With a World Cup position on the line for next season, some of the best speed racers in North American converged in the East Kootenays at the Kimberley Alpine Resort for the Nor-Am Speed Series, under bluebird and cold condition.
Over 120 racers battled it out during two days of two-run sprint downhill races – a rare race format for this elite level of competition – followed by two super-G races featuring some World Cup level ski racers.
Kyle Alexander, a World Cup racer originally from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, was the winner of the first two-run men’s downhill, ahead of fellow Canadian Raphael Lessard and American Mattias Wilson. The following day had a podium repeat, with Alexander taking the top spot on the box over Lessard and Wilson.
On the men’s super-G race days, Lessard moved up on the podium, putting down a blisteringly-fast time of 1:18.17, over a second ahead of Alexander and third place finisher Kyle Blandford for the Canadian podium sweep. Lessard and Alexander finished again 1-2 respectively on the final super-G race, this time within a razor-thin margin of 0.13 seconds, with Tanner Perkins of the U.S. finishing third.
On the women’s side, Haley Cutler of the U.S., was the clear winner of the first women’s one-run downhill, 1.69 seconds ahead of Annika Hunt, also from the states, followed by Shae Obrien, the fastest Canadian on the day. Cutler continued her dominance on day two, finishing over three seconds ahead of Canadian Zoe Gray and U.S. racer Viktoria Zaytseva, who finished second and third respectively.
The Dreadnaught track at Kimberley saw several weeks of speed racing action with speed camps and several downhill and super-G races. A total of over 2,000 runs were accomplished on the track, prepared but the Dreadnaught Race Crew and BC Alpine staff. (report continues below the photo gallery)
Photos by Rick Jensen
“Proper speed progression plays a crucial role in developing better technical athletes,” said Johnny Crichton, BC Alpine’s VP. “Kimberley provides an incredible environment where athletes can safely and confidently build their speed skills while learning how to stand on their skis effectively. Speed training camps and downhill training runs are vital in helping athletes gain the confidence they need, which ultimately translates into both improved performance and enhanced safety.”
Over 30 centimetres of snowfall before the event, challenged the crew but by race days the track was in impeccable race shape, icy and hard. The safe but challenging race track at Kimberley allows skiers to progress with tactics, technique and “speed confidence”.
“This track has helped develop some of the best ski racers in Canada, even in the world,” said Crichton, referring to Kitzbuhel champion Jack Crawford and World Cup winner Cameron Alexander, who both got their start into speed racing on this race track.
Ski clubs from across the North Zone, as well as a large contingent from the Yukon, came the beautiful Hudson Bay Mountain Resort in Smithers, last weekend for a series of U14 to U16 races.
The competent race organizers from the Smithers Ski & Snowboard Club pulled off a total of 16 races (see results below) over the two-day event, down the Turkey Shoot and Cinderella runs. The annual North Zone trophies were handed out in a number of different categories.
The Fernie Alpine Ski Team (FAST) hosted the Western Ski Cross races for U12, U14, and U16 athletes, from January 31st to February 2nd. Over 130 racers travelled from Whitewater, Golden, Kimberley, Westcastle, and Lake Louise to hone their ski cross skills and compete on an exciting track.
The event had an incredible atmosphere, with music pumping, Shirley Timm grilling hot dogs for everyone, and athletes running the track multiple times each day, which provided excellent opportunities for skill development. Races took place on both Saturday and Sunday.
The challenging course was designed and built by FAST’s seasoned coaches—Rod Timm, Ian Larsen, and Derick Berry—and featured a thrilling jump near the finish. Spectators were impressed by the athletes’ skills and how they improved over the three-day event, especially off the jump.
Photo Credit: Dan Morrison
As always in Fernie, the weather played a role in the weekend’s excitement. On Sunday, the Griz delivered 20 cm of fresh powder on the track, and it was all hands on deck to clear the course. A huge thank you to all the volunteers and athletes who helped ensure the event could run safely.
