Alberta Alpine has summarized updated information from the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Para-Olympic Committee, Own The Podium, the World Health Organization, and the Province of Alberta/Alberta Health Services, including risk assessment and mitigation tools for clubs planning a return to organized activity.

We look forward to supporting our membership through this transition, and are always available to support our clubs, memberships, and resort partners with information and updates.

We will continue to update this document as the information related to a full return to sport becomes available.

AASA – Return Plan Stage One

The Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Para-Olympic Committee, and Own The Podium have released a framework to be used for the return to high-performance sport, following the specific requirements of the health authority for each provincial jurisdiction.

In addition to this framework, the committees have developed a Club Assessment and Mitigation Checklist, aimed at helping clubs identify and mitigate the risks associated with returning to sport activity.

Both documents can be found as attachments below, and will be linked to all future Return to Sport updates from Alberta Alpine.

Canada – COVID-19 Return to HP Sport Framework – May 2020[1]

Club Risk_Assessment_and_Mitigation_Checklist_Tool_FINAL

Hey everyone, Zac here!

I would like to start off my athlete journal by saying that I hope everyone is staying healthy and sane during these difficult times while quarantined.

I am well and doing everything I can in order to stay healthy. These days I have been doing home workouts every day. My workouts include sprints, weighted lunges, weighted squats, core exercises and of course some upper body exercises as well. Although the gyms are closed I have found the motivation to do these workouts every day in order to be on track for next season.

With my season being cut short I was a little disappointed as I missed out on achieving one of my biggest goals which was to compete at World Junior Championships. Although it was canceled I am still pleased that I qualified and was selected to attend. I did accomplish my goal of forerunning the World Cup at Nakiska, what a great experience it was to be in a World Cup environment and around the best athletes the world has to offer. With that said, overall I had a good season and I am happy with my results. Although I am happy, I am still hungry for more and ready to achieve many more goals and accomplishments next season.

Last Tuesday I had the fantastic opportunity to go on my first mountain bike ride of the year with Alberta Ski Team athlete Caeden Caruthers as well as Alberta Alpine President Rob McCloskey. Although this was my first ride of the season it was also my first mountain bike ride in Alberta and it was great! We did a total of 18.3km, each six feet apart of course, and I am already eager for more!

Not only was it an amazing change of pace to be in the great outdoors but it was also nice to be around friendly faces and be able to have real conversations that didn’t involve a computer screen or a phone. Although quarantine is not over, with the parks and recreations in Alberta slowly opening back up I believe everyone will begin to regain sanity and morale will surely go up!

With such a positive experience getting back out in the mountains, I now have hope that the upcoming ski season will go off without a hitch. Although it may have a few restrictions, I am impatiently waiting to be able to be back on the slopes, clicking into my skis, and pulling out of the start gate once again!

Lastly, I would like to thank my coach JM, Alberta Alpine, the MSM World Cup Athlete Development Fund, the Mont Ste Marie Ski Club community, and everyone who supported me over the past season!

Once again stay healthy!

This has been Zac Reynolds, over and out!

Check out Zac’s Athlete Profile here.

Check out the latest ASXT Athlete Journal video submission from Reece Ralph. You can also find out more about Reece here.

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Hi Everyone,

It’s Jamie here, checking in for my last athlete journal. The past month has seen a lot of changes in the world and in ski racing due to Covid-19. It all happened so fast, so I thought I would take this time to let you know how it has unfolded for me.

Near the end of February, Raphael, Liam, and I left to Norway for the World Junior Championships. Our first stop was in Trysil for a six-day training camp with coach Greg Frechette. We had some amazing SG, SL, and GS training with the Norwegian Junior and World Cup teams.

Then, we headed to Narvik to meet up with the rest of our World Junior’s team, which included two of my teammates, Cassidy and Claire. Northern Norway is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been; looking out the plane window at the endless, snow-covered fjords was absolutely breath-taking.

