Farnham Glacier camp boosts Canadian junior ski racers

Farnham Glacier camp boosts Canadian junior ski racers{mosimage}Canada’s latest step toward a fully integrated athlete development program was launched at Camp Green on Farnham Glacier.

Supported by Devonian Properties Inc., the ACA Rising Star Farnham Camp kicked off Aug. 21 with 15 elite female J1 ski racers from Alberta and British Columbia spending two days on snow training at Farnham, Canada’s $2 million glacier training center.

“The conditions were awesome up there. The snow was excellent, and it really showed all of us just how valuable Farnham Glacier is going to be to ski racing in Canada in 2010 and beyond. Everyone was really excited to see the impact this incredible facility is having,” said ACA Coaching Education Director Richard Lepage, who was among the development group coaching staff participating in the camp.

Lepage compared the lessons being taught to the young ski athletes over the past few days to filling up a tool box.

“They performed really well and really showed a lot of progress. What they need to understand is that in today’s skiing, the fastest skiers are the ones with the most tools in their tool box. At this point, these young racers have only one or two tools in their tool box. So we are pushing them to fill it up,” he said.

Another 16 male J1 skiers arrived at Farnham Aug. 26 to spend a few days training on the snow.

Devonian Properties President Stephen Ross said the company was very excited about sponsoring the cutting-edge training camp.

“Helping to develop Canada’s young skiers and this project in particular is very exciting for us to be a part of,” Ross said. “This camp and the other ACA projects that are supported by Devonian Properties Inc. are instrumental if Canada is to reach its goal of being the best at the international level.”

This camp marks the third year of the Devonian Properties “Rising Stars” program, which identifies leading young athletes within Provincial Sport Organization programs. A Canmore and Fort McMurray area land development company, Devonian Properties also sponsors a J1 camp at Panorama, B.C., in November, a K2 camp at Panorama in December and a Rising Star European Camp in January.

Opened by the Calgary Olympic Development Association on July 3, 2006, Camp Green on Farnham Glacier is designed to boost Canada’s performance at future Olympic Games by allowing high-performance alpine ski racers, freestyle skiers and snowboard athletes the opportunity for on-snow training at home in the summer. CODA initially ran a highly successful pilot project on Farnham Glacier in 2003, while a $1 million donation from Don and Shirley Green last year helped the project move forward.

— Alpine Canada Alpin