When asked about the race series, FAST President Mark Barron shared:
“My favourite part of this weekend was having a BBQ at the top of the course, music playing, and seeing the athletes support each other. We were able to host an athlete banquet, present awards, and celebrate our athletes. Thank you to RCR for allowing us to host this event at Fernie Alpine Resort.”
The FAST team thrives on the social side of racing, and this event was no exception. A well-attended banquet brought young racers together in a lively celebration. FAST also hosted a volunteer social to thank the volunteers, without whom the races wouldn’t have been possible. A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers!
With the support of many hand warmers packs and a dedicated crew of volunteers and coaches, the 2025 Janyk Cup and Nancy Greene Ski League (NGSL) Skills Event was a big success.
Presented by Hincks French Wealth Management at Odlum Brown, racers and coaches braved the temps which reached minus 15 during the day (-10 at the Garbo Hut). Bu the conditions were well suited for a ski racing event, which featured a glalom, giant slalom and a multi-event skills events.
The skills event feature a friendly competition with plenty of great team spirit. The first day showcased a speed trap & J-turn (where the RCMP loaned a speed gun), moguls, combi, dual slalom, start and skate for U10s, U12s and Whistler-Blackcomb’s RDP U14s. The next day had two different courses to further build skills and challenge the athletes.
Mike Janyk, a local legend and former World Cup racer, reflected on the impact his mother (Andrée) – the namesake of the event – made on the sport.
“The race is not only in honour of our family’s involvement & success in ski racing, but it is also rooted in my Mom’s absolute commitment to volunteerism and love for the sport.”
– Mike Janyk
“She was out, working every event we were in and building community along the way. So along with U12s getting to have fun ski racing, the Janyk Cup also celebrates the volunteers that make it happen. Get out, get involved and have fun in the mountains.”
Whistler Mountain Ski Club coach Emma Moore, said: “The terrain was steep and challenging and all the kids did really well. The first course was technical with tight turns, to ensure the kids could control the speed on the steep terrain…The second course was technical and faster, less icy but developed a few more ruts. Despite the super cold conditions, kids, volunteers, and spectators braved the cold to support the racers. I’m super proud of all the kids!”
The U10 group raced a two-run glalom while the U12s raced one GS race of two combined runs.
The first North Zone Teck Race of the season was hosted by the Lightning Creek Ski Club, at Troll Ski Resort on Jan. 25-26. The weather was fantastic, with big smiles and some great racing at this Teck race. Huge thanks to Troll Ski Resort for providing the flexibility and extra grooming to the venue, and to the athletes and clubs that came to race at the resort.
Falko Kadenbach, the Lightning Creek Ski Club President sent in the following informative and insightful race report.
“We were delighted to host a race after several events fell off last season. Glen Boudreau, our Chief of Course, said, “With less snow, we need to be more flexible and dynamic in our venue options when we don’t get the snow pack early.” Like many other resorts suffering from less snow accumulation and drier winters, it becomes challenging to stick to race schedules and race venue locations. (continued, below the photo gallery)
The ROC for this race comprised many new-to-role volunteers who took on the positions with professionalism and vigor to ensure that the race would happen despite facing another low snow year. A key part of running any successful club is maintaining and growing the skills and experience to run races successfully. This race was important for us to develop a new generation of volunteers. The North has fewer people, fewer athletes, and greater distances, so it is critical to work together and learn from each other to ensure mutual success and viability as alpine clubs.
In 2023, we expanded our race venue with a GS start building and fixed timing systems on one of the main runs at Troll Ski Resort, The Face. Unfortunately, we have been unable to utilize these facilities in the past few years due to low snow, forcing us to move to higher portions of the mountain where the snow pack is deeper. Sean Seabourne, our long-standing Chief of Timing, said, “The club has a development plan to expand the fixed timing systems to the top of the mountain to reduce setup time for such occasions.”
