Alpine Canada Is Excited To Announce The 2020-21 Canadian Ski Teams

Alpine Canada and the Canadian Alpine Ski Team (CAST) are excited to unveil a revamped multi-tier program offering ahead of the 2020/21 season as athletes begin to prepare for the upcoming World Championship and pre-Olympic year. 

Athlete nominations to the team are based on meeting published CAST nomination criteria. The Canadian Alpine Ski Team nominations guidelines are available at AlpineCanada.org.

In total, 15 athletes met A and B level criteria and are named to the World Cup team. 

2020-21 Canadian Alpine Ski Team World Cup Team 

• Cameron Alexander (North Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• James (Jack) Crawford (Toronto, ON/ Georgian Peaks Ski Club & Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• Marie-Michèle Gagnon (Lac-Etchemin, QC/Mont Orignal)
• Valérie Grenier (Mont-Tremblant, QC/Club de ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Erin Mielzynski (Collingwood, ON/Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
• Ali Nullmeyer (Toronto, ON/Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
• Manuel Osborne-Paradis (Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• Trevor Philp (Calgary, AB/Banff Alpine Racers)
• Erik Read (Canmore, AB/Banff Alpine Racers)
• Jeffrey Read (Canmore, AB/Banff Alpine Racers)
• Roni Remme (Collingwood, ON/Alpine Ski Club)
• Brodie Seger (North Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• Amelia Smart (Invermere, B.C./Panorama Ski Club)
• Laurence St-Germain (St. Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC/Club de ski Mont-Ste-Anne)
• Broderick Thompson (Whistler, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)

Four athletes have met C level criteria and are named to a Select Group within CAST. These athletes will compete primarily at the Continental Cup level with opportunities to compete on the World Cup based on performance and quota space. The Select Group is a new approach that will have these CAST Team members train and race with a mix of support from the CAST WC Team and the B.C. Ski Team. 

2020-21 Canadian Alpine Ski Team (Select Group)

• Kyle Alexander (North Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• Asher Jordan (North Vancouver, B.C./ Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
• Sam Mulligan (Vancouver, B.C. /Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club)
• Riley Seger (North Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)

In addition to our World Cup and Select Group of ski racers, Alpine Canada is also happy to recognize a group of athletes to the new CAST NextGen Program. This recognition is based on new criteria that have been approved and supported by all PTSOs. This program recognizes alpine athlete's performance and potential as ski racers in their journey towards the World Cup team.

The CAST NextGen Program recognizes our next generation of top ski racers. Sport programming will continue to be provided through the athletes PTSO, in coordination with Alpine Canada. These athletes are an important part of the CAST long-term program and we continue to support their development.

2020-21 Canadian Alpine Ski Team NextGen Program

• Sarah Bennett (Stoneham, QC/Ski Québec Alpin)
• Justine Clément (Bécancour, QC/Ski Québec Alpin, University of Vermont) 
• Stefanie Fleckenstein (Whistler, BC/University of Colorado, BC Ski Team) 
• Cassidy Gray (Panorama, B.C./Alberta Ski Team) 
• Britt Richardson (Canmore, AB/Burke Mountain Academy) 
• Claire Timmermann (Calgary, AB/Alberta Ski Team) 
• Marina Villanova (Montréal, QC/Ski Québec Alpin, University of Vermont)
• Justin Alkier (Toronto, ON/Ontario Ski Team, Middlebury College) 
• Jamie Casselman (Cranbrook, B.C./Alberta Ski Team, Montana State University)
• Simon Fournier (Montréal, QC/University of Denver) 
• Declan McCormack (Toronto, ON/Ontario Ski Team, University of Vermont)
• Keegan Sharp (Invermere, B.C./Alberta Ski Team, Team Panorama) 

More information on the CAST NextGen Program including selection criteria can be found here. 

Leading the Canadian Alpine Ski Team this season is newly appointed High-Performance Director, Phil McNichol, along with the men’s head coach Mark Tilston and women’s head coach, Manuel Gamper. John Kucera will lead the men’s speed group and, the men’s technical group will be led by Dusan Grasic.                                            

“I am excited to be a part of Alpine Canada and I have a strong belief in the ability of the athletes and staff of CAST,” said McNichol. “With a clear focus on hard work and accountability, great things can be achieved.”

Alpine Canada would also like to recognize athletes who plan to continue to pursue their racing careers outside of the CAST programming. These Athletes of National Interest are an important part of our sport and Alpine Canada will track their development and engage with them on their journey. These athletes will be competing across North America and Europe striving to qualify for World Cup, Alpine World Championships, and requalifying for CAST. 

