BC Team Members
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12/13 BC Team - BC Alpine unveils lineup of veterans and up-and-comers
VANCOUVER, B.C. (Nov. 22, 2012) – A mix of talented veterans and hungry rookies makes up a group of 16 skiers named today to the B.C. Alpine Ski Team, after six-months of preparation that has the team feeling “race ready”.
Veterans Sarah Elliot, Tyler Werry, Ford Swette, Sarah Freeman and Broderick Thompson lead the team which represents six ski clubs from around the province. Elliot, 20, one of five skiers who competed with the Alpine Canada “Prospect Team” last season, rejoins the provincial team with aspirations to make the jump to the World Cup level.
“I had a great experience with the Prospect Team last season and unfortunately I tore my (anterior cruciate ligament) again, but I feel really confident going into this season,” said Elliot, who hails from Kelowna and the Big White Racers. “With the dryland I had this summer and the great training we had this fall, I feel great. My goals for this season are to have a healthy, injury-free year, have fun and qualify for the national team.”
Elliot, who was raised on an orchard farm outside Kelowna, and is no stranger to hard work and dedication, sees a bright future for the team.
“I’ve been really impressed with the young girls on the team, with their skiing and how they’re super focused,” said Elliot. “The team dynamic is getting better and better as we all gel more and support each other. We’re having fun.”
Ford Swette, a Whistler Mountain Ski Club alum who is ranked fourth in the country in giant slalom, got his season off to a flying start when he won a U.S. Ski Team Invitation GS race earlier this week at Copper Mountain, Colorado. He is ready and champing at the bit for the men’s team to prove their skills. Tyler Werry from the Fernie Alpine Ski Team is “pumped” with how the team has worked together this summer.
“We've had first-class training and the team as a whole is ready to make our presence felt on the slopes this winter,” said Werry. “Ford, Broderick and I have been training in Colorado for the first Nor-Am races of the season at Loveland and Aspen. Ford and I have been duking it out every day in GS, and at the end of the season one of us will win the Nor-Am GS title.”
Two skiers on the men’s team; Brodie Seger of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club and Roger Carry of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team, have been forerunning the Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup this week and will run the course during the men’s downhill and super-G races this weekend. Rookie BC Teamer Blake Ramsden, also from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, is at Lake Louise with his teammates putting the finishing touches on his return-to-snow, following a knee injury suffered at the end of last season.
Both teams will jump into the uber-competitive Nor-Am racing circuit in early December in Aspen and Copper Mountain, Colorado.
“It’s pretty busy from now until Christmas,” said Freeman, who is ranked third in the country in downhill. “The first race is coming up in Colorado, a Nor-Am speed race, and then we come back to Canada for Nor-Ams in Panorama and then the Van Houtte Cups right before Christmas. And then maybe we can get some pumpkin pie and turkey before we start up again.”
Freeman, who had 9 starts on the World Cup circuit last season, looks to draw strength from her family’s roots to boost her to the next level in the sport. “My family lives on an organic cattle farm down in Pincher Creek, so between camps I go back there and definitely help out with chores which usually means driving tractors, riding horses and chasing cows around the field.”
The women's team, led by returning coaches Gregor Druina and Aaron Speden, managed 48 days of training over the six-month preparation period at Whistler, Mt. Hood (Oregon), Copper and Vail (Colorado), Nakiska (Alberta) and highlighted by two weeks of ski training in Chile (South America) in September.
“The snow conditions have been a challenge for us, but I'm happy with how our training went in the summer and fall," said women's head coach Druina. "We focused a lot on fitness and basic skills in slalom, GS and super-G, and are now getting a little speed training in at Nakiska. The athletes are positive, focused, working hard and excited to start racing.”
The men’s team is again under the direction of head coach Brandon Dyksterhouse who is joined by Jean-Pierre (JP) Daigneault, a former Quebec Ski Team coach.
“I am extremely excited about this year's BC Ski Team,” said Dyksterhouse. “We've had great leadership from our veterans Tyler Werry and Ford Swette, and our youngsters are showing real promise as well. Our four 17 year-olds (Patrick Carry, Martin Grasic, Blake Ramsden and Brodie Seger) were all podium athletes at J1 Nationals last season and are well prepared to cut their teeth on the Nor-Am circuit.”