We are not alone in facing these challenges around the world. Snowmaking is becoming a vital part of many ski resorts’ ability to operate in the early and later seasons. “Troll Ski Resort is currently not able to benefit from snowmaking because BC Hydro has not extended three-phase power to or past the resort,” said Scott Zacharias, Troll Ski Resort’s General Manager. “With the increased mining developments in Wells, BC, we are hopeful to see some increased interest in expanding power to our resort to power our lifts and give us the option to add snowmaking.” Scott went on to explain how this would allow Troll to offer earlier-season skiing to the region.
The resort is also in the midst of doubling its ski terrain with a newly constructed Doppelmayr T-Bar. Jacci Leggett, our Director of Alpine, said, “We love our T-Bars.” Just like that, we are able to run a humble ski club at a ski resort with a street sign that says, “The Best Place on Earth.”
– Skiers for Life! Falko Kadenbach, President, LCSC
This past weekend, the stunning slopes of Mount Washington Alpine Resort served as the ideal venue for the Teck Coast Zone U14 Races, hosted by the Mt. Washington Ski Club (MWSC). The event brought together 131 athletes from six clubs for an exhilarating weekend of alpine ski racing. Ideal conditions—clear blue skies, crisp temperatures, firm snow, and a meticulously prepared track—set the stage for outstanding performances.
Saturday’s GS
The weekend kicked off with GS races that tested racers’ technical skill, stamina, and mental focus. The challenging courses demanded precision, and the athletes rose to the occasion, delivering impressive results.
Podium Results for Saturday’s GS Races
Women:
1st: Amelia PARK (Grouse)
2nd: Della CHILDS (Mt. Washington)
3rd: Natalie USKOSKI (Grouse)
Men:
1st: Jayden CAI (Cypress)
2nd: Olivier COURCELLES (Whistler)
3rd: Jasper DINGLE (Mt. Washington)
Sunday’s Slalom
The excitement carried into Sunday with the Slalom (SL) races. The courses included steeps, undulations, flat sections, and consistently firm snow, pushing athletes to demonstrate their technical ability and adaptability.
Gratitude to sponsors, coaches, volunteers and supporters
The success of this weekend’s races would not have been possible without the generous support and hard work of so many individuals and organizations.
Special thanks to the team at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, led by Mike Manara, for providing world-class facilities and support. The preparation of Whiskey Jack, the resort’s premier race run, was picture-perfect with wall-to-wall corduroy that remained firm and fast throughout the weekend.
We would also like to thank our sponsors:
Teck
Colonial Countertops
Rick Gibson Group | Royal LePage in the Comox Valley
Splashes Bath & Kitchen
Mattenley Group / Scotia Wealth Management
Quality Foods
The Province of British Columbia
A shoutout to the MWSC coaching team—led by Sylvi Nymann, U14 Lead Coach. Sylvi was supported by Mathieu Leduc, Technical Director and Canadian National Ski Team alum, and Cassidy Markham, U14 Coach. Their dedication and expertise inspire our athletes daily.
A huge thanks to the hardworking members of the Race Organizing Committee: Mark Law, Keir Graaten, Norman Blattgerste, Stephen Childs, Kim Gerrow, and David Yule. Your dedication and effort make all the difference!
Special recognition goes to BC Alpine’s Keven Dubinsky for his guidance and support of our ROC as race preparations were undertaken. We are also incredibly grateful to Alpine Canada / BC Alpine Technical Delegate Bob Walton. His professionalism, warm demeanor, and commitment to teamwork ensured a great event.
Finally, a huge thank you to the 100+ volunteers who came together to produce a secure, fair, and thrilling race weekend. To the visiting clubs, thank you for making the adventurous journey across the Salish Sea to Vancouver Island. Your participation and enthusiasm bring energy to every event.
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on this great weekend of alpine racing, the Mt. Washington Ski Club eagerly looks forward to hosting the Coast Zone Finals in April. Together, we continue to nurture young athletes’ passion for alpine skiing and competition.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this event’s success. We look forward to seeing you in April—if not sooner!
Michael Dingle Race Chair & Chief of Race
All photos courtesy of: Independent Sports News (ISN), photographer Paul M. Williams
