Canada Ski Cross is expanding the number of domestic race events following a surge in interest after the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the governing body for ski cross in Canada announced today.
CSX Director Dave Ellis said the national sport organization is expanding the number of domestic races this season and has hired Chad Weir, who has 15 years of combined experience in alpine and ski cross race events including a stint as Chief of Start and Starter (Ski Cross) at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, as Director, National Programs and Events (CSX).
“Ski cross has experienced a noticeable peak in interest among young Canadians following the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. We are now increasing the amount resources aimed at growing our sport domestically and at the provincial level, so that we can continue developing Olympic champions like Ashleigh McIvor in the future,” said Ellis.
The 2010 / 2011 race schedule will include Nor-Am Cup races in Blue Mountain, ON, Big White, BC and Red Mountain, BC along with a World Cup race in Blue Mountain and the Canadian Championships in Lake Louise, AB. (See complete scheduled below.)
“Our focus for domestic events this coming season is to continue building the scale, efficiencies and ‘cool factor’ of ski cross as we increase the number of events,” said Weir.
“We are committed to increasing the number of officials, volunteers, coaches and SX courses, so that more kids can experience the sport of ski cross while at the same time, bringing ski cross and our athletes closer to the general public,” Weir added.
Ski Cross made is debut in Canada in the winter of 2007, with Canada Ski Cross establishing a World Cup Team for the 2008/2009 season.
Canada Ski Cross finished on top of the FIS Nation’s Cup standings last season, led by Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler, BC), who became the first ever women’s Olympic Ski Cross champion in 2010, and 2010 Winter X-Games gold medallist Chris Del Bosco (Whistler, BC).
The 2011 FIS World Championships take place in Deer Valley USA, with races scheduled for Feb 3 and 4, 2011. The FIS World Cup stops in Canada, at Blue Mountains, ON, the following week.
Canada Ski Cross Race Schedule:
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Deer Valley, USA Feb 3 to 4, 2011
X-GAMES
Aspen, USA January 28 to 30, 2011
WORLD CUP
Innichen / San Candido, ITA Dec. 18 to 19, 2011
St. Johann (Tirol), AUT Jan. 7, 2011
Alpe d’Huez, FRA Jan. 12, 2011
Les Contamines, FRA Jan. 16, 2011
Grasgehren, GER Jan. 29, 2011
Blue Mountain, ON Feb. 11, 2011
Grindelwald, SUI March 3, 2011
Meiringen-Hasliberg, SUI March 6, 2011
Branas, SWE March 13, 2011
Myrkdalen-Voss, NOR March 19, 2011
NOR-AM CUP
Mt. Hood Meadows, USA Jan 19 to 20, 2011
Steamboat Springs, USA Jan 26 to 27, 2011
Alpine Meadows, USA Feb 3 to 4, 2011
Blue Mountain, ON Feb. 12 to 13, 2011
Big White Ski Resort, BC March 4 to 7, 2011
Red Mountain Resort, BC March 9 to 12, 2011
CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lake Louise, AB April 1 to 3, 2011
Canada Ski Cross (CSX) kicked off the new Olympic cycle by naming 13 high-performance skiers, led by Olympic champion Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler, BC) and Winter X-Games gold medalist Chris Del Bosco (Sudbury, ON), to the Canadian Ski Cross Team at a press conference today in Calgary, AB.
The team will focus on podium results at several major international competitions during the 2010-2011 season including the FIS World Championships and Winter X-Games.
CSX will also be attempting to maintain its two-year grip on the FIS World Cup overall Nation’s Cup title this season, with the World Cup season highlights including a race at Blue Mountains, ON on Feb. 11, 2011.
Along with McIvor and Del Bosco, the Canadian Ski Cross Team will have several skiers return from the 2010 Olympic season. Among them is 2009 World Championships bronze medalist Davey Barr (Whistler, BC), who finished sixth at the 2010 Olympics, Kelsey Serwa (Kelowna, BC), the fourth-ranked ladies SX racer in the world, and Julia Murray (Whistler, BC), the daughter of former Crazy Canuck Dave Murray who has three World Cup podium results to date in her career.
Men’s Team
Chris Del Bosco (Sudbury, ON)
Davey Barr (Whistler, BC)
Brian Bennett (Quesnel, BC)
Brady Leman (Calgary, AB)
Dave Duncan (London, ON / Golden, BC)
Nick Zoricic (Toronto, ON)
Stanislas Rey (Whistler, BC)
Ladies Team
Julia Murray (Whistler, BC)
Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler, BC)
Danielle Poleschuk (Calgary, AB)
Kelsey Serwa (Kelowna, BC)
Aleisha Cline (Squamish, BC)
Marielle Thompson (Whistler, BC)
