The first races of the year are almost underway, and I couldn’t be more stoked about it. The whole team has been getting some awesome training here at Nakiska. Whether it has been on the long boards doing some Downhill/Super-G or the more technical disciplines of GS/SL, the team has been focused on the tasks at hand. 

What’s up, everyone, My name is Graeme Cliff, and this will be my first year on the Alberta Ski Team. As with many of the new comers to the team, I am originally from Team Panorama where I owe a huge thank the whole Team Pano community, and our awesome new team in helping me feel the most confident I have ever felt before a season. This season has been off to a great start with our first two preseason camps over in Europe; I feel that everyone greatly benefited from them both. Currently the team is back training on home snow before the first big races of the season. During our time back home, some members of the team headed up to Mount Sima for a GS and SL race, where the cold temperatures and getting into race mode were a nice change of pace. It was most of our team’s first time up in the Yukon, and it has most definitely been added to our calendar for next season. Getting to race against some university racers was a cool experience; watching the level of skiing that is out there and the dedication it takes to do both school and skiing was definitely eye-opening. I’m super excited to race against other high-level collegiate athletes throughout the season. As I’m writing this, it is currently 9 degrees out in Calgary, which is nice for just about every sport besides ours, so I’m hoping for some cold temps and snow ASAP.

Recently Alberta Alpine hosted the Highest Peak Gala and Mount Norquay, which was a huge success with an awesome turnout throughout the Bow Valley. Whether it was getting to see some familiar faces or watching individuals get inducted into the Canadian Rockies Ski Hall of Fame. We athletes were introduced by GMC and were able to show off our fancy new Karbon jackets. Hopefully there was something for everyone. I know I personally had a great evening. I hope to run into everyone out and about on the hill and to get to chat more throughout the season. On behalf of our entire team, we appreciate everyone coming out to support us and the future of ski racing in Alberta. Your generosity does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for each and every one of you.

Moving forward, the team is in Nakiska for a few days as we aim to head to Panorama for the opening of their preseason. We will head there for a quick stint to polish up and refine a few things before getting into race mode for Norquay and the first NORAMs of the season. I, along with a few of the other boys and many of the other provincial teams, will be heading down to Colorado for what is shaping up to be an exciting start to our race campaign. I’ll be starting towards the back of the pack, trying to punch in some good runs. It will be key that my focus level and new physical abilities are ready. We have been fortunate enough to work alongside our trainer Nate in CSI during the off-season, trying to get our bodies in tip-top shape ahead of our busy and very demanding season. 

I am super happy with how all of our preseason training has shaped up and prepared us for the season, and I can’t wait to get into the swing of things. I am confident in our coaches’ plan and preparation, and I am very excited not only to ski fast but also to progress as an individual on and off the hill with the Alberta Ski Team. I want to give a huge shoutout to all of our awesome team sponsors. None of this would be possible without you guys: GMC Dealers of Alberta, Genstar, InspiredGo, Mountain Fire Foods, Silvertip Resort, Karbon, and GearUp Mountain Sports.

Graeme Cliff

It’s crazy to think this is already my fourth year on the team. Each season has taught me something new — not just about racing, but about how to handle the ups and downs that come with training at a high level. Right now I’m solo in Sweden for our preseason camp joining BAR and Dinos and it’s been one of those stretches that really reminds me why I love this sport.

We’ve been here for a little over a week, and it’s been cloudy for eight days straight. No sun, no blue sky — just a wall of gray. At first, that can feel a little draining, but it’s actually kind of peaceful. The quiet, consistent weather helps you stay focused, and there’s something cool about showing up every day and putting in the work and the effort in conditions many people wouldn’t even think about trying to ski.

Training has been going really well. We’ve done a mix of long skis, strength sessions, and intensity workouts, and everything feels like its coming together. My skiing feels smooth and strong. After my injury last year I now feel stronger then ever before, balanced and confident. It’s a very rewarding feeling knowing that all that work shows.

This is my first time here in Sweden. It’s very easy to get in a routine: ski, eat, tune, rest, repeat. Off the snow, there’s been a lot of good energy lots of Wii sports and team saunas. The last two days we finally had some good weather and was able to see the beautiful sun. We were blessed with the best snow conditions I’ve ever skied. Smooth, ice and blue skies. The nothern lights were dancing over us during our late and early ski sessions.

As we wrap up camp, I’m feeling really motivated heading into the race season. There’s always a mix of nerves and excitement this time of year, but mostly I’m just eager to see how the training translates to racing. Im thrilled with the work and progress I’ve made these pre season camps with skiing and my body. Excited to start feeling those pre race nerves and racing consistently.

No matter how the first races go, I feel like I’ve taken another step forward — as an athlete and as a person. That’s what keeps me coming back every year.

None of this would be possible without the help of our spectacular sponsors: GMC Dealers of Alberta, Genstar, InspiredGo, Mountain Fire Foods, Silvertip Resort, Karbon, and GearUp Mountain Sports.

This month, Alberta Alpine athletes from across the province came together for our annual pre-season fitness testing series, held in both the North and South Zones. These ACA-standardized combines play a key role in tracking athletic development, benchmarking year-over-year progress, and preparing athletes for the upcoming race season. They are also a prerequisite for certain projects and races, such as the Whistler Cup and the World Junior Championships.

The North Zone hosted its annual Fitness Combine in partnership with the University of Alberta’s Kinesiology Department. Nearly 40 athletes, ranging from first-year U14 through to FIS, participated in a full battery of tests assessing strength, agility, power, and endurance.

Program Director of Rabbit Hill, Tessa Dakin, shared her reflections on the event:

“It was great to see all of our NZ athletes come together. North Zone athletes are comprised of many different clubs. Despite this, I love seeing how the athletes come together and support each other! It was awesome to see them cheering and pushing each other to strive for the best results in the combine. We can’t wait to get on snow and for the 2025–26 race season to start!”

Meanwhile, the South Zone hosted its testing days at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, with athletes showing impressive effort and focus throughout the weekend. Over 90 athletes attended, with U14 to Masters racers taking part in testing.

Josh Benge, athletic director of Alberta Alpine, says this about the events:

“Fitness is the cornerstone building block for athletes, without it accomplishing your on   hill goals become much harder. I was pleased to see such a diverse group pushing hard and cheering for each other while showcasing their fitness gains. The athletes who attended embodied Alberta Alpine’s ethos of Inspiring Excellence.”

The data collected from both events will contribute to Alberta Alpine’s long-term athlete development benchmarks, giving coaches valuable insights for training adjustments and injury prevention as the season begins. Once all data is tabulated, each athlete will receive an individual performance report giving them insights.  A huge thank-you goes out to our coaches, parents, and volunteers who made these sessions possible — and to the athletes who continue to bring passion and energy to everything they do.

Wow, is it ever icy! My name is William Puloski and this will be my first year as a part of the Alberta ski team. At the moment I am writing this athlete journal, it is the third day of Team Alberta’s excursion to Hintertux, Austria. This camp marks a pivotal moment in the development of our season as we shift our focus to race preparation rather than return to snow. As some may already know, we began the season in Saas-fee, Switzerland, where we relearned the basics and constructed a foundation for our skiing. On the contrary, the conditions here in Austria are optimal if you were a hockey player or figure skater. The rough and icy surface offers demanding training that is valuable for race preparation. Fortunately, our team loves a good challenge, and we are excited to battle the icy slopes for the whole two weeks we are here.

As this is my first of many athlete journals I thought I should share a little bit about myself. I have grown up my whole life in Calgary. My two sisters and I grew up racing at Panorama, and up until this year, it felt like Pano was my second home. My identity is entrenched in mountain life, this summer I worked at Greywolf golf course waking up early to mow grass. One of my favourite hobbies during the off-season, other than working out, is golfing. Speaking of which, my bucket list includes golfing at Silvertip Resort. Alberta Alpine hosts an annual Quest for Gold tournament at Silvertip’s course, and although our team was volunteering at the event, I will be planning my next visit soon. Some of my other favourite hobbies include mountain biking, spike ball and football. As one of two student-athletes on the team this year, my hobbies will be diluted by navigating the academic semesters. Balancing training, rest, and school is a foreboding task that will require sufficient focus and discipline. Thankfully, my coaches have provided a great plan for me to balance sufficient training days with the flexibility to spend adequate time at school. A proper education has always been at the forefront of my ideals. Speed bumps like injuries are always present in the dangerous sport we compete in, and having good grades supports a backup plan.