Off the hill, both the women’s and men’s teams logged hundreds of hours in the gym, on their bikes and on fields, under the direction of Andrew Lambert, BC Alpine's Strength and Conditioning coach. They will be together December 19 to 22 in Panorama Mountain Village to compete at the FIS Van Houtte Cup technical races.
TEAM ROSTERS (with ski clubs and hometowns)
Women’s 2012/13 BC Ski Team
Sarah Freeman, 20 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Pincher Creek, AB) – ACA Prospect Group
Sarah Elliot, 20 (Big White Racers – Oyama, BC) – ACA Prospect Group
Charley Field, 17 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – Pemberton, BC)
Emma King, 17 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – Whistler, BC)
Alix Wells, 17 (Prince George Ski Club – Prince George, BC)
Stephanie Gartner, 16 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Calgary, AB)
Hallie MacLachlan, 17 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Fernie, BC) - (BC Development Group)
Men’s 2012/13 BC Ski Team
Tyler Werry, 21 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Calgary, AB) ACA Prospect Group
Ford Swette, 19 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – North Vancouver, BC) ACA Prospect Group
Broderick Thompson, 18 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – Whistler, BC) ACA Prospect Group
Roger Carry, 19 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Calgary, AB)
Martin Grasic, 17 (Windermere Valley Ski Club – Invermere, BC)
Brodie Seger, 17 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – North Vancouver, BC)
Patrick Carry, 17 (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – Calgary, AB)
Blake Ramsden, 17 (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – West Vancouver, BC)
Dominic Unterberger, 18 (Revelstoke Ski Club – Revelstoke, BC)
2011/2012 BC Alpine High Performance Program & BC Team Training Groups Announced
BC Ski Team Training Group
BC Alpine is pleased to announce this year’s BC Ski Team Training Group athletes. On November 15, 2011 following the summer/fall training period, the BC Team coaches will name the athletes who have been selected to the 2011/2012 men's and women's BC Ski Teams and Development Teams.
Leading the women’s group into the new season is returning Head Coach Gregor Druzina who will again be joined by Assistant Coach Aaron Speden. In the men’s corner we welcome Brandon Dyksterhouse back for his second year as Head Coach and introduce Jonathan Hadley who has accepted the position of men’s Assistant Coach.
Hadley grew up ski racing in Ontario and moved to the Whistler Mountain Ski Club at the age of 17. He was a member of the BC Ski Team for two years then spent some time racing with the British Ski Team and Alberta Ski Academy before taking a coaching role at the Alberta Ski Academy. He joins BC Alpine from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club where he has been working as a FIS coach.
Hadley replaces Sean Frith who has decided to move on to pursue his passion in film and media. We wish Sean all the best and thank him for his many contributions to our team during his time as Assistant Coach.
The men’s BC Ski Team has been busy training through April and May since race season ended and has recently wrapped up a five day ski and dryland camp in Whistler.
“Following a successful 2010-2011 campaign, the stables are reloaded with young guns looking to make a name for themselves among the FIS elite,” says Men’s BC Team Head Coach Brandon Dyksterhouse. “The rookies are working hard to stay in stride with proven veterans like Conrad Pridy who has been invited to a World Cup Speed Camp in July and Tyler Werry who has recently been named to the Alpine Canada Prospect Group.”
The next three months will bring an additional 20 days on snow and countless hours in the gym. “Everyone at BC Alpine is excited about the future and can’t wait to see the athletes’ hard work pay off,” added Dyksterhouse.
The women’s team was also in Whistler in May taking advantage of the fantastic late-season ski conditions. Dryland training, education and testing were a major focus of the 5-day camp under the guidance of Strength and Conditioning Coach Andrew Lambert, who provided individualized fitness programs for the athletes.
“We already have many days of technical training and free skiing under our belts as we head into next season’s prep period,” said Women’s Head Coach Gregor Druzina. “As coaches we are very happy with the work ethic and energy the girls have shown so far. Between now and our next camp the athletes will return home to finish the school year and hit the gym with their new dryland programs.”
