BVQ’s Annual U12 Caribou Cup
Banff, AB – This past weekend’s U12 Caribou Cup at Mt. Norquay was a true spectacle of ski racing, camaraderie, and event coordination like no other!
Day one tracked 180 racers skiing two Giant Slalom (GS) runs each, recorded in under two hours in both the morning and afternoon. A timing accomplishment for sure, it was the young athletes who truly stepped up and demonstrated the progress they’ve made in their technique and skills in the race course, now more than midway through the season.
Day two was the team event, where those same athletes were mixed into teams from all the participating clubs, with coaches shuffled as well, and everybody taking part in a head-to-head relay. Whether it was the promise of cookies, the adrenalin of being paired with new friends from different clubs, or the hilarity of some of the team names including Team Peachy Penguins, Team Pink Pony Club, Team Chicken Nuggets and Team Zesty Symammun Buns, the combination of all of it delivered a really fun event and winners all ‘round…volunteers included! BVQ Manager Claire Horton estimates no less than 1880 timed race runs over the two days!
Like the Jasper Junior Olympics and Lauberhorn events held recently in the North Zone, and the Linda Putnam Invitational at Pano last weekend, the Caribou Cup is a long-standing tradition (with a few versions along the way) for this age group in the ski racing pathway in this province. Some spectators and now-parents of athletes in the event shared their own fond memories of being in the race themselves as kids. And while we weren’t able to nail down an exact date of origin for this one, we can be sure it will be back next year and for years to come!
Saturday results from the SZ U12 GS event can be found here >>
Big thanks to Mt. Norquay, celebrating 100 years of quality time this season, for their constant support and love of ski racing. If you’ve yet to watch The Mighty Quay, treat yourself to an entertaining history lesson tonight >>
Club spotlight: In 1978, Mike and Bonnie Wiegele formed the Banff Quikies Ski Club to offer basic ski instruction for children in the Banff area. Shortly after, the Banff Alpine Racers (BAR) Ski Club was formed to allow graduates of the Quikies program to begin competitive racing in the Bow Valley and provide a pathway to Canadian Ski Team. Over the past four decades thousands of children have called BAR home including current and alumni members of our provincial and national ski teams.
The BAR/BVQ Mission Statement is
“To foster a passion for ski racing and the mountains by providing opportunities
for members to develop life skills, community spirit and friendship while in
pursuit of personal and athletic excellence.”
The U12 program athletes will begin to learn life skills such as hard work, dedication, time management, team-work, self-belief, goal setting, visualization and sportsmanship just to name a few. We want to make athletes the best skier, racer and person they can be. Coaches are here to guide your athlete through a path that will make them grow as a person and an athlete. U12 ski a combination of training and racing, with technical free skiing. This program is set in a competitive environment preparing them for U12 Provincial Race Series. Teams will free ski at Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, to ensure a variety of terrain and snow conditions, and athletes will receive feedback from coaches, video sessions and self awareness. For more information on the Bow Valley Quikies and Banff Alpine Racers, contact Claire >>