I am super proud to be representing Alberta this year! As a Team Panorama native, I am excited to stay close to home while still representing the province. For my whole ski career, I have been a part of Team Pano and religiously trained at Panorama Mountain. Alternatively, I will be exposed to more conditions and terrain as the Alberta team trains at a broader range of mountains. The differences between club team racing and PSO racing (provincial ski organization) extend beyond the available training environments. Upon introduction to the athletic requirements of preseason training camps, the first thing I noticed was the focus on health and recovery. During two- to three-week camps with few rest days, the focus on proper recovery and health habits was instrumental to our success. Fortunately, the wisdom of older, more experienced teammates like Caleb and Aidan proved invaluable and left an impact on the habits I continue to follow. We are lucky enough to have Mountain Fire Foods and InspiredGo as sponsors this year, fueling us with healthy nutritious meals while we are away focusing on racing. In addition to a focus on recovery and health habits, the individual focus and personalized training are another noticeable change from club environments. Regular coach and athlete video review is an aspect of this. After a day on the slopes, a video review is instrumental to the progression of skiing technique and to refining line strategy. At the moment, I have been focusing on raising my ski arc above the gate to allow sufficient space to bend the ski and to better use the gravity of the hill. Coach and athlete video analysis allows for a time to share feedback and create a foundational plan for the following days.

As I reflect on the first few days here in Hintertux, I realize how pivotal this experience will be for my growth as both an athlete and individual. The challenges of icy conditions, balancing academics, and adapting to a new team environment are all opportunities to learn and improve. I’m grateful for the support of my coaches, teammates, and sponsors who make this journey possible. With each day on snow, I feel more motivated to push my limits and proudly represent Alberta this season.

Thanks so much to our sponsors GMC Dealers of Alberta, Genstar, InspiredGo, Mountain Fire Foods, Silvertip Resort, Karbon, and GearUp Mountain Sports. Our season would not be possible without your support. 

TICKET PRICES: 10 for $100. 3 for $25.

We are excited to announce our online 50/50 Raffle in support of the Alberta Ski Team – Grab your tickets now!

Alberta Alpine Ski Association exists to lead, inspire, and support world leading programs and athletes in alpine ski racing while developing and delivering opportunities for individual growth, enjoyment, and excellence in the sport of alpine ski racing.

Funds raised by this raffle will support our Alberta Ski Team!

The winner will be contacted to claim their prize.

Thank you for your support!

Is your athlete drinking enough while on snow training? Research says likely not!

In 2021, Belgian researchers followed 12 athletes in U14 and U16 during an 8-day training camp, including time spent after the on-snow training sessions. The elevations ranged from 1600 meters at the residence to 2100 meters at the training slope, similar to sleeping in Lake Louise and skiing at Sunshine.

They focused on monitoring hydration markers, such as fluid intake and loss. Training consisted of GS and SL days, where they left a bottle at the top of the training slope, and a few days of free skiing where they carried their bottle with them. Water was openly provided throughout the training camp.

They concluded that half of the participants had insufficient fluid intake to replenish their losses. One participant even lost over a kilogram (2.2lb) in a single training session. Why are our athletes struggling with fluid intake, and what can we do to support them?

There are a few environmental factors at play here. Skiers often train in the cold and at high altitude. This altitude usually brings lower humidity, and Alberta in general tends to be a dry province. Factors like this can increase fluid loss by breathing, dull the thirst response, evaporate sweat faster, and increase the need to urinate. Your body is trying to reduce fluid to keep you warmer.

Time issues are another factor in fluid intake. Rushing past the bottle to catch the chair with their teammates, forgetting to fill the bottle before rushing out the door, pushing for another run of training instead of taking a break. Trips to the bathroom cut into precious training time, and athletes have been shown to avoid drinking water to reduce bathroom visits.

Staying hydrated is essential for health and performance, as dehydration compounded with cold can lead to impaired cognition, aerobic capacities, and muscle cramps. Recovery hydration is also vital for muscle repair and combating fatigue on the camp or race block. The fluid deficit can carry over, affecting recovery and impacting the next session.

A factor we can control a bit more is the equipment. Water bottles can freeze on the slope. To prevent this, invest in insulated ones, fill them with warm water before taking them outside, or wrap them in jackets to keep the water drinkable. In the study, athletes were free skiing with their water bottle; many World Cup athletes also carry hip belts with water during inspection.

Studies have also shown that coach encouragement to drink water has great success. Also, make sure athletes know where the closest bathroom is to the training slope. Impress upon your athletes the importance of fluid intake and stay hydrated out on the slopes.

