Letter From The President

To the all Members of Alberta Alpine

As we approach the start of another ski season it is obvious that it will be one, we have never experienced before. Covid-19 has reshaped the way we all have been living, working, going to school and how we interact with each other.

We all are so lucky that we play in a sport that is outside, we can social distance yet still have a connection with our family and friends. I must thank all our home ski resorts (all ski resorts) for putting so much thought and effort into making their resorts as safe as they can yet still accessible to all our clubs. As well, I must thank all the clubs working so closely with their home resorts to work on Covid-19 protocols that helps keep everyone safe while still allowing all of us the ability to enjoy the sport we love.

As you all, know many of the resorts have been open for pre-season training and indeed have even open to the public with their earliest opening’s ever. When skiing at these resorts please follow the resort’s Covid-19 plan. We are all following what Alberta Health Services (AHS) has developed and their website is the best place to get up to date info on an ever-changing protocol within the province.

As we move into our racing time period you will see that the race calendar is up on the Alberta Alpine website. Thank you to all who helped make this calendar, big shout out to all the clubs, ROC and ski resorts that have stepped up to hold races. This has been a challenge in the current environment and although the calendar will have to be a fluid document it is our goal to hold all these events.

Some news from FIS that will benefit all our FIS athletes is that the Base FIS Points (BL) 2022 will include all valid results between 01/07/2019 to 30/04/2021. This will help our athletes hold on to their point profiles if there are no races this season that will help improve their points. This will allow them to enter a race that will not benefit them as far as points go but they will get time in the gates.

As I mentioned earlier, we are all so lucky that we ski, we get to have fun in an outdoor sport that we can do as a family and with our teammates. I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can this season and to make it out to as many races as I can. I wish everyone an awesome season and please be safe.

Best regards,

Patrick Gillespie

President of Alberta Alpine Ski Association