Alpine Canada Alpin is launching the new domestic ski racing season by announcing the recipients of its TELUS Awards of Excellence, honouring top volunteers, officials, coaches and others for leadership and excellence during the past season.
 
Among the awards winners, Rod Timm is the recipient of the Jason Lapierre Memorial Domestic Coach of the Year. Timm has been instrumental in the success and growth of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team, which has expanded from 30 kids to more than 200 since Timm took over as head coach in 1994.
 
Dick Beare, a long-time volunteer who developed and manages the National Points system that is critical to ranking national ski racers, is the Volunteer of the Year (Western.) Beare also educates other timing officials across the country and acts as Chief of Timing for the Northwest Funds Coupe Nor-Am Cup races in Lake Louise and the GMC Canadian Championships.
 
Judge Henrik Tonning is the Volunteer of the Year (Eastern.) Tonning, a provincial court judge in New Brunswick, promotes the sport throughout the province and sits on the ACA Board of Directors.
 
“The racers at Alpine Canada Alpin would not be the success they are today without world class support,” said Steve Podborski, TELUS national director of Community Sport and Olympian in Alpine Skiing. “Our coaches, staff and officials, not to mention numerous committed volunteers, are the backbone of the Canadian ski program. TELUS is proud to honour those who make a difference at every race, every event at home and abroad and maintain Alpine Canada Alpin as second to none in the world.”
 
Amanda Shaw is the recipient of the Official of the Year. Shaw is a Level 4 Official and a Canadian FIS Technical Delegate, positions that are essential to ensure the safety and quality of ski races.
 
GMC Cup Camp Fortune, which has hosted GMC Cup races consecutively since 2006, is the Race of the Year.
 
“The TELUS Awards of Excellence for Alpine Canada Alpin highlight the efforts of our hardworking and passionate ski racing supporters in Canada. They are a part of a tremendously committed group of volunteers, officials, coaches and alumni whose effort is required each year to strengthen the sport across the country and build future champions,” said Director of National Programs and Race Events Philippe Bernier.
 
“Alpine Canada Alpin would also like to acknowledge the contributions of all volunteers last season. With the Winter Games in Canada in February and March, a tremendous commitment was required at every level of our sport and the response was overwhelming as Canadians showcased to the world that they are able to put on the highest level of alpine events,” Bernier said.
 
The Alumni of the Year is Germain Barrette. Barrette skied on the national team, competing in the World Cups in 1979 and 1980. He is currently the Operations Manager at Le Massif in Quebec and a long-serving Canadian Technical Delegate, who participated in the 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships as a TD.
 
The ski racing community in Canada will be busy again in 2010/2011 as the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart kicks off the World Cup speed season with men’s super-G and downhill races Nov. 27 and 28 followed by ladies downhill races Dec. 3 and Dec.4 as well as a super-G Dec. 5.
 
The domestic race season includes GMC Cup, the national ski race series for junior and senior level skiers from across Canada, and the Northwest Funds Coupe Nor-Am Cup races, the Canadian race locations of North America’s premier ski racing series.
 
Full schedules for both series will be announced at a later date.
 
The TELUS Awards of Excellence for Alpine Canada Alpin, which date back to 2002, honour outstanding individuals who excelled during the previous ski racing season. Through the years, more 100 outstanding recipients have been honoured.
 
TELUS Awards of Excellence for Alpine Canada Alpin recipients will be presented with their awards throughout the season and bio’s of award winners will be made available on ACA’s website www.canski.org and social networking sites throughout the upcoming season.
 
The athletic awards, including Male, Female and CPAST Athletes of the Year, will be announced tomorrow.
 
The Winterstart Award is presented each year during the men’s weekend of the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of skiing as a volunteer, broadcaster, coach, administrator, or competitor.