Cite: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8336538/

Greetings everyone! My name is Gavin Johnson. I am from Team Panorama, and this is my first year with the Alberta Ski Team. We just got back from our first camp, where we spent four weeks in Saas Fee, Switzerland, and four days in Wittenberg, Germany, at the indoor facility. The camp was a huge success for myself and the team. We were able to build on our preexisting technical skills while pushing the pace and intensity as the camp went on. We faced an array of conditions, allowing us to work on different tactics and techniques. Personally, the indoor Slalom skiing in Wittenburg was the most beneficial. It provided an icy surface that forced me to make necessary technical improvements.

The success we experienced in this camp is largely due to the work we put in during the off-season. Nate Morris, our strength trainer, guided us through a carefully curated training program to ensure our bodies were ready for the demands of our sport. Unfortunately, due to building a new cabin in Invermere, I was not able to spend as much time as I would have liked at CSI with Nate and the team. However, I was able to follow the program through our Team Builder app at my gym in Invermere. Entering our first camp, the effects of my summer training were very evident. I have never felt so comfortable returning to the snow in all my years of ski racing. I was able to pick up where I left off in the spring of last season, which quickly allowed me to start building where I left off.

Since we have returned from Europe, we have begun our second block of strength training. We have three weeks before we begin our second camp in Hintertux, Austria. It will be vital for all of us to stay consistent with our dryland to ensure another successful camp. I try to enjoy every gym session with the motivation that it will have me ready for the next time I click into my bindings.

Aside from the time in the gym. I have been building our house in Invermere with my father and working with him as much as possible. We have been busy, and he is happy I am home to help him out. With it being my first year out of high school, it feels a bit strange not to be in a classroom. But it is nice to have a change of pace and have more time to focus on skiing. I am already re-watching my camp one videos, counting down the days until we ski again.

Thank you to our sponsors, the GMC Dealers of Alberta, InspiredGo, Silvertip Resort, Mountain Fire Foods, Genstar, Karbon and GearUp Mountain Sports. Your support helps make everything possible.

I look forward to what the season holds!
– Gavin

WHERE: Mount Norquay Main Lodge (Upstairs), Banff

WHEN: Friday, November 21, 2025

TIME: 6:30 pm to 9:30pm

REGISTRATION INCLUDES: Cocktail Hour, Appetizers, Entertainment, Canadian Rockies Ski Racing Hall of Fame Awards Presentation, Silent Auction, Wine Raffle, Balloon Draw

SUPPORT THE 2025-2026 ALBERTA SKI TEAM

Appetizers provided by Mountain Fire Foods and Mount Norquay.

Hello everyone! I’m Katie Smith and this will be my second season on the Alberta Ski Team. I grew up racing with Calgary Alpine through U16 and then moved to Lake Louise for FIS. I’m really excited to begin another season with the Alberta Ski Team!

Prior to our first pre-season camp I spent my summer working in Canmore for both the Canmore and Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) as well as at the Canmore Brewing Company. It was my third summer on the trail crew with CAMBA working in Canmore maintaining bike trails. The outdoor work of digging trails complemented my summer training while giving back to the community. I spent my summer doing lots of biking and hiking with a few notable hikes allowing me to be able to ski all 12 months of the year. Other summer highlights included finishing second in the Canmore Enduro and a family trip to Nova Scotia where I was able to see puffins for the first time!

At the start of summer I was still dealing with some low back pain which meant that I had to adapt and modify many of my strength workouts. With the help of our strength trainer Nate at CSI I left for Saas Fee feeling healthy and strong for our camp.

As I am writing, we are at the airport in Munich, Germany. We have just finished a four week camp in Saas Fee, Switzerland and Wittenburg, Germany. We spent the first 3 weeks in Saas Fee staying at hotel Jagerhof with Stefan and Everlyn. The first seven days of the camp were spent doing lots of tech freeskiing and going back to basics before hopping into courses. It was really nice to pick up my skiing where I left it off at our spring camp at Sunshine. We spent lots of time doing drills in and out of the course with high volume days, the most being 25 runs! During a rest day, we went mountain scootering in Saas Grund, which was one of the team’s favorite activities! After the rest day, we were fortunate to finish the camp with a solid ten-day block. Training for ten consecutive days was very challenging, but we managed our energy well and stayed productive right through to the end. We were really fortunate with the weather while in Saas Fee, only losing one day due to poor weather. It was sad to say goodbye to Saas Fee and leave the hospitality of Stefan and Everlyn. They were incredibly welcoming and treated us like family. It was really nice to have home cooked meals every day and get to experience Swiss specialties like raclette and fondue.

