Anchored by the return of three World Cup winners from last season, the largest Canadian Alpine Ski Team in history is focused on the 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and building momentum toward 2010.
The 46 ski racers introduced today at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto, ON are led by 2007/08 World Cup winners Emily Brydon (Fernie, BC), Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) and Jan Hudec (Calgary, AB).
“This is an important ‘pre-Olympic’ season. We want to show that we are peaking in February because that’s when the World Championships take place in ‘09, as well as the Winter Olympics in 2010,” said Alpine Canada Alpin Chief Athletics Officer Max Gartner.
The 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are scheduled for Feb. 3 to 15 in Val d’Isère, FRA.
Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) is another Canadian World Cup winner who returns this season along with Geneviève Simard (Val-Morin, QC), who is coming back after taking last season off to rehabilitate a left knee injury.
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB), the most successful Canadian ski racer of all-time in the technical disciplines with nine career World Cup combined podiums in giant slalom and slalom, also announced this past summer that he was returning to competitive ski racing.
“The addition of Thomas Grandi really adds to this team. The maturity and leadership that he brings is invaluable,” said Gartner.
“For the athletes returning after a lay off like Thomas and Gen, you want to know this year that they are in the game. You want them to be on target for medals next year, so at this point we are just looking to be heading in that direction,” he added.
The Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart kicks off the World Cup speed season with men’s downhill and super G races Nov. 29 and 30 followed by ladies downhill races Dec. 5 and 6 and a super G on Dec. 7.
“Starting the World Cup speed season at home each year is obviously very important to us. The support that we receive in Canada really gets us started in the right direction each season and we’re looking forward to it once again,” Gartner said.
The team also has a total of 11 racers who have reached a World Cup podium and seven newcomers to the development teams.
“The team is good blend between veterans and young athletes who we will be asked to push the leaders, to have them show us that they are closing that gap. We know that the expectations for this team have been growing in recent years as we have built some positive momentum,” said Gartner.
The Canadian Alpine Ski Team earned 10 World Cup podiums last season, including three victories. The three World Cup wins were the most by the team since 1994.
Canada finished the 2007/08 season sixth in Nation’s Cup standings with 3637 points and has moved from 12th to sixth in the standings since 2003.
The Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team will be announced prior to the start of the IPC World Cup season.
CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM
SENIOR MEN – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Scott Barrett – Toronto, ON (Osler Bluff Ski Club)
Patrick Biggs – Orleans, ON (Ottawa Ski Club)
François Bourque – New Richmond, QC (Pin Rouge)
Julien Cousineau – Lachute, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Robbie Dixon – Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Jeffrey Frisch – Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont Tremblant)
Thomas Grandi – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Erik Guay – Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Stefan Guay – Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Louis-Pierre Hélie – Berthierville, QC (Mont-Ste-Anne)
Jan Hudec – Calgary, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Michael Janyk – Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
John Kucera – Calgary, AB (Calgary Alpine Racing Club)
Manuel Osborne-Paradis – Vancouver, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Jean-Philippe Roy – Ste-Flavie, QC / Gatineau, QC (Mont-Comi)
Gareth Sine – Calgary, AB (NATC – Kananaskis Alpine Ski Club)
Brad Spence – Calgary, AB (NATC – Team Panorama)
Paul Stutz – Banff, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Trevor White – Calgary, AB (NATC – Fortress Alpine Ski Team)
MEN’S DEVELOPMENT TEAM – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Cameron Brewington – Calgary, AB (Calgary Alpine Racing Club)
Dustin Cook – Lac Sainte Marie, QC (Mont Ste-Marie)
Travis Dawson – Calgary, AB (NATC – Fernie)
Michael Mackie – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Tyler Nella – Toronto, ON (Georgian Peaks)
Mathieu Routhier – Sherbrooke, QC (Mont Orford Ski Club)
SENIOR LADIES – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Brigitte Acton – Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Emily Brydon – Fernie, BC (Fernie Snow Valley Racers)
Emilie Desforges – Montréal, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Marie-Michèle Gagnon – Lac-Etchemin, QC (Mont Orignal)
Anna Goodman – Pointe Claire, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Britt Janyk – Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Sherry Lawrence – Calgary, AB (NATC – Kananaskis Alpine Ski Club)
Shona Rubens – Canmore, AB (Lake Louise / Sunshine Ski Club)
Megan Ryley – Toronto, ON (Craigleith Ski Club)
Geneviève Simard – Val-Morin, QC (Montcalm (Val-St-Côme)
Kelly VanderBeek – Kitchener, ON (Chicopee Ski Club)
Larisa Yurkiw – Owen Sound, ON (Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
LADIES DEVELOPMENT TEAM – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Stephanie Irwin – Calgary, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Kelly McBroom – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Erin Mielzynski – Guelph, ON (Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
Brittany Phelan – Mont Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant Ski Club)
Marie-Pier Préfontaine – St-Sauveur, QC (Club Chantecler)
Eve Routhier – Sherbrooke, QC (Mont Orford)
Kate Ryley – Toronto, ON (Craigleith Ski Club)
Georgia Simmerling – West Vancouver, BC (Grouse Tyee Ski Club)
Elli Terwiel – Heffley Creek, BC (Sun Peaks Alpine Club)
