In May 2016 the people of Alberta experienced a severe forest fire season beginning with the Fort McMurray fire. The air quality from this and other forest fires rose to unprecedented Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) numbers throughout the province that warned of dangerous air conditions. At the time there were no policies in place for any sport or school board regarding when air quality conditions warrant play stoppage – in other words, regulatory failure.

This failure, coupled with the personal experiences of RASAC’s members with the health damage that can occur with such events, suggested to RASAC that we should use our expertise and networks to eliminate this risk for people, especially our young athletes. Thus RASAC brought together scientists and policy experts from Alberta Environment, Alberta Health, and Health Canada to establish Air Aware – a policy guideline for outdoor sports experiencing poor air quality.

The AQHI was developed by Health Canada.  It is available as a web-based, risk management tool which describes a local reading of air quality as it relates to human health. While the Index number for a location can rise into the triple digits (Fort McMurray in 2016 peaked at over “100”) anything over “7” is considered high risk to human health.  Click here to get the latest Alberta AQHI calculation and local AQHI values.  The AQHI Canada app provides hourly AQHI readings and daily forecasts for communities across Canada.

On the basis of Health Canada recommendations and peer-reviewed science (see full report here), the precautionary principle suggests that matches or practices should be abandoned when there is an AQHI value of “7” or over.  The Alberta Soccer Association has adopted this guideline as a trigger for cancelling or rescheduling games and practices.

In 2020, Health Canada contracted RASAC to determine the impact of the 2017-2019 efforts by RASAC and Health Canada to increase the use of the AQHI and policies by sporting organizations for managing outdoor sporting activities during adverse air quality events. It was decided that this determination was best made by creating two surveys.  The first is for the sporting organizations and the second survey is for members and participants of outdoor sporting organizations throughout Western Canada. This report supplies the results of the two surveys. Further information on the focus of two surveys is given below.

Two surveys were designed to determine the impact that the 2017-2019 efforts made on the use of the AQHI during outdoor events in Western Canada when outdoor air quality is poor.  Links to the organization lists, the surveys and their data can be found on the RASAC website here. One survey was for organizations that are involved in outdoor organized sporting events and the other survey was for individuals, parents, and game officials (coaches). The results of these two surveys determined the impact of the 2017-2019 efforts by RASAC and Health Canada. the surveys were seeking information on:

• The level of awareness of the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI),
• The use of AQHI in making outdoor activity decisions,
• Current policies or guidelines related to adverse air quality, and
• Barriers to adverse air quality policy or guideline adoption

The first survey asked for information from organization leaders. The second survey was designed to gather similar information from an individual, family, teacher, or team/event organizer perspective.

Dear Alberta Alpine Members,

The Transrockies Gravel Royale will take place between Panorama and Fernie from August 22 to August 26, 2021.

There is an opportunity for older athletes and parents to volunteer for the “CAMP CREW” a few hours per day and then enjoy some hiking and biking during the downtime. More details will be communicated once registered.

Please select the following link to register: https://www.transrockiesgravelroyale.com/staff-volunteer-registration.

Thursday, July 29, 2021 (Canmore, Alberta) – Alberta Alpine is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the Class of 2021, to be indicted into Canadian Rockies Ski Racing Hall of Fame.

Carrying on what has become a very special event for the Canadian ski racing community, the Hall of Fame selection committee will welcome nominees in four categories:

• Builder
• Volunteer
• Official
• Alberta Ski Team and/or Canadian Ski Team alumnus

Ski racing in the Canadian Rockies has grown through the vision and determination of our many passionate leaders. These efforts have lifted in our athletes to proudly represent Canada, including Olympic, World Championship and World Cup medals. Hard working volunteers, officials and staff have become indispensable supporters of our own annual World Cup as well as leaders within organizing committees at World Championships and Olympic Winter Games. Technical leaders have been part of the digital revolution. Coaches and Team alumnus have firmly established a culture of success and a pipeline that consistently gives thousands of young athletes the fundamentals of a life-long sport, a deep appreciation for the outdoors and mountain environment, the thrill of ski racing and a passion to aim to represent our country.

Many of our builders have come from other countries, other parts of Canada as well as from our local ski clubs, to establish some of the most successful ski clubs in our country, to influence major events, to guide our sport internationally, to guide our athletes towards international success and to build strong athletic pathways that form the solid foundation of our athlete pathway.

This is your chance to bring forward an individual you feel is deserving of recognition by the Ski Racing Family.

The Class of 2021 will be recognized at the “Highest Peak Gala”, scheduled for this autumn. This year marks the 53^rd year of this event, which was originally founded by Joe Irwin (2013 Honoured Lifetime Builder), Jack Simpson and Allister Ross, as a fundraiser supporting the 1968 Olympic Ski Team. Our Alberta event is Canada’s longest-running annual ski fundraising event.

“The Canadian Rockies Ski Racing Hall of Fame is a truly meaningful way to honour those who have worked so hard for our athletes,” said Alberta Alpine President, Pat Gillespie. “Every winter, thousands of young athletes get the chance to enjoy ski racing and to aim for the podium, thanks to the determined effort of our supporters. Through their hard work our athletes have developed into champions, life-long ski enthusiasts and good citizens. The leadership of our Honoured Inductees and so many more is a living example to all of us who aim to build a strong sport programs across the province and Canada.”

Nominations will be accepted until August 31, 2021.

To nominate a deserving individual, provide a brief summary of no more than one page outlining the accomplishments and duration of commitment as well as contact information for both nominee and nominator. Email information to: memberservices@albertaalpine.ca

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For more information:

Canadian Rockies Ski Racing Hall of Fame

Email: memberservices@albertaalpine.ca

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Induction Class of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Nominations can be made in one of seven categories: Athlete, Builder, Teams, Pioneers, Achievement, Bell Memorial (Media), and Legacy. A maximum of 10 inductees will be chosen by the Selection Committee, including seven (7) candidates from the Athlete, Builder, and Team Nominations, one (1) Pioneer Award candidate, one (1) Bell Memorial candidate, one (1) Achievement Award candidate, and one (1) Legacy Award candidate.

More information and instructions can be found in the attached nomination package document, or by visiting www.albertasportshall.ca/nominate. Each nomination will be considered by the Selection Committee for three (3) consecutive years.

Complete nomination packages must be returned by October 31st by 4:30 pm to be considered.

Tickets are also now available for the upcoming 2020 Induction Banquet, which will be held on Friday, October 22^nd at the Red Deer College (RDC) Arts Centre. Tickets are $50 for Honoured Members and their guests, or $75 for general admission. Please plan to attend.

Rather than a recap of the season, I think it is time we look to the future. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the belief that we will have a “normal season” is really motivating for our group and hope it is for everyone.

Ski racing will be back in Canada this winter and I am as stoked about this upcoming season as I have ever been. We all dealt with various curveballs that no one could predict but we all learned to adapt and not let the unknowns rattle us. Add in the amount of training we have under our belts and we will be in for a great season.

The AST has been in the gym since mid May and are looking at a late summer/early fall return snow. The group has some lofty dryland goals we hope to achieve so that when the time comes, everyone will be stronger, healthier and ready to make it count when it comes time to arc some turns.  

I hope everyone can play outside as much as possible and has a great summer!

Gavin

Hello everyone!

I hope you are reading this while enjoying some summer heat as we gear up for what might be a “normal” summer!

What a season. Thank you to everyone who supported the AST this past year. The AST was lucky enough to get some racing outside of Canada which definitely kept the guys motivated and working hard. The season had its fair share of ups and downs but, ultimately, saw all the guys make improvements and get some solid results. Although we did not see any racing here in Alberta, we know the families were still out there doing what they could to make sure we could have some semblance of a season. Thank you to everyone that followed COVID protocols and kept the athletes safe and able to ski. Not just the AST but all athletes across the province. As we all know, this season was a whirlwind of emotions, itineraries and unknowns. I believe the hard work and dedication to training our province put in this season will pay off in the future as we hopefully start to return to normal.

The past season for the AST definitely took a joint team effort from the athletes and the staff to keep energies and morals high. Everyone stepped up and pushed through and I am very excited to take this momentum into the new season. The group had a couple weeks off in early May before some dryland testing kicked off the new dryland season. The group has been back at it 5 days a week for the past 3 weeks. The program currently consists of 2 gym sessions at CSI as well as a mixture of field and individualized sessions the other days. As COVID restrictions start to lift, the team will look to increase the time the gym; but for now the group is meshing and working hard. It has been great to get the guys together early this off season to start team building and really step up the competitiveness of the dryland program in anticipation of our fall on snow camp.

