I have talked to Leslie (Firstbrook, AST Assistant Coach) about this a few times —

When you ski well you are happy, but in order to ski well you need to be happy.

— So where does it begin? It is a constant cycle that is so easy to break, yet so difficult create, but almost impossible to stay in. Why is that? Why is it so hard to be happy? Why is it so hard to ski well — we’ve only been doing it our entire lives? This season is no exception.

I know these journals are supposed to be about what the ski team is up to in the past and upcoming, but I have never really used mine to do that. If you have followed my journals for the past 3 years, I always use them as a way to express how I am doing. So I might as well not change that now.

I don’t think a start to a ski season has ever been so hard. I don’t think an entire season has ever been this hard. I never thought it would get this draining. I am exhausted. I am frustrated. It has been a lot. It is only mid February but I feel I have no season left. And that is terrifying.

To be blatantly honest, the beginning of this season has been extremely difficult to enjoy. Let me take you back to the start…

The summer was awesome. I’ve never been or felt stronger. It was my job to get my body ready for this season and with the opportunity at CSI, I felt I managed to do that.

Then came Chile. Plans changed for this trip at the very last minute but we made the most of it. I was excited to get back training on hard snow to find technique as usual summer camps are. But in Pucon, it was different: soft, soft, and more soft snow. It was challenging. I honestly wasn’t enjoying myself. My body was ready to be there but my mind wasn’t. I just wanted hard snow to find the technique again. We got some salt but that only does so much. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased with my skiing for that time of year. But I thought it could be better. It can always be better.

October 1st/2nd. If you read my 1st journal you’ll understand why this was such a hard time.

October 13th-28th. Hintertux on snow camp. I hurt my back day 2. It was the first day in gates and I thought I was able to push through it, but the rest of the camp was a bust. I couldn’t ski like me, nothing felt good. I was doing 3 or 4 runs a day when my teammates where doing 8+. I felt it was unfair. Unfair to me that I went all that way and couldn’t even train. Unfair to my coaches because they couldn’t do anything to help me. Unfair to my teammates because I wasn’t being the teammate I knew I needed to be. When I got home I thought rest was what I needed, but I think it made it worse. Not doing anything for a week was not the best call. I let my core get weak so I had nothing supporting my back. I found this out the day I got back on snow at Nakiska.

November 4th. Nakiska pre-season starts. If you know me I’m not a morning person. So this month I openly dread because it’s 4:47am wake ups for 5 days straight, 2 days off, then repeat. You get home late. Then you have to tune, eat, shower, sleep, and repeat. It is tough. You are fatigued — mentally and physically. I’m not trying to be pessimistic about it because this month of training is vital to get the quality and repetition in before races. And I do believe this month does make you tougher — mentally and physically — however, it is just the fact in getting through it. My first day at Nakiska was horrible. I went there thinking my back was better and I could ski but I was in worse pain than I was in Europe. I tried again the next day and it just got worse and worse —along with my mental state. I went to physio to figure out what was wrong. I was told to do a lot of neutral spine core and book more appointments, but in essence, it was just going to take time. Probably one of the hardest things to hear as an athlete is “give it time”. That really didn’t sit well with me.

When it comes to emotions, I am quite an introverted person. Most of what I do is to make those around me content before I really think about my own happiness. Skiing, however, is usually the exception; I do it for myself. Even so, my worst fear in this sport is disappointing others so I do my best to avoid that, even if that means biting my tongue in uncomfortable situations. But the month of November I felt like I was there for other people. It boiled up to where I broke down and finally spoke the truth… I truly wasn’t happy. It came to a point where I needed a break and time away from the sport. I took days off but I knew skiing was what I needed as the last time I had really trained was in Chile.

I was excited for the month of November to be over. December meant races started at full force. I thought racing would bring me joy and a realization on why I fell in love with this sport in the first place. I was excited to get away from Nakiska and see new faces. But when I got in the start gate I felt numb, almost like I couldn’t care less if I was there. I just wasn’t happy. It hurt to admit. The worst part of it was I was there expecting to ski well even though I was dispirited, which led to me to be continuously disappointed in myself. It was hard, I didn’t realize it was happening until it had happened. I was so blinded by the need to perform that what I actually couldn’t do was perform.

I came into this season with the thought that I either make NCAA or CAST or I quit. And I think that was a bit too much on me that it has created a lot of pressure to perform, and I feel it is a huge reason on why I haven’t yet this season. I have had good days, but they aren’t as consistent as I need them to be. However, I have recently found my footing in training and it has rekindled my joy for this sport. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean much when you can’t do it on race day, and for me that is my problem. Right now, trying to figure that out is my focus and I am attempting to give myself every opportunity to allow myself to do that.

I am in a better place now and I have seen a drastic change in my skiing just because of my mood. I have learnt what has made me happy. However, I am still coming to senses with the fact that “it is okay”— It is okay to not ski well. It is okay to not always get what you want. It is okay to work hard and fail. It is okay to not always be the best. It is okay if things don’t always go as planned. It is okay to not be okay— I’m continuing to learn to be more accepting of these types of situations. As much as I would love too, I can’t control everything. That being said, I don’t know where I’ll be next week, next month, next year, but what I do know is that I will be happy. And I just can’t wait.

-Claire

Check out Claire’s Athlete Profile here.

Hi Everyone!

Alexa here, checking in as we are closing out our Eastern Block, with our last two Nor-Ams in Calabogie this week. It’s sure been an eventful few months!

In early January, we had Nationals and our first Nor-Ams in Red Deer. The field was very deep, with a number of World Cup girls racing, and I was super excited to move through all the heats both days. It was super fun to battle it out and spend time with my friends that have been at World Cup all year. My results were also a huge motivator going into the next week: Nakiska World Cup.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Going into Nakiska was pretty stressful, as the World Cup there two years ago did not go very well for me. Sure enough, this year also proved to be a challenge. With extreme cold, the first two days of training ended up being canceled. They decided to go ahead with qualis on Friday with only two runs of training planned. I got in the gate for first run with my best friend Abby only to get flagged because someone had crashed in front of us. When we returned the the start, we found out they had cut training short and we would not be getting our second run.

For the hour or so before quali I doubted whether or not I could get in the start gate. I knew that this race was probably the most important race for me, the best way to earn my way back onto the National Team. Nothing had gone to plan and coping with that reality was not easy.

Sure enough, I went back up to the start with lots of emotions crowding my mind. As the boys finished up it was just me and JM. If it weren’t for him there’s no way I would have been able to get into that start gate. Every time I felt the doubts creeping back in, he told me he was not going to let me give up on myself. He talked me into racing up until the moment the start was being called. Near the bottom of the course I wasn’t sure of the speed and ended up throwing in a few speed checks, no doubt killing my time. When I got to the bottom I saw my position on the board: 17th, one spot out of heats. I was pretty devastated, but having my teammates coming up to hug me as I left the finish corral definitely made me feel much better.

A few days later, it was time to race Nakiska again, this time for Nor-Ams. I was able to get some redemption on that track. After slightly frustrating quali results, I skied to two third place results. Both finals were some of the funnest heats I’ve skied in years, with Zoe, Annie and I battling it out the whole way down the track.

Now we’ve made it back to Calabogie after a frustrating trip to New York, with both our races there being canceled due to an unsafe track build. I’m looking forward to two more races here, where I scored my first Nor-Am win just last week! Time to close off our Eastern Block strong before heading home for a well deserved break!

As always, thank you to all that support us! Being part of the Alberta Alpine family this year has been such a blessing. After two challenging years of racing, I’m so thankful to be part of such a supportive, encouraging association!

Thank you for the read! -Alexa

Check out Alexa’s Athlete Profile here.

Hello, again, everyone! Prepare yourselves for this taboo subject!

Cassidy, Claire, Ashleigh, Alyssa, Kiki and I recently travelled out east, while Tora is killing her return to snow back at Nakiska. We raced a great FIS series at Alpine Ski Club and Georgian Peaks. Alyssa, Claire, Kiki, Ash and Cass took home some sweet hardware. The Nor-Am series at Osler Bluff and Georgian Peaks has just begun, and we are all super excited to conquer some steep pitches, and long flats (classic Collingwood).

Last week, on January 29th, was Bell Let’s Talk Day (or #BellLetsTalk day). It is likely you saw the blue post, or hashtag, shared on many platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. The telecommunications company Bell Canada created Bell Let’s Talk Day to raise mental health awareness and combat the stigma surrounding it.

I felt that it is such an important subject; I should dedicate my athlete journal to the significance of mental health on teams and in sport.

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we feel, act and think. It also helps determine how we relate to others, make choices and handle stress. Two out of three people with mental health issues suffer in silence. Being open and talking is the first step towards ending the stigma. Some believe mental health problems are fake and fixing them is as easy as flipping a light switch. A simple “just be happy” is often not a cure.

Improving mental health does not happen overnight. Plenty of people are afraid to talk about how they feel for the sake of being made fun of or treated differently. Countless people who battle mental health problems feel alone, like no one understands them or cares what they are going through. The truth is, they are not alone. Many people deal with mental health issues on various levels every day. It is possible to assume others are happy when they could just be struggling in silence. And helping people feel safe, instead of alienated, can make a significant difference in their lives. A great way to do that is to bring more awareness and discuss mental health more openly.

As an athlete, I am very familiar with the sensation of stress, pressure and anxiety, which can, at times, feel very overwhelming. I have previously experienced dealing with these feelings in silence. This is because I get worried about bringing any negativity to my team, believing they will not view my struggles as real, or think I am overreacting. I hope it is a dated belief that athletes are always supposed to be “tough.”

Recently, I started speaking more openly about my mental health in ski racing and began depending more on teammates. The support I have received is incredible and very relieving. What I realize is that we are all in this together. My team, more often than not, can relate to and understand how I am feeling. My frustrations have taught me that ski racing is a seriously team-driven ‘individual’ sport.

Our points, FIS profiles and medals are a reflection of our individual performance. We are all imperfect and need to remember that almost everyone is continuously working to better ourselves both on and off the hill. However, having supportive teammates and an open environment within the team goes a long way, even in our “individual” sport. A safe environment allows us to make progress for who we are as athletes, as well as people, and also supports performance improvement.

Believing in myself to perform my best every day is sometimes difficult. However, it is easier with the positive inspiration I get from my team. When the girls encourage me and reassure me that we are all in this together, it helps keep my spirits up. Kiki made a point this trip to say that if she couldn’t win, the next person she would want on top of the podium would be one of us. Even as fierce competitors, we need and depend on each other to accomplish goals and achieve new personal bests.

The Norwegian Ski Team has a reputation for being extremely tight-knit. It is alleged that Aksel Lund Svindal was the leader contributing to this environment. There is a story about him in the 2016 Kitzbuhel downhill, where he landed off badly on the Hausberg jump and injured his knee. Being bib 19, his immediate concern was for his teammate Kjetil Jansrud, bib 21. To avoid having the helicopter in view on the course prior to Jansrud’s run, Svindal limped over to the slalom start. He did not want Jansrud distracted and psyched out by the helicopter. This is an example of an athlete in an individual sport who, after doing his best, thought immediately about helping his teammate’s success. 

Every day we are working to develop our confidence, and we all have challenges and times of vulnerability. For this, we cannot be ashamed. Thank you, Bell.

When we notice a teammate who is not themselves, we must remember to ask, “Hey, are you okay?” and then listen. Within our racing circuit or even outside of skiing, we can say “Hi” to people we don’t really know, or join someone who is sitting alone. Any of these little acts matter and can make an impact. I am grateful for the support from my teammates, and I am hopeful I can reciprocate. In ski racing, we have to perform alone, but as a team, we are not alone! In fact, when one gets better, we all get better.

-Charlie

Check out Charlie’s Athlete Profile here.

Hi Everyone!

I am Callum McEwen from the Alberta Ski Cross Team. After the Christmas break we took a two day trip down to Castle Mountain for some soft GS training and some well needed team freshies. Shortly after, we headed up to Red Deer for some very chilly Nor Ams and Canadian Nationals. Lots of really great competition as many came for the following World Cup in Nakiska.

Last week I got to start my first World Cup and it was really the cats meow. Super cool experience to run a big fast track with the best in the world. Unfortunately I took a big slam in training and didn’t put down a great run in qualifications with a 39th place finish but my morale quickly shifted when my roommate finished in first place claiming his first World Cup victory!

Despite the World Cup not going as planned I was still able to put down some great racing in the following NorAms with two 4th place finishes and some fun heats with my friends and teammates.

The team and I have just arrived in Calabogie, Ontario where the next two NorAms will take place. Calabogie has a very fun track and should definitely make for some interesting heats! Afterwards we will be heading to Gore Mountain for the next races and then back here to Calabogie for the last two NorAms of our Eastern trip.

This upcoming block should prove to be lots of fun and very challenging and I am excited to see what’s to come! Make sure to keep an eye out on the results, the team and I will make Alberta proud!

This has been Callum McEwen for the ASXT, over and out!

Check out Callum’s Athlete Profile here

Hey Everyone!

We recently got back from the east coast after a long trip of NorAm racing this Tuesday. Racing in tough races is very important, at every level in skiing you need to be able to push yourself to new levels. The atmosphere at NorAm races is very focused and competitive. Despite tough conditions
and competition I feel everyone on the team was able to learn a lot out east. On top of racing we also had a chance to train with the University of Vermont Ski Team at their home mountain, Stowe.

Though racing in hard races is wildly beneficial, it’s always important to go back to the basics and train as much as possible. That said, we had a four day training block in Panorama this week to work on technique and get some more volume in our skiing. The training was great, we were
able to ski on lots of different terrain and familiarize ourselves a little bit more with the race venues for NorAm Finals and Canadian National Championships, which are happening this spring!

Looking forward, the women’s team is headed to Collingwood and some of the men’s team to Mont Edouard for some more NorAm action while the other guys are going to Utah for some college and FIS races!

I’d like to thank all of our team sponsors, Lone Star Mercedes Benz, Sporting Life and Descente for making this season possible as well as Crabbe Mountain and the Poley Mountain Race Club for all their support in my skiing and kind messages!

Check out Caeden’s Athlete Profile here

Hello!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to take on the new year! As for us here on the AST we have had a busy start to the new calendar year with the men (except for Gavin) racing the eastern NorAm Cup races taking place in Burke Mountain and Stowe, Vermont.

I strongly believe we as a group have learned a lot from these NorAm Cups about what it takes to get to the next level and earn World Cup spots and the caliber of skiing necessary to make such a step. We were able to have all five men in Vermont qualifying for at least one second run each with some qualifying on multiple occasions. We then had an Eastern Cup race at a hill called Smugglers Notch where we endured some of the most intense wind I have every experienced. Unfortunately, none of us were able to find the finish line on both runs due to the adverse weather conditions but we were not alone with 120 starters in the first run only 25 racers were able to complete both runs!

Meanwhile we had Gavin holding it down in some BC Cup races in Panorama winning the first GS race by a whopping 2 seconds! He managed to find the podium again in the Slalom where he placed third on the incredibly challenging Hayfever slope.

The team has since reunited in Panorama for a quick 4 day training block which featured some great training conditions with far more manageable temperatures than the -35 degree weather we had here in Calgary. The team has regrouped and we now have a 2 week training block here in Alberta at Lake Louise and Nakiska before we pack up and head out with the majority of the team continuing to follow the NorAm Cup which will take us on a tour through Quebec all the way down to the State of New York.

Devin and Kosta will be heading south to Utah as well as competing here in Alberta to tackle some FIS races rather than continuing with the NorAm tour.

Anyways this is what we are up to for the next little while and if you’d like to follow us head to our Instagram page @albertaskiteam or to the schedule on the Alberta Alpine website and come cheer us on!

Finally I would like to thank the sponsors for giving us this opportunity!

Sporting Life Canada
Lonestar Mercedes Benz
Descente International
Nakiska Ski Area
Pro Sport Protection

I would also like to thank my personal sponsors for helping me along the way!

Rossignol Racing
Swix Sport
POC Protection
Reusch Winter

Check out Angus’ Athlete Profile here

For my athlete journal this week I chose to do something slightly different then the traditional recap of our racing and training. I decided to take this athlete journal to recognize our families, in every shape and size that they come. It is so easy for us to get lost in our own routine, with the early mornings, long travel days, and spending many hours of the day on the hill or in the gym. We tend to overlook the volunteers who spend so much of their time putting on races for us, as well as the fans who so intently watch live timing every time we leave the start. Believe it or not, my parents haven’t won a single medal, even though they have been the most faithful supporters since day 1. Although this is technically an athlete journal, I would like to make it more of a toast!

To my family, near and far, who have believed in me no matter what the clock says. Thank you guys for being my biggest fans, for supporting my skiing, and most importantly, supporting what I choose to be passionate about. You guys have turned me into the person I am today. From my very first snow plow, to me being able to racing all over the world, you have stuck with me through all the highs and lows. You guys are my rock!

To the amazing ski racing community in Alberta, who have worked tirelessly so I, along with many other young Albertans, can grow up in one of the most genuine and caring communities. Although most of you may not be blood related to me, I have never had a doubt that this community is a true family. I am so grateful for the fist bumps from the starter before my run, and the hugs from parents at the bottom of the hill!

Lastly, to my team. My current team, and my home team. Thank you guys for pushing me, cheering for me, and continuing to inspire me. You will always be my teammates, and many of you have turned into life long friends. There is so much to be said about the kids in this community. Alberta has so much to be proud of in the athletes they are bringing up!

There are so many individuals that lift every single one of us athletes up. I think that they truly deserved to be recognized. From sponsors, to parents, to coaches, to aunts and uncles, to trainers, to our AASA board, there is not a single medal that belongs solely to one person. It is earned by this amazing family we have in our corner, and I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for being in mine!

Cheers to you all! Thank you for being my family!

Xoxo – Cass

Check out Cassidy’s Athlete Profile here

Hey Everyone!

I hope you are all having an amazing start to the season! Sadly I didn’t get to go watch the Lake Louise World Cup, but a HUGE congrats to Brodie and Mitch for being the top Canadians!

We have just finished the first BIG race of the year! Norquay slalom was a big success for the team with a few great wins. Kiki winning U19 both days, the overall title on day two, and Jamie taking the overall title on day two as well! I want to thank everyone who volunteered, especially after a TON of snow! We had an amazing race.

Now on to the Lake Louise NorAm Cup Downhill and Super G, which I am not racing this year, and then on to the Nakiska tech NorAm series. Following that, we have a quick stop in Panorama before Christmas, which everyone is excited for!

Now another quick thanks to all the sponsors who are helping out with Alberta Cup and the Alberta Ski Team! Bruce Legree with Descente, Lone Star Mercedes-Benz, Sporting Life, our training team at CSI Calgary, and rehab partners at G23 Medical Clinic. And a special thank you to Team Versa who have been helping Kiki and I out! I hope to see you all on the slopes and have a very Merry Christmas!

-Ashleigh Alexander

This week was the week of my first race in a year and a half. One could say I was…a little stressed. It was only one race day in sun peaks: two races, four runs. We had trained there the day before, which, to be completely honest, didn’t instill much confidence in me. The snow was soft and nothing like what we’ve been training on in Nakiska, and even though I knew everyone was probably feeling the exact same way as me, I couldn’t help but feel like I wasn’t as ready as I could be. But that night I watched video from the day with the girls and realized that I looked better than I felt. An experience all of my teammates can surely relate to. I knew what I had to think about in my skiing, but I also knew that I was capable of having a great race the next day and that I had nothing to worry about. 

That doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. It wasn’t typical butterflies-in-the-stomach nervous, but I was quiet(even more than usual), and I think my teammates could tell how reserved and anxious I was feeling. Perhaps because I told them a few times. Fortunately the snow had hardened quite a bit from the day prior, but of course, that didn’t stop me from being nervous. But when I got in the start gate and heard my teammates cheering me on, it felt just like every other race I’ve done before, and I knew exactly what to do. I wasn’t nervous anymore. I was just racing.

Overall, I’m very happy with how my first race went. I made it a goal to charge hard every run, and for the most part, I think I was successful. I had some timidness to struggle with, but I pushed through it as best as I could and I think I skied rather well. There’s still a lot I have to work on, but of course, that won’t stop me, and I’m not worried about it. Everyone has things to improve on. I’ve already made massive gains since I began training with AST, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

I’d also like to thank all of the team’s sponsors for helping us be able to have these opportunities to race across the country, the entire team is incredibly grateful for your support!

Hey everyone! Now that the ski season has begun I hope you’re all taking advantage of the early snow. The team is currently training hard at Nakiska to prepare for races in Colorado and Sun Peaks! Now when I say the team, I mean everyone except for me! For those who don’t know, I suffered a hip dislocation in mid September during the pre-season training camp in Chile. Although it has been a major setback, I’m working hard to get back on skis as soon as possible.

Now some of you may be thinking, how do you dislocate a hip while skiing? Great question! Well apparently all it takes are some tired muscles and a slight misplacement of your ski tip. It happened on the last day of a very exhausting camp in Chile. I came around for my last run expecting to end the trip on a high note, but my skis felt otherwise. When I was skiing through the flush, my tip caught on the second pin and my right leg flew up into the air. My left leg crashed into the third pin, sending me tumbling forward. When my right knee hit the snow, the impact was so great that it forced my hip out of its socket. I was lying on my side in complete shock. My mind was telling my leg to move, but my body couldn’t respond. I could wiggle my toes and I could feel my leg, but it was stuck in a bent position. Fear set in and I started screaming for my coaches.

By the time the ski patrol were able to get to me, I was in excruciating pain. Any minor movement sent shooting pain all over my body, and it was then that I realized the journey off the volcano was not going to be easy. And boy was I right! Since the bumps on the hill were causing me too much pain, the ski patrol had to lift the sled off the snow and carry it all the way to the bottom. (that’s 250lbs for 15mins!) Once I made it down, the ambulance was waiting for me and we started heading to the hospital. The road into town was filled with bumps, traverses, rocks and turns. All this made for a painful drive, not to mention the constant jerking of the stick shift. It was a rough 50 minutes to Villarica, but I was assured the hip specialist there would provide the care I needed.

When I woke up in the hospital, my hip was back in place and I felt so much relief. Now it was time to start the trip back to Canada. After a 12 hour bus ride, 14 hours of flying, and a 3 hour car trip back to Edmonton, I was very glad to be home. Luckily, two days later I was able to see Dr. Duffy who instructed me to take 6 weeks of rest. On Oct 28th I got cleared to start physio and light exercise. I’m happy to say that I’ve been progressing quickly and I hope to be skiing by the new year!

         I would like to thank everyone who has supported me the past few months including the ski patrol, doctors and nurses in Chile, all my teammates,   Dr. Duffy, Amy Bauerle at Group23, Nathaniel Morris at CSI, and most importantly my family and coaches! I would also like to thank my sponsors Sporting Life, Pro Sport Protection, Descente International, Silvertip Resort, Nakiska Ski Resort and our most recent sponsor Lone Star Mercedes-Benz! Lastly, I would like to thank my personal sponsor Mixcor! I’m so glad to be partnered with them this year! I look forward to getting back on snow, but for now I’ll be busy in the gym!

Hope to see you soon,

Tora Hoshizaki 🙂

Hello all, my name is Konstantin Petkovic but most of you probably know me as Kosta. This is my first athlete journal as I have recently been named to the Alberta Ski Team.

Our training camp in Hintertux was a blast and the conditions were amazing. I managed to get a lot of work done in regards to my skiing and I’m excited to see how it translates in the first few races of the season. I was very happy with how our dryland program prepared me for the aggressive conditions and allowed me to capitalize on my time on snow. Hintertux is one of my favorite pre-season training destinations because of its great terrain and snow conditions. After the camp, my team returned to Calgary and I continued on to Serbia to visit my family. I spent time with my grandmother and helped her with various tasks around her farm such as feeding livestock, cutting wood and plowing crops. It was nice to take a short break from the training environment and to detach from everything.

When I returned home I spent my only day there packing up my things for the winter, and then hopped in my car drove to Canmore. I missed the first few days of training at Nakiska but my other teammates seemed to be satisfied with the training conditions. On my first day on snow, I was greeted with unusually warm temperatures for the pre-season, nevertheless, it was better than the standard 10-15 degrees below zero. We now have one more week of on-snow preparation before the team heads to Colorado for Nor-Ams races and to Sun Peaks for the first FIS races of the season. I’m very excited to get the season started with this great team and I can’t wait to see what we can all achieve!

    -Kosta

Hello Everyone, 

My name is Kiki Alexander and I am from Sunshine Alpine Racers. Welcome to my first of many athlete journals. I am super excited to keep you all updated throughout the season on what the team is up to! This being my first year on the team, I feel very lucky to be apart of the 2019-2020 Alberta Ski Team and I can’t wait to see what the season ahead brings us. We are a team of 13 that is full of energy, great character and of course exceptional racers.  

Currently, the Alberta Ski Team is back home from an awesome camp in Hintertux, Austria. It was my first time ever being in Europe and WOW what a cool experience. It’s amazing how our sport can bring us to so many amazing places to see and meet some new and old friends along the way. Our team got in a lot of great GS and SL training and are now feeling strong and ready for the fast arriving race season. At the end of our Hintertux camp, we had the opportunity to watch the first Men’s World Cup GS race of the season in Soelden. What a great inspiration these athletes are to our team! 

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”19″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Upon our arrival home, there was no time to spare as we had our second annual Highest Peak Gala on October 30. For those of you who couldn’t make it to the gala this year go to Alberta Alpine’s Facebook page to see highlights of the night.  You will see our AST athletes start the night off by strutting down the runway showing off some of Sporting Life’s new outfits along with our 2019/20 team uniforms which for the first time in a long time is not BLUE! I want to give a big shout out to the AST boy who clean up very nicely and the girls who all looked absolutely beautiful, even though we were all still suffering from a bit of jet lag. I also want to personally thank everyone who was apart of making the gala amazing. Thanks to all the sponsors, donors and volunteers who made this event a huge success. Awesome job to our very own Rob McCloskey and Kelly McBroom on the mic, who MC’d the night, you guys did a fantastic job. Big congrats to all of the Hall of Fame recipients, your dedication to this sport is a huge inspiration to the community. Thank you for your spirit, your hard work and your passion towards skiing! For the final announcement. If you haven’t heard yet, Alberta Alpine has partnered up with Lone Star Mercedes-Benz! This was very exciting news to the AST athlete, and we are all very excited to represent all our new and returning sponsors this season.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”18″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]The season is coming fast and I couldn’t be more excited to get this race season going! The AST athletes will keep you updated on how the season is progressing. Thank you so much for reading my first ever athlete journal! See you all on the hill! Happy skiing!

 – Kiki Alexander