Ultimate Podium Alert
by WMSC FIS Coach

Yesterday someone asked me “how has your week been?” (yes @thewmsc has its own personality) all I said was “We owned the podium this week” They asked for more details, so I explained

With races happening at all levels of FIS (OWG, EC, NorAms and FIS) we had either current WMSC athletes or alumni having success at the highest levels of our sport. Check it out

On February 10th…

- FIS Alberta Cup – WMSC Sascha Gilbert wins gold
- NorAm Cup – alumni Kyle Alexander wins gold
- European Cup – alumni Cameron Alexander wins gold
- Olympic Winter games – alumni Jack Crawford wins bronze

Also, huge shout outs to WMSC Adam Usher FIS Alberta Cup podium on Feb 7, alumni Gemma Bexton FIS Alberta Cup podium on Feb 8, 9 and 10. Alumni Stef Fleckenstein, Riley Seger and Asher Jordan for snagging NorAm podiums Feb 8, 9 and 11. Check results

What a huge week for WMSC squad. We couldn’t be more proud

Check out our FIS BC Cup and Alberta Cup Photo Album

U16 Silverstar Teck open provincial |Feb 3-6

After almost two years, Whistler Mountain Ski Club’s U16 racers completed in their first “away” ski races for this season, February 3-6 at Silver Star Mountain. Hosted by the Vernon Ski Club, the racers competed in four days of racing at the BC Alpine Teck Open Series with two days of GS and two days of SL. Within an impressively large group of 140 racers (90 girls, 60 boys) , WMSC had a successful weekend.

For the women, Vanessa Young was 4th on Day 1 of GS and 3rd on Day 2 of GS, Thea Torn was 5th on Day 1 of GS and 4th on Day 2 of GS, Hannah Jensen was 7th on Day 1 of GS, Liv Imregi was 5th on Day 2 of GS, Allie Lavis was 9th on Day 2 of GS and Viveka Deck Stang was 10th on Day 2 of GS.

Of the men, Thomas Legg was 3rd on Day 1 of GS and 3rd again on Day 2, Joseph Gibbons was 4th on Day 1 of GS and 4th again Day 2.

For the SL races, Lola Gilbert was 6th on Day 1 and 5th on Day 2, Nicole Webb was 7th on Day 1, Liv Imregi was 9th on Day 1 and 9th on Day 2, Viveka Deck Stang was 10th on Day 1, Vanessa Young was 3rd on Day 2, and Hannah Jensen was 7th on Day 2.

The men SL race had Archie Clarke with a 6th place finish on Day 1 and Nick Kokot with a 10th place finish on Day 2.

2022 WMSC – U14 Coast Zone Speed Camp | Feb 3-6

Led by Olympians Rob Boyd and Mike Janyk, February 3 to 6, 2022
What an amazing opportunity it was for the Coast Zone ski club racers to experience world class coaching and course setting from the duo of Rob and Mike! Conditions for speed improved from Thursday through to Sunday, making for a perfect super-G day, with fast, grippy snow and excellent viability. Everyone, coaches and athletes alike, gave it a huge thumbs up and are already talking about the next speed camp!

“This speed camp went really well, it’s was a fantastic opportunity to provide a safe environment for the racers to get more comfortable with speed, and the progression we saw this week has been great.”

Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club Coach
“On Thursday they were moving a bit slower, but fast forward to Sunday under beautiful, blue skies and they are really able to move much more quickly, get that wind in their faces and get a feel for what it’s like to ski a super-G track!”

Whistler Mountