Canadian Team Members 2012-2013
Friday, June 1, 2012
Eight named to powerhouse Canadian ski cross team
CALGARY, ALTA. (June 1, 2012) – Eight athletes were named to the powerhouse Canadian ski cross team on Friday as the reigning Nations’ Cup champions continue their preparations for the 2012-13 season.
All eight team members have recorded podiums on the ski cross World Cup circuit and the roster includes an Olympic champion, the reigning men’s and women’s world champions and last season’s female Crystal Globe winner.
“We have very strong programs on both the men’s and women’s side and we have set some big goals for the coming season,” said Dave Ellis, Alpine Canada’s director of sport for ski cross. “We want to remain No. 1 in the world and will be gunning for a men’s or women’s overall title again.
“It’s a world championship year and we will be going for more podiums there. We are also into the Olympic qualification cycle so the pressure starts to build from here.”
Canada’s all-conquering ski cross team has won the Nations’ Cup as the top team on the World Cup circuit for four consecutive years.
Leading the charge for the women this year will be 19-year-old breakout star Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, B.C., who became the first Canadian to win an individual ski cross World Cup title thanks to a spectacular 2011-12 season that included a gold medal in Blue Mountain, Ont., in February. She is joined by two of the sport’s biggest stars, Olympic gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor, also of Whistler, and reigning world champion Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C. Both ladies are hoping to return to World Cup competition following injuries. Also making a welcome comeback from injury is Danielle Poleschuk, of Calgary, Alta.
“When Ashleigh returns we will have three world champions and eight athletes who have had World Cup podiums,” Ellis said. “We’re looking forward to having everyone back.”
The men’s team is equally strong, with three veterans and a young gun ready to push for the podium. Reigning X Games and world champion Chris Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que., is always a podium threat and Calgary’s Brady Leman enjoyed a superb 2011-12 season on his return from injury — finishing second overall in the men’s World Cup standings. Dave Duncan, of London, Ont., added two more podiums to his collection last season, while 22-year-old Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., won his first career World Cup race in what was his first full season on the tour.
Nik Zoricic, of Toronto, Ont., tragically passed away in March following a crash at a World Cup race in Grindelwald, Switzerland.
"It’s been tough naming an all-star team without the inclusion of a great friend and teammate to us all, Nik Zoricic,” Ellis said. “Nik will be dearly missed on the circuit but he will live on with us all in spirit as we continue to push forward in the quest for podiums."
Veterans Davey Barr, of Whistler, Brian Bennett, of Quesnel, B.C., and Julia Murray, of Whistler, have retired, while Stan Rey, also of Whistler, has decided to pursue a career in freeskiing.
Six athletes were also named to the team’s prospect training group on Friday. The list includes former alpine World Cup star Louis-Pierre Hélie, of Berthierville, Que., Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver, B.C. – who made two World Cup starts last season – and 2012 ski cross Nor-Am champions Ian Deans, of Kelowna, and Mariannick Therer, of Saint-Sauveur, Que.
“We are looking to have our prospect athletes adapt quickly in the hope of them racing on the World Cup circuit and potentially fast-tracking them to Sochi,” Ellis said.
Eric Archer, of Vail, USA, returns as the team’s head coach, while assistant coaches Willy Raine, of Whistler, and Brent Kehl, of Vancouver, B.C., are also back to help guide the team.
Men’s team
Name Age Hometown On team since
Chris Del Bosco 30 Vail, USA/Montreal, Que. 2007
Dave Duncan 29 London, Ont. 2007
Brady Leman 25 Calgary, Alta. 2008
Tristan Tafel 22 Canmore, Alta. 2011
Women’s team
Name Age Hometown On team since
Ashleigh McIvor 28 Whistler, B.C. 2007
Danielle Poleschuk 26 Calgary, Alta. 2008
Kelsey Serwa 22 Kelowna, B.C. 2008
Marielle Thompson 19 Whistler, B.C. 2010
Men’s prospect training group
Ian Deans 21 Kelowna, B.C.
Louis-Pierre Hélie 26 Berthierville, Que.
Mathieu Leduc 22 Comox, B.C.
Robert Lepine 20 Whistler, B.C.
Women’s prospect training group
Mariannick Therer 21 Saint-Sauveur, Que.
Georgia Simmerling 23 West Vancouver, B.C.
INFORMATION
Keith Bradford - Director, Communications | Directeur des Communications
Alpine Canada Alpin
C 403.620.2362
kbradford@alpinecanada.org http://alpinecanada.org
Thursday, May 10, 2012
2012-13 Canadian Alpine Ski Team unveiled
CALGARY, ALTA. (May 10, 2012) – Twenty-nine athletes were named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team on Thursday as Alpine Canada continues its preparations for the 2012-13 World Cup season and the 2013 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
The squad of 19 men and 10 women features three new additions and nine racers who have recorded World Cup or world championship podiums – including reigning world downhill champion Erik Guay, who has 17 top-three World Cup results.
Guay, of Mont-Tremblant, Que., headlines a strong men’s team that features several big names returning from injury and is hoping to add to an impressive streak of world championship podiums at the 2013 event in Schladming, Austria. Canada has claimed medals in three straight world championship men’s downhill events, including back-to-back golds for John Kucera, of Calgary, Alta., and Guay in 2009 and 2011, respectively.
Meanwhile, Erin Mielzynski, of Guelph, Ont. – who last season became the first Canadian to win a World Cup slalom race since 1971 – and fellow podium newcomer Marie-Michèle Gagnon, of Lac-Etchemin, Que., are part of a youthful women’s team that is hoping to build on a breakthrough year.