Our journey from Saas Fee to Wittenberg began with a 5 hour bus ride to Zurich, where we reconnected with Phil and Kyle who had picked up vans to drive the team and all our gear for another 9 hours to the indoor training facility in Wittenburg, Germany. It was my first time skiing at the Wittenberg indoor facility but I had previously skied at a similar indoor facility last year in Belgium, so I knew what to expect from training indoors. We were all fairly excited to have a chairlift in Wittenburg to give the feet a break after all the t-bars in Saas Fee.

One of my main goals for the indoor session was to stay positive mentally. Our coaches are adamant that your mental focus can be your biggest weakness or strongest skill. I definitely noticed that during sessions where I didn’t have a positive mind set I became less confident in my skiing, this quickly became frustrating and caused my skiing to get worse. This is especially important when training indoors on ice as you must be confident on ice. This downward cycle ruined one session for me because I wasn’t able to recover mentally. In later sessions, though, when I felt confident and was skiing well, the opposite happened, my skiing kept improving as the session went on. Recognizing this cycle was one of my biggest takeaways, and it will be a main focus for me this year and in my upcoming camps in Sweden.

Right now, I’m looking forward to getting home and to begin another block in the gym before our next camp. Until then, for the next month or so, you can find me working on the bike trails in Canmore or at Canmore Brewing Co, or in the gym!

I hope everyone is as excited for ski season as our team is! Thank you to our sponsors, the GMC Dealers of Alberta, InspiredGo, Silvertip Resort, Mountain Fire Foods, Genstar, Karbon and GearUp Mountain Sports for helping to make our seasons possible!

-Katie

Brady Leman presents the Stampede Warm Up Party in support of the Alberta Alpine Ski Association.
July 2, 2025.
Wild Rose Brewery.
Tickets: https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=38958

Hello Ski family!

Deavyn here, checking in with my final athlete journal of the 2025–2026 season and my last one as a member of the Alberta Ski Team.

It’s a bittersweet moment, but I’m incredibly excited to announce that next year I’ll be joining the Plymouth State University Ski Team! I’m beyond thrilled to compete at the NCAA level and to begin a new chapter both academically and athletically. I’ll be studying business while continuing to chase my ski racing goals, a dream I’ve been working toward for years.

As this chapter comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on how much this season has meant to me. Like any season, it had its ups and downs, but it was filled with unforgettable memories, major growth, and so much fun with teammates.

Here’s a little recap of some of my favourite highlights from this season. We kicked things off with an amazing pre-season training camp in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, where we focused heavily on fundamentals and technique. Saas-Fee is always a blast not just for skiing, but for all the off-snow activities too. We spent the afternoons hiking, sightseeing, and playing endless games of beach volleyball and spikeball. After Saas-Fee, we headed south to Chile for our second pre-season camp, which was another big highlight. The training was really exceptional as we trained on lots of different terrain, surfaces and disciplines. On one of our off days, we went exploring and discovered some incredible waterfalls. It was such an awesome way to experience more of the local culture and scenery.

After returning home, we got back to work at our home hills, Nakiska and Panorama, dialing things in before the race season began. Our first NorAm was at Panorama, which was the perfect start as they always host amazing races and we’re super familiar with the hill, so it felt like the ideal way to start the race season.

Following Christmas, we had an incredible opportunity to train downhill and super-G on the Kimberley speed track. We were working with the BC and Ontario Ski Teams, and managed to get in 6–8 downhill runs per day. That’s some of the best speed training you can get in Canada. It was one of the biggest highlights of my season, and I made major progress in speed. Plus, it was a ton of fun learning and pushing myself alongside some great athletes.

Soon after, we headed to the Lake Louise and Norquay NorAms, which were extra special since they’re right in our backyard. Being able to compete at home is always exciting.

One of the most fun events of the year was definitely the Bozo Cup. It’s always a team favorite with the head-to-head racing in costumes just brings out a whole different energy and spirit. So much laughter, competition, and passion. 

Our final race series took place in Sun Peaks, and it was full of emotion. Some of our teammates and peers were racing for the last time, which made it a truly meaningful and celebratory way to wrap up the ski season. The weather was beautiful, the surface was great, and it was the perfect way to end the season. 

After Sun Peaks, I was lucky enough to take a trip to Europe, without ski gear this time! It was such a cool experience to explore Europe just for fun and see places we don’t normally visit when we’re there for training. I visited France, Italy, Greece, and Monaco, soaking up the sun, food, and culture. It was a refreshing change of pace after a long ski season. 