Athletes of National Interest

• Benjamin Thomsen (Invermere, B.C./Windermere Ski Club)
• Candace Crawford (Toronto,ON/ Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
• Mikaela Tommy (Wakefield, QC/Edelweiss)

Alpine Canada is also excited to name the 2020-21 Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team including two NextGen athletes. The team, which captured 22 World Cup podiums last season looks to keep the momentum going in the right direction as they move into a World Championship season. 

Athlete nominations to the team are based on meeting nomination criteria. The Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team nominations guidelines are available at AlpineCanada.org.

2020-21 Athletes named to the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team  

• Alana Ramsay (Calgary, AB/CADS Alberta)
• Alexis Guimond (Gatineau, QC/Club de ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Brian Rowland (Merrickville,ON/Calabogie Peaks)
• Frédérique (Fred) Turgeon (Candiac, QC/Club de ski Bromont)
• Kurt Oatway (Calgary, AB/Regina Alpine Race Team)
• Mac Marcoux (Sault Ste-Marie, ON/Searchmont Ski Runners) and guide Tristan Rodgers (Ottawa, ON/Club de ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Michaela Gosselin (Collingwood, ON/Osler Bluff Ski Club) 
• Mollie Jepsen (West Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club)

Both Rowland and Gosselin have been named to the NextGen Program and will be focused on developing their skills to perform on the World Cup in the future. 

Again this season Matt Hallat remains at the helm of the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team as High-Performance Director. Hoping to lead the team to another winning season on the World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit will be head coach Jean-Sébastien Labrie. 

“Our athletes and staff have worked hard and created a culture of excellence and it has been thrilling for all of us to see those efforts pay off on the World Cup circuit,” said Hallat. “While there is a lot of uncertainty we will continue to work hard on our own and virtually until we can get back together in the gym and on snow in pursuit of our Beijing 2022 goals.”

Finally Alpine Canada is proud to name 18 athletes to the 2020-21 Canadian Ski Cross Team. The team, which is made up entirely of returning athletes looks to build on a stellar last season which saw them win the overall Nations Cup and team veteran Kevin Drury bring home the crystal globe.  

Athlete nominations to the team are based on meeting nomination criteria. The Canadian Ski Cross Teamnominations guidelines are available at AlpineCanada.org.

2020-21 Canadian Ski Cross Team

• Zach Belczyk (Banff, AB/Sunshine Ski Club and Alberta Ski Cross) 
• Zoe Chore (Cranbrook, BC/Kimberley Alpine Ski Club) 
• Carson Cook (Edmonton, AB/Snow Valley Ski Club)
• Chris Del Bosco (Vail, CO and Montréal, QC/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)
• Kevin Drury (Toronto, ON/Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
• Tiana Gairns (Prince George, BC/ Prince George Ski Club)
• Courtney Hoffos (Windermere, BC/Windermere Ski Club)
• Reece Howden (Cultus Lake, BC/Apex Ski Club)
• Brady Leman (Calgary, AB)/Calgary Alpine Racing Club) 
• Kris Mahler (Canmore, AB/Craigleith Ski Club)          
• Abby McEwen (Edmonton, AB)/Sunridge Ski Club)
• Brittany Phelan (Mont-Tremblant, QC/Club de Ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Gavin Rowell (Prince George, BC/Prince George Ski Club)
• India Sherret (Cranbrook, BC/Kimberley Alpine Team)
• Hannah Schmidt (Ottawa, ON/ Club de Ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Jared Schmidt (Ottawa, ON/Club de Ski Mont-Tremblant)
• Antoinette (Annie) Tansley (Calgary, AB/Grouse Moutan Tyee Ski Club and Alberta Ski Cross) 
• Marielle Thompson (Whistler, BC/Whistler Mountain Ski Club)

The Canadian Ski Cross Team will once again be supported by High-Performance Director Dave Ellis, while Stanley Hayer returns as the World Cup team head coach.

“This is an exciting time for the Canadian Ski Cross Team as we look to build on an amazing 2019-20,” said Ellis. “Going into a World Championship year we want to continue to evolve as a team, lead the world in the sport, build up our younger athletes and support our veterans to continue to be the best in the world. It is a good time for the Canadian Ski Cross Team and we cannot wait to get back onto snow, doing what we love.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the beginning of the 2020-21 season, the Canadian Alpine Ski Team will be formally introduced in the fall.