Thanks again to our supporters, families and athletes for pushing through this past season. I am excited for some normalcy and what the future has to offer! I hope to see you all again soon on the slopes.

Cheers,

Jonas

Canmore, Alberta – Alberta Alpine is pleased to announce that Alberta Ski Team athletes Kiara (Kiki) Alexander (Sunshine Ski Club) and Logan Dunn (NATC) have been named recipients of the 2021 Read Family Scholarships.

Despite a restricted competition season in 2020-21, Kiki was one of only three female athletes named to the Canada’s Team to the 2021 World Junior Championships. She posted numerous podium performances including a bronze medal finish at the 2021 US National Championships. “This season was one for the books,” said Kiki. “I have made great improvements physically in the gym and skiing, and mentally with confidence and determination.’

Her strong results across all events have positioned the third-year Alberta Ski Team athlete as one of the top juniors in Canada, as our nation heads towards hosting the 2022 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Panorama, this March, with her main goal to be named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team.

“Kiki leads by example on and off the hill when it comes to doing the work” said Alberta Ski Team women’s coach, Gavin Preziosi. “Perhaps her most impressive trait is the way she manages highs and lows. She is humble when on top and never lets her lows affect her teammates and is always there to pick them up. She had two minor injuries before two of the most important race series this season and while obviously disappointed, she focused on her recovery and still went to the hill to support her teammates.”

For Logan, the 2020-2021 season was certainly unique. ”Having to constantly adapt to health protocols and restrictions and to mentally adapt to such an inconsistent race schedule, tested my ability to perform on demand and my ability to stay motivated through the unknown,” said the fourth-year member of the Alberta Ski Team.

Logan opened the year capturing the 2020 U19 Canadian Championship title in slalom. Restrictions limited competition opportunities, so he focused his energy positively. “This was a big learning curve especially not knowing when or where my next race was going to be. I made great improvement in my technique and learnt a new side of my mental preparation when it came to ‘training intensity’. This gave me the time to slow down and fix some of the long-overdue habits, to use this winter as a building year. I also took the time to appreciate my home club, NASA/NATC, by volunteering with various age groups and hopefully inspiring our next generations.

“Logan has stepped up into the leadership role,” said AST men’s coach Jonas Haelen. “Although usually a silent leader, his actions and work ethic are hard to miss.”

For over 30 years, promising young Alberta alpine ski racers have been named as recipients of the Read Family Scholarship which recognizes excellence in alpine skiing for athletes who one day hope to represent Canada at the highest levels of competition.

“To succeed on the Alberta Ski Team requires focus, hard work and commitment,” said Alberta Alpine President, Patrick Gillespie. “We are thrilled to recognize Kiki and Logan, athletes who lead by example and represent our province and country well. They are outstanding examples of the talent that Alberta can produce. Our goal is to provide our athletes every opportunity to achieve, and keep strengthening our programs and ski clubs.”

About the Read Family Scholarships

Since 1988 the Read Scholarships have supporting young athletes who show both a passion for the sport and who aspire to represent Canada at the highest level. The scholarship is awarded annually to Alberta Ski Team athletes. Dee Read was an athlete, coach, volunteer and parent. She also set many precedents as a woman in sport: one of the first FIS Technical Delegates world-wide, the first Chair of Alberta Alpine and Board Member of Alpine Canada. Her dedication reached far beyond her family to influence athletes, parents, coaches and sport administrators right across Canada, who benefited from her knowledge, generosity and warm spirit in lending a firm but insightful hand as a sport leader in Canada and Alberta.

Photos: Malcolm Carmichael

This position is ideally suited to a positive, creative, passionate, and experienced individual who works well with athletes, stakeholders within Alberta, and representatives from other PTSOs (Provincial-Territorial Sport Organizations), to ensure AASA programs are delivering supportive ski cross athlete pathways and inter-provincial colaboration.

The Head Coach will manage all aspects of the Alberta Ski Cross Team program and with the general objective of providing athletic programs, which will assist athletes in achieving their full potential in our sport. The Head Coach also has a responsibility to all members of Alberta Alpine (athletes, officials, parents, and coaches) and should display leadership and professionalism in his/her day-to-day interactions with all members.

Please submit your application (resume and cover letter) before June 21st, 2021 to jobs@albertaalpine.ca

FULL JOB POSTING

Hey guys!

