Mt. Seymour. The two-day event demands back to back top finishes in each of the two-run slaloms for those wanting to contend for the historic Enquist Slalom Trophies.
Ella Kaufmann (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and Manu Gandhi (Cypress Ski Club) prevailed as the recipients of the women’s and men’s trophies.
The 84th annual race was hosted by the Mount Seymour Ski Club and featured competitors from ages 12-16 from ski clubs all across BC Alpine’s Coast Zone.
Harold Enquist Jr. attended the awards ceremony and presented the trophies to this year’s winners. The Enquist Slalom is named in honour of his father Harold Enquist Sr., a pioneer in establishing skiing on Mt. Seymour in the late 1930s. Harold Enquist Jr. raced in the event in his youth, finishing third in the 1953 event.
The Mount Seymour Ski Club wishes to thank race series sponsor Teck, all the volunteers for making the race possible, and Mount Seymour Resorts for its continued support.
~ Report submitted by Robert Selby (Media Liaison) Mount Seymour Ski Club
~ Photos courtesy of Michael Iwasaki, Mount Seymour Ski Club Member
Top-3 results below:
U14 Women – Saturday, March 7, 2020
First Place: Maeve Pretty, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Second Place: Erica Zander, Cypress Ski Club
Third Place: Annabel Li, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
U14 Men – Saturday, March 7, 2020
First Place: Pearce Manning Avini, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Second Place: Nick Kokot, Mt. Seymour Ski Club
Third Place: Flynn Eccles, Hemlock Ski Club
U16 Women – Saturday, March 7, 2020
First Place: Sofia Blouin, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Second Place: Ella Kaufmann, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Third Place: Isabelle Sexton, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
U16 Men – Saturday, March 7, 2020
First Place: Cole MacDougall, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Second Place: Noah Fischer, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Third Place: Manu Gandhi, Cypress Ski Club
U14 Women – Sunday, March 8, 2020
First Place: Tessa Wang, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Second Place: Erica Zander, Cypress Ski Club
Third Place: Maeve Pretty, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
U14 Men – Sunday, March 8, 2020
First Place: Ihsan Salari, Cypress Ski Club
Second Place: Pearce Manning Avini, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Third Place: Flynn Eccles, Hemlock Ski Club
U16 Women – Sunday, March 8, 2020
First Place: Jacqueline Smith, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Second Place: Ella Kaufmann, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Third Place: Isabelle Sexton, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
U16 Men – Sunday, March 8, 2020
First Place: Manu Gandhi, Cypress Ski Club
Second Place: Nick Katrusiak, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Third Place: Konrad Jakobs, Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Link to full results HERE
by Kathy Stahr | Mar 9, 2020 | Member News
Marcus Athans (photo above courtesy of Derek Trussler)
FIS BC Cup hosted by Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Feb 29 – Mar 8, 2020 (GS, SG and DH)
After three solid days of racing slalom at Grouse, the BC FIS tour put wheels to pavement again and headed for Whistler. It was here that the turns got a bit bigger, the skis a little longer, and the speeds a lot faster.
Many thought it couldn’t be done, a speed series in Whistler. Forecasts were cross referenced with each other on a regular basis in attempts to predict Mother Nature’s future behaviour and how the race schedule would play out. With some foresight, a little luck, and good old-fashioned elbow grease the volunteers, coaches and athletes collectively executed four GS, four SG, and four DH races, complete with four DH training runs. Not to mention an epic day of powder skiing sprinkled somewhere in the middle!
Although it was all business on the Dave Murray Training Centre for the races, it was refreshing to see competitors put down their gauntlets and shred the mountain together. Exploring the mountain and being playful on their skis with friends was an inspiring and energizing way to use the weather-induced day off from racing. Either through race-induced excitement, peaking over the crest of snow-covered cliffs, or drawing lines through powder-filled trees, adrenaline could be found coursing through veins.
The fun wasn’t strictly reserved for the mountain either. Parents and volunteers hosted the BC FIS tour for a buffet dinner at the Whistler Mountain Ski Club clubhouse, complete with homemade gelato for dessert. Many thanks to the generosity and efforts to feed so many hungry, active teenagers and course crew. Heming Sola (photo right courtesy of Derek Trussler)
Brendan Moss, reflecting on his experience, commented on the shared effort of the race personnel to execute fair, safe and challenging races: “I felt that racing at home gave us as a team the confidence we needed to be aggressive, and attack on the hill we have skied countless times. It was also great seeing all the volunteers working hard to get the races off, with a smile on their face each and every day no matter the weather.”
For some, the weather was of particular concern for this event. Whistler has been known for some variable conditions, and weather can have a massive influence on the conditions of speed environments. Overall, Whistler served up a smorgasbord of goods: sun, snow, fog. If you can name it, we probably experienced it. Gemma Bexton recalls that “this race series was a bit of everything; we got all different kinds of courses and weather. The varying conditions kept things interesting and made for some tough battles. My runs didn’t always feel great, but when I made a plan, fought hard, and kept charging no matter what I was able to perform well.”. Gemma, a Whistler Mountain Ski Club athlete, was “stoked” on her first FIS GS podium.
This past race series was a feat of endurance. From February 29th to March 7th the athletes prepared their minds, bodies and equipment for optimal performance. The amount of energy invested in a single run can be exhaustive, both physically and mentally, with speed events potentially adding a heightened demand on an individual’s resources simply due to relative novelty. Athletes were required to not only manage themselves during the day, but to be prepared and proactive in their selfcare for subsequent days as well. Alexander Katrusiak, who noted having a breakthrough in his skiing this past series, emphasized that “this week I really learned the importance of recovery. The only way I was able to get up there and push every day was if I spent the time to do my recovery.”.
The Women’s first GS podium was topped by Cyndie Timmermann, with Gemma Bexton in second place to her left, and Emma Carmichael to her right in third. The Men’s podium was topped by Nathan Romanin of the BCST, with teammate Marcus Athans in second, and Konstantin Petkovic in third.
The second Men’s GS was swept by BCST athletes Nathan Romanin (1st), Tait Jordan (2nd) and Marcus Athans (3rd). Kiara Alexander (1st) and Cyndie Timmermann (2nd) of Alberta, and Gemma Bexton (3rd) took the top spots in the Women’s second GS.
Kiara Alexander continued with her success this series by topping the podium in both SG races. Nellie Muldrew took third and second place, respectively, with Jessie Ferguson completing the podium in second and third place.
Gavin Donald (1st), Logan Dunn (2nd) and Marcus Athans (3rd) set the pace in the first Men’s SG, with Devin Mittertreiner (1st), Caeden Carruthers (2nd) and Gavin Donald (3rd) stepping up in the second SG race.
Soleil Patterson set the pace in both DH races, crossing the finish line in a time that would remain untouched by the other competitors. Jessie Ferguson and Nellie Muldrew, coming second and third in both DH races respectively, were left nipping at Ms. Patterson’s heals.
Logan Dunn, followed by Daniel Harrison (2nd) and Nathan Romanin (3rd), topped the podium in the first DH. He had to share his spot in the golden light with Nathan Romanin in a first-place tie in the second race, and Danial Harrison claiming second.
~ Report submitted by Maddy Irwin, U18/U21 Women’s Head Coach, Whistler Mountain Ski Club
FULL RESULTS HERE
Tait Jordan (photo above courtesy of Derek Trussler)