“It’s the start of three very important years for us with world championships, the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games and then the 2015 world championships,” said Paul Kristofic, Alpine Canada’s vice-president of sports. “The goal is come into the season with a healthy team, a full complement of podium-potential racers, and to try to defend our streak of world championship podiums. We’re very much looking forward to that challenge.”
Calgary’s Jan Hudec – the top-performing Canadian alpine racer on the World Cup circuit in 2011-12 – is part of a strong speed squad that includes Guay, Kucera, downhill sensation Ben Thomsen, of Invermere, B.C., returning star and three-time World Cup winner Manuel Osborne-Paradis, of Vancouver, B.C., plus Robbie Dixon, of Whistler, B.C., who came agonizingly close to his first podium with a fourth-place finish in super-G in Beaver Creek, USA, in 2011.
Michael Janyk, of Whistler, B.C., Julien Cousineau, of Lachute, Que., and Calgary duo Brad Spence and Trevor White lead an experienced slalom team, while Jean-Philippe Roy, of Sainte-Flavie, Que., returns as the team’s giant slalom specialist. Overall Nor-Am champion Erik Read, of Calgary, is one of several talented youngsters on the men’s squad, which also includes national team newcomers Trevor Philp, 20, of Calgary – a student at the University of Denver who is a former member of the Raymond James Alberta Ski Team – and Whistler’s Conrad Pridy, of the B.C. Ski Team. Pridy, 23, is the older brother of fellow national team member Morgan Pridy, 21.
“Trevor (Philp) was a named prospect athlete and he showed he’s an amazing talent,” Kristofic said of the 2012 Canadian slalom champion. “We are working with him to balance school in the U.S. and starting to race in the World Cup. Conrad is a great story of an athlete who fought his way from invitee status to full-time status. For him, building consistency will be the key.”
Philp is looking forward to completing the step up to the national team after making his World Cup debut in Adelboden, Switzerland, in January.
“I’m very excited,” said Philp, who is currently wrapping up his school year in Denver. “The plan is to come to Calgary in June and start working out. I’m very pleased to be joining the Canadian team.”
On the women’s side, veteran speed stars Kelly VanderBeek, of Kitchener,Ont., and Larisa Yurkiw, of Owen Sound, Ont., will continue their comeback from long-term injuries. Newcomer Elli Terwiel, of Heffley Creek, B.C., a student at the University of Vermont, made six World Cup starts last season and was crowned the overall ladies’ Nor-Am Cup slalom champion.
“We have two new podium athletes on the women’s side so it’s important to keep the momentum going,” Kristofic said of Mielzynski and Gagnon. “For them, as well as Ben Thomsen on the men’s side, it’s the first time they are going into major events as podium contenders. It’s great timing to have a big event like the world championships this year so they can learn to deal with that kind of pressure before Sochi 2014.”
Men’s Canadian Alpine Ski Team:
Philip Brown, Toronto, Ont., Craigleith
Dustin Cook, Lac-Sainte-Marie, Que. , Mont-Sainte-Marie
Julien Cousineau, Lachute, Que., Mont-Tremblant
Robbie Dixon, Whistler, B.C., Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Erik Guay, Mont-Tremblant, Que., Mont-Tremblant
Jan Hudec, Calgary, Alta., Banff Alpine Racers
Michael Janyk, Whistler, B.C., Whistler Mountain Ski Club
John Kucera, Calgary, Alta., Calgary Alpine Racing Club
Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Vancouver, B.C., Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Trevor Philp, Calgary, Alta., Banff Alpine Racers
Conrad Pridy, Whistler, B.C., Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Morgan Pridy, Whistler, B.C., Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Erik Read, Calgary, Alta., Banff Alpine Racers
Jean-Philippe Roy, Ste-Flavie, Que., Mont-Comi
Brad Spence, Calgary, Alta., NATC/Panorama Ski Club
Ben Thomsen, Invermere, B.C., Windermere Valley Ski Club
Andy Trow, Canmore, Alta., Sunshine Ski Club
Trevor White, Calgary, Alta., NATC/Fortress Alpine Ski Team
Sasha Zaitsoff, Queens Bay, B.C., Red Mountain Racers
Ladies’ Canadian Alpine Ski Team:
Marie-Michèle Gagnon, Lac-Etchemin, Que., Mont-Orignal
Madison Irwin, Toronto, Ont., Craigleith
Madison McLeish, Whistler, B.C., Alberta Ski Academy
Erin Mielzynski, Guelph, Ont., Georgian Peaks
Brittany Phelan, Mont-Tremblant, Que., Mont-Tremblant
Marie-Pier Préfontaine, Saint-Sauveur, Que., Mont Saint-Sauveur
Ève Routhier, Sherbrooke, Que., Mont-Orford
Elli Terwiel, Heffley Creek, B.C., Sun Peaks Alpine Club
Kelly VanderBeek, Kitchener, Ont., Chicopee
Larisa Yurkiw, Owen Sound, Ont., Georgian Peaks
INFORMATION:
Keith Bradford - Director, Communications | Directeur des Communications
Alpine Canada Alpin
C 403.620.2362
kbradford@alpinecanada.org http://alpinecanada.org
Canadian Team 2011-2012
Canadian Team Members 2010-11
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| Britt Janyk | Mike Janyk | Robbie Dixon | Manuel Osborne-Paradis |
Congratulations to WMSC alumni named to the 2010-11 Canadian National Ski Cross Team.
WMSC athletes make up half of the national team:
Julia Murray (Whistler, BC)
Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler, BC)
Marielle Thompson (Whistler, BC)
Davey Barr (Whistler, BC)
Brian Bennett (Quesnel, BC)
Stanislas Rey (Whistler, BC)
See full release from ACA:
http://canski.org/mcivor-and-del-bosco-lead-canada-ski-cross-into-new-olympic-cycle