Once we got settled, it was time to kick off the events with DH and SG. The track had to be shortened due to some weather issues, but it was still a fast and exciting course. We all gained some valuable speed experience and Liam surprised everyone with an 11^th place finish in the Super-G from bib 68! The next day, the women did their alpine combined race and the men were able to get the SL portion of their alpine combined off. I started bib 1 in the SL and kept the lead all the way to the end, winning my first World Juniors run!

Unfortunately, the SG portion was later cancelled and I was unable to get the chance to compete for the gold medal. This was greatly disappointing for me; however, it also gave me confidence to know I can compete with the best in the world. The last race held at World Juniors was the women’s GS where Cassidy achieved a strong 21^st place result.

At 10 pm on the night before the men’s GS race, we got some news. World Juniors was cancelled due to coronavirus. This was followed by the news, two days later, that the remainder of our season was cancelled. Nor-Am Finals, Nationals, and Spring Series were all gone. While this situation was unfolding, I experienced a whirlwind of emotion.

Going from the highlight of my career, sitting in the leader box at World Juniors, to such an abrupt halt to the season, was very disappointing. It is hard to look back and think what could’ve been. It is hard to think about all the time and work we have put in to this sport without getting the chance to achieve the rewards. It is hard to see the sport you love disappear so suddenly. However, this virus is much larger than that and I am glad to be safe at home with my family. One good thing in all of this, that I am very excited about, is that I secured a World Cup spot for next year in alpine combined because of my Nor-Am ranking.

Spending the last two weeks at home in quarantine has given me lots of time to reflect. It has made me realize how strong my passion for skiing truly is. In fact, being locked up in my house can’t even stop me from finding ways to ski. I have been occupying my time by coming up with different ways to train in quarantine. First, I built a start ramp out of all the snow I could pile up in my backyard. I set up race timing on it and did about 200 runs in a 1.7 second course. I analyzed my technique with video and I was able to improve by a whole 0.15 seconds. I started building a home gym with, the biggest project being, a new squat rack. I am hoping to also get out for some xc skiing and mountain biking soon. The preparation for next season has already started.

I would like to thank all our sponsors that supported us this year. I would also like to thank all my teammates and coaches for making this season one to remember. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to experience it with; it was one of my most fun years of ski racing ever. Although we didn’t have quite enough time to show our full potential, we accomplished many goals and proudly represented Alberta with our passion for ski racing.

I hope you and your families are staying healthy, enjoying some family time and being able to get outside for some fresh air and exercise. Thanks to all for the season; I can’t wait to see you next year!

-Jamie Casselman

Check out Jamie’s Athlete Profile here.

Calgary, AB — It is with great excitement that Alberta Alpine, in partnership with the new University of Calgary Alpine Ski Team (UCAST) Society, is moving forward with the formation of the inaugural University of Calgary Dinos Ski Team, and is seeking a Program Manager to oversee the athletic/academic integration for an impressive roster of alpine and ski cross athletes. In addition to being the point of contact for athletes navigating the University of Calgary Department of Athletics facilities and services, this individual will fill a vital role within our integrated system, leading on-snow programming for the Alpine Training Group C.

The Program Manager/C-Team Coach will gain valuable experience working within a University athletics environment, as well as integration and mentorship opportunities with the Alberta provincial system coaches and training groups. This individual will be the champion of all things Dinos Ski Team, and should bring a passion to work with young student athletes, a creativity to help this program evolve, and a desire to build this team to become known across North America.

For more information, please see the attached position description: AASA:UC Dinos Program Manager:C-Team Coach

We thank all applicants for their interest in this exciting opportunity.

Calgary, AB — Alberta Alpine is pleased to proceed with the process of building a renewed structure for the 2020/2021 provincial ski team programming by launching the search for Lead Coaches for the Women’s and Men’s Alpine Teams. These coaches will oversee the direction of programming, and working with a team of Assistant Coaches, will elevate athletes to their individual goals within the sport of ski racing. With an expanded mandate to promote the development of athletes to the National C-Team, among other successful outcomes, the Lead Coaches are expected to possess significant high-performance coaching experience, along with a vision to be strategic and creative in the changing landscape of our sport. The Alberta provincial program includes the most talented young athletes in our country. This is an exciting opportunity to work with young leaders in our sport, helping them achieve their individual greatness.