Congratulations to the following BC Ski Team Training Group athletes!
BC SKI TEAM - WOMEN
Alix Wells (Prince George Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Jocelyn Ramsden (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Kailee Darlington (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Emma King (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Sofi Leroux (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Charley Field (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Celine Rytz (Fernie Alpine Ski Team) – BCST Invitee
Rebecca Bermel (Kimberley North Star Racers) – BCST Invitee
Hallie Maclachlan (Fernie Alpine Ski Team) – BCST Invitee
Silken Rauhala (Big White Racers/Kelowna Ski Club) – BCST Invitee
BC SKI TEAM - MEN
Tyler Werry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team) – BC Ski Team and ACA Prospect Group
Conrad Pridy (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BC Ski Team
Ben MacLean (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Broderick Thompson (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Ford Swette (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Brodie Seger (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Martin Grasic (Windermere Valley Ski Club) – BCST Training Group
Roger Carry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team) – BCST Invitee
Charlie Renzoni (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Invitee and High Performance Program
Patrick Carry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team – BCST Invitee and High Performance Program
Blake Ramsden (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) – BCST Invitee and High Performance Program
Austin Llewellyn (Whistler Mountain Ski Club – BCST Invitee and High Performance Program
BC Alpine High Performance Program
This year we are excited to introduce a summer High Performance Program (HPP) for athletes aged 15 to 17. We have assembled an all-star cast of coaches that includes Head Coach Johnny Crichton, former Canadian Alpine Ski Team men’s technical coach; Rob Boyd, World Cup winner and former coach of the national women’s speed program; Rod Timm, Head Coach of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team and ex-national team coach; and Derek Trussler, FIS coach for the Big White Racers/Kelowna Ski Club and former national team athlete.
“The High Performance Program is designed to enhance existing Club programs,” explains BC Alpine Program Director Leslie Clarke. “We have created a number of unique training opportunities, both on and off snow, for top-performing racers to work with world class coaches at four camps over the course of the summer. The ski clubs will provide the balance of the pre-season training.”
Congratulations to the following High Performance Program athletes!
HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAM - WOMEN
Stephanie Gartner (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Mia Henry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Cassandra Bratton (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Alix Petit (Revelstoke Ski Club)
Rae Swette (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Kelly Steeves (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Rachel Vander Veen (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAM - MEN
Alexander Norman (Big White Racers/Kelowna Ski Club)
Seger Nelson (Big White Racers/Kelowna Ski Club)
Will Walton (Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club)
Paul Cotton (Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club)
Lachlan Hicks (Revelstoke Ski Club)
Peter Behncke (Revelstoke Ski Club)
Stuart Finley (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Patrick Carry (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Charlie Renzoni (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Austin Llewellyn (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Marc Leroux (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Blake Ramsden (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Ben Bethune (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Special congratulations to six BC athletes who have recently made the move to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team and Prospect Group rosters!
CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM – SENIOR MEN
Morgan Pridy - Whistler, B.C. (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Ben Thomsen - Invermere, B.C. (Windermere)
Sasha Zaitsoff - Nelson, B.C. (Red Mountain Racers)
PROSPECT GROUP - MEN
Tyler Werry - Calgary, Alta. (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
PROSPECT GROUP – WOMEN
Sarah Freeman - Pincher Creek, Alta. (Fernie Alpine Ski Team)
Sarah Elliot – Oyama, BC (Big White Racers/Kelowna Ski Team)
2010/2011 BC Ski Team Unveiled - Pumped, Eager and Ready to Race!
When BC Alpine announced the 2010/2011 Men’s and Women’s BC Ski Teams and Development Teams, WMSC althetes comprised half the group. Congratulations to the following athletes:
BC Ski Team - Women
Jocelyn Ramsden (West Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Kailee Darlington (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
BC Ski Team/Alpine Canada Prospect Group - Men
Morgan Pridy (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
BC Ski Team - Men
Conrad Pridy (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Spencer Morris (West Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Broderick Thompson (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
BC Development Team - Men
Ben MacLean (Whistler/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Ford Swette (North Vancouver/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