Now that the ski season is officially over, it’s time to switch gears. Like many athletes, I’m diving into summer training with gym sessions, biking, hiking, swimming, and getting ready for the next ski season. I’ll also be working at Brewster Golf Course this summer, and I’m especially excited to get back on my road bike and do some Gran Fondos with my mom!

This season, and the years leading up to it, have shaped me in so many ways as an athlete, a teammate, and a person. I’m so grateful for everyone who has supported me along the way, my coaches, teammates, family, and the ski community that’s felt like home.

This could not have been possible without the help from our sponsors of the Alberta Ski Team; GMC Dealers of Alberta, Karbon Sports, Genstar Canada, Mountain Fire Foods, and Gear Up Mountain Sports. 

Thank you for being part of this journey. See you later ski family! 

— Deavyn

Hi everyone!

I cannot believe the season is already over, and this is my final athlete journal! As some of you may know, this will be my last season ski racing, and this fall I am going to University at U of C for engineering. While I am excited for this new challenge and part of my life, the school and learning how to coach, I am very sad to see this part of my life end. This season was so much fun! From the cool places we traveled to, including Saas Fee and Chile, to my awesome teammates, and everything else, I am so so grateful I got this opportunity. I have also been enjoying the end of the season as I transition from spring racing in Sun Peaks to mountain biking in Moab!

A little bit about my ski racing career:

My first time skiing was in White Water, when my parents put me in the ski daycare but I knew I belonged out skiing, not sitting inside! My Uncle made a deal with me that if I did well in daycare in the morning, he would teach me to ski in the afternoon. That day I fell in love with skiing, and it became the biggest part of my life for the next 14 years!

I joined Lake Louise Ski Clubs when I was 5. Stephanie (Stepha) was my first ever ski coach, and as most bonds in ski racing, it was a lifelong one. She went on to nanny me, as well as help out with TransRockies, and she became family. Lake Louise in general became a family. Growing up training on Juniper Jungle, and eventually Men’s, with mountain and park skiing in the afternoon created adventures and challenges. All of the coaches and teammates I have had throughout the years have had enormous impacts on not only shaping my ski racing career but the person I was becoming through ski racing. For my last year of U8, my parents and I decided I would join the U10+ group to see how it would go. I loved the challenge, and for anyone who didn’t know me at that age, I was so deep in my love for skiing. The rest of the years flew by as Istarted to work harder and train more. While working as hard as I could off and on the hill, I also made sure to find some time for the adventures, for the powder laps in Westbowl, for learning to 360 the larges, and for touring days with my family. 

Just like everyone else, I had to deal with a Covid year. This year, first year U16, was very tough for me. The endless training with no races to challenge or benchmark me, and endless difficulties like enormous lift lines and no lodges definitely took its toll on me. At one point, I had crashed about 16 times in 14 days! While it was an extremely difficult period for me, I am so grateful that it pushed me to learn those lessons when I did; how to listen to my body, and the importance of taking rest when I need it, as well as taking time to do the other parts of skiing that I love. Second year U16 I qualified for Nationals, which although I got Covid while in Quebec, qualifying for that was a huge highlight for me. I did my first two years of FIS with Lake Louise Ski Club, then I got the opportunity of being on the Alberta Ski Team for this season!

This season had its ups and downs, just like any season. I struggled at some of the races, especially the NorAms and the races at the start of the season. However, I had some good slalom races near the end of the year, and a really good GS race in Bromont where I scored a 66 which was a highlight for me. Although I didn’t have as much success points-wise as I was hoping for, I felt I learned a lot of important lessons, like what was important to me, and what kind of person I want to be. This season I was also working through some fears (everyone should go read Keira’s journal, she did an amazing job talking about this). And although I have not had any big ski crashes like Keira, these past years I have still started to feel more fear for ski racing (and mountain biking), especially in conditions like ice (or mud in mountain biking). But learning to work through those fears was another very important lesson I have begun to learn. 

I want to thank everyone who has been a part of my ski racing career. From every teammate who created memories with me, and helped me through the hard times, every parent that helped me out even though I’m not their kid, every coach on and off the hill, everyone who gave me a place to stay, and a massive thanks to my parents, who supported me through more than they ever thought was possible, but who made it all possible.  Another huge thanks to all of the AST sponsors; GMC Dealers of Alberta, Karbon Sports, Genstar Canada, Mountain Fire Foods, and Gear Up Mountain Sports.