Canadian alpine team names 45 to summer training program

By Published On: May 13th, 2005Comments Off on Canadian alpine team names 45 to summer training program

Canadian alpine team names 45 to summer training program{mosimage}CALGARY, Alberta (May 13, 2005) – Intently focused on doubling the number of Canadian racers participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Torino, Alpine Canada Alpin named 45 athletes – 27 veterans and 18 high potential prospects — to participate in the national team’s summer training program.

Max Gartner, chief athletic officer, said Alpine Canada Alpin has a strategic goal to qualify 22 racers for this season’s 2006 Winter Games in Torino Italy – double the 11 athletes who met the international standards at the last Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Mr. Gartner said the Canadian team will be anchored by last season’s World Cup medal winners — Thomas Grandi, Geneviève Simard, Allison Forsyth, François Bourque, and Emily Brydon, along with veteran athletes Mélanie Turgeon and Eric Guay, who have battled injuries over the past seasons.

“Tremendous focus and resources are being applied to improve the international competitiveness of our top ski racers,” said Mr. Gartner. “We must build on our recent success to strengthen our overall program.”

The team’s 27 senior members will be joined by 18 high potential athletes, all seeking to be named to the Canadian Development Team following the team’s intensive summer training program.

With six World Cup medals clinched last season and the country’s highest total point count ever in the World Cup Nations Cup standings, Canada dramatically increased the number of athletes officially permitted to compete on the World Cup circuit for the upcoming season. The increase was from 19 to 31 spots for the men and from 24 to 26 for the women. Canada also clinched five medals at the World Junior Championships.

Alpine Canada Alpin President Ken Read said the final number of athletes who will be named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team’s development group for the 2005-06 season will depend on available funding and individual performances during the summer program.

“We hope to increase the number of athletes beyond the 37 who were part of the teams last season,” said Mr. Read. “Our goal is to have 22 athletes meet the Olympic qualifying standards in addition to closing the season with six athletes ranked in the top 15 in their discipline in the world.”

Mr. Gartner said the following athletes have been officially named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team for the 2005-06 racing season:

CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM – SENIOR WOMEN & SKI CLUBS
Brigitte Acton – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Emily Brydon – Fernie, BC.
Allison Forsyth – Mont Washington, BC.
Britt Janyk – Whistler, BC.
Gail Kelly – Le Relais, QC.
Christina Lustenberger – Windermere, BC.
Genevi̬ve Simard РVal-St-C̫me and Montcalm, QC.
Sophie Splawinski – Morin Heights, QC.
M̩lanie Turgeon РMont-Ste-Anne, QC.
Kelly VanderBeek – Chicopee, ON.

CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM – SENIOR MEN & SKI CLUBS
Patrick Biggs – Ottawa Ski Club, ON.
Fran̤ois Bourque РPin Rouge, QC.
Julien Cousineau – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Thomas Grandi – Mt. Norquay, AB.
Erik Guay – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Stefan Guay – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Jan Hudec – Banff Mountain Academy, AB.
Jeff Hume – Whistler, BC.
Michael Janyk – Whistler, BC.
John Kucera – Mt. Norquay, AB.
Vincent Lavoie – Stoneham, QC.
Manuel Osborne-Paradis – Whistler, BC.
Jean-Philippe Roy – Mont-Comi, QC.
Ryan Semple – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Gareth Sine – National Alpine Training Center, AB.
Brad Spence – National Alpine Training Centre, AB.
Paul Stutz – Banff Alpine Racers, AB.

High potential athletes invited to participate in the summer training
program are:

WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT GROUP & SKI CLUBS
Jessica Dakers – National Alpine Training Centre, AB.
Emilie Desforges – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Jennah Durham – Timmins Ski Club, ON.
Anna Goodman – Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Sherry Lawrence – National Alpine Training Centre, AB.
V̩ronique L̩ger-Archambault РSutton, QC.
Danielle Poleschuk – Fernie, BC.
Marie-Pier Pr̩fontaine РChantecler, QC.
Shona Rubens – Lake Louise, AB.
Megan Ryley – Craigleith, ON.
Kristen Tarchuk – Banff Alpine Racers, AB.
Larisa Yurkiw – Georgian Peaks, ON.

MEN’S DEVELOPMENT GROUP & SKI CLUBS
Jeffrey Frish – Mont-Tremblant, QC
Trevor White – Calgary, AB.
Louis-Pierre H̩lie РMont-Ste-Anne, QC.
Robbie Dixon – Whistler, BC.
Scott Barrett – Osler, ON.
Nick Zoricic – Craigleith, ON.

The summer development training group, which was selected based on performances within domestic race series and international rankings, will go through two months of dryland training at the University of Calgary, followed by on-snow training camps. The men will be in Chile and in Switzerland, while the women will be starting at the end of August. Final development team selections will be made on October 30 based on physical fitness, commitment, and previous race results.

-press release

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