Zac checking in here for the last athlete journal of the season. This season has been quite an interesting one. With limited training environments, lack of a race schedule, Covid-19 restrictions and injuries, it has had many speed bumps along the way yet thankfully I’ve been able to overcome them without fail.

I just finished my last week of training at Sunshine Village and boy was it awesome! My team and I were lucky enough to secure an exemption from COVID-19 restrictions in order to continue training, this also led to the best training environment of the season! The National Ski Cross team have also been training at Sunshine and they built an amazing couple ski cross tracks and start sections which we were allowed to use.

One of the speed bumps this season was learning how to embrace each and every training session no matter the quality. With Covid-19 restrictions we were very limited so making the best of what we have was the name of the game this season and learning to do so made training so much more fun! My other speed bump was an unfortunate partial MCL tear in my knee in January putting me on the bench for a total of 2 months. Luckily, I was able the recover quickly with full strength thanks to our trainer Nate Morris and the whole team at Group 23! Based on the work I put in and the support I received, I was able to complete my return to snow program and was fully cleared for a few final weeks of great training.

All in all, although it was a strange season, it definitely was a good one! I have attached a video of my team and I training at Sunshine that was put together by Shannon Abeda. Definitely check it out!

Lastly, I’d like to thank our coaching staff, Kya, JM, I know this season has been tough, but it definitely would not have been possible without you guys. Thank you for everything!

Signing off, see you again next season!

For Immediate Release:

27 May 2021

Local AB Alpine Officials Women’s Initiative goes national! 

At its fall 2020 meeting, FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) announced a gender balance requirement for all its committees and sub committees, which mandated the representation of women to be at 30% for the 2021/22 season followed by a target of 40% for 2022/23 season.  

This May, an online event hosted by Julie Parchewsky of the Banff Alpine Racers/Bow Valley Quickies, attracted seventy-two women from across Canada for solution-focused discussions that addressed the underrepresentation and marginal progression of women as race officials in the domain of alpine ski racing at the community, provincial and national levels. 

Attendees included Canada’s leading women in alpine ski racing serving as FIS and National Technical Delegates, Canada Alpine alumni and executives, along with provincial officials, coaches, PSO board members, club representatives and race directors.  

Presentations were given by Dr. Guylaine Demers, Co-director of E-Alliance, Canada’s Research Hub for Gender and Equity in Sport, Haley Baxter from the University of Waterloo, and Kim Gurtler, Manager of Programs and Operations at (SIRC) Sport Information Resource Centre; followed by inspirational comments from Sue Schwartz, Chief of Race World Cup Women at Lake Louise and Lynne Gibson FIS Technical Delegate from Panorama Ski Club.  

The program took place over two evenings on May 11 and May 20^th. The first evening focussed on the identification of perceived and experienced barriers to the progression and retention of women in leadership roles and as officials. The second evening entailed facilitated small-group discussions that generated ideas and solutions to support women and address biases that exist at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels. 

The seeds for a supportive community have been planted. The energy of these dynamic and capable women in the sport is invigorating.  This network will use the momentum from the event to further the development and encouragement of current and future women as officials and leaders in alpine ski racing throughout Canada.  

Plans for future events and meetings are underway.    

For more information, contact Julie Parchewsky at parchewsky.julie@gmail.com

Hello Alberta Alpine followers! It’s Tora Hoshizaki here with another athlete journal. I hope everyone is enjoying the last of spring skiing and preparing for the summer time. With our two week break I decided to go back to Edmonton and spend some much needed time with my family. It’s been really nice being back at home after being away for so long.

Recently I was looking around the house and happened to find our old video camera. I decided to plug it into the tv and see what I could find. There were hundreds of videos of various celebrations, vacations and family endeavors. Although reliving those memories was entertaining, I was really intrigued by the old videos of my sister and I skiing as kids. This reminded me of times spent with past friends, coaches and families. It brought me back to a time when ski racing was simply about having fun. Watching these videos was the inspiration behind my athlete journal. So I have made this video recapping my fifteen year ski racing journey. I hope you guys enjoy it!

I would also like to thank my sponsors Sporting Life and Sync Performance! As well as my teammates, coaches, board members and most importantly my parents and sister! Thank you for making the 2020/2021 season happen during these difficult times.

Cheers,
Tora Hoshizaki

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