Applicants should submit a resume and identify a preference for which program (women’s or men’s) they see their skills and experience providing the greatest benefit to our athletes.

For further information on these exciting opportunities, please see the attached job posting: AASA – Lead Coach Positions

We thank all applicants for their interest in building this program.

Check out the latest AST Athlete Journal video submission from Gavin Donald. You can also find out more about Gavin here.

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The new definition of alpine racing on mobile: World Cup Ski Racing delivers the speed, realism, and precision of the fastest non-motorized sport in the world.

Race against live skiers from across the globe in four FIS disciplines – Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super G, and Slalom – as you climb your local and world-wide leaderboards. Connect with friends, create or join a team, and race your way to the eFIS World Cup podium.

Free to download, World Cup Ski Racing brings the mountains to your mobile, and the excitement of World Cup competition to your fingertips.  

Equip your racer with the latest and greatest from HEAD, Fischer, Rossignol, Stöckli, Völkl, LEKI, and Atomic.

http://sessiongames.com/games/fisalpine/

After consultations with Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) and the other Provincial Ski Associations, Alberta Alpine has made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining ski race calendar of Alberta Alpine sanctioned races. This decision follows a recommendation from ACA and a decision from USSA to suspend all domestic events.

This cancellation applies to all races sanctioned by Alberta Alpine effective immediately, including races starting after March 12, 2020.

Races that are currently underway, such as the U16 National Championships, will continue, but Race Organizing Committees are encouraged to monitor the changing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Training decisions can be made by individual clubs, families and athletes. We urge all involved to consider not just the health impacts on our racers, coaches and families, but for all those with whom you may come in contact.

Additional COVID-19 information and updates can be found here: https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx

Hi Everyone!

We’ve had a crazy couple of months on the road. With this came many highs and lows for all of us but we have a strong team and together we push each other to be the best versions of ourselves. Our team dynamic is what earns us podiums and makes our (basically 12 month) season sustainable.

I’m sure from the eyes of bystanders, our lives look compelling, but you guys get the glorified version of our day-to-day schedule consisting of early mornings, long travel days, time away from family and friends and countless hours in the gym. Since January, we’ve been away for almost 8 weeks skiing all over the continent. I wouldn’t trade these opportunities for anything, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy. I’ve learned a lot while away with the team, had some great and some not so great results, improved my skiing and had lots of fun with my friends.

Two weeks ago, the World Juniors team was announced. I was honoured to make the team and have the chance to represent both Alberta and Canada on the world stage. Like most athletes, I’m hard on myself and this is a great reminder that my skiing is on the right track and up to par with others my age across the world. Unfortunately, following the Coronavirus outbreak, the race has been cancelled. I was looking forward to our trip to France but lots of factors are out of our control and I hope to redeem myself next year!

Following this unforeseen virus outbreak, our plans for the next month have completely changed, and our mindset has shifted – now focusing on improving our technical skills rather than being in the racing mindset. This month the team is heading to Panorama to forerun and race the speed events and get in some GS training, then we’re off to Big White to race the final FIS series of the season.

Initially, I was upset about the cancellations and felt it was unfair that our season got cut so short. But it’s important to not lose sight of our long-term goals and keep training and working towards achieving them. I’m grateful for some time closer to home over the next couple weeks and hope to see you on the hill!

-SVC

Check out Sarah’s Athlete Profile here.

Alberta Alpine is monitoring the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and is following guidance provided by Alberta Health Services, the Government of Canada, and Alpine Canada Alpin, as it relates to travel advisories, and information for hosting events and mass-gatherings.

Outlined below are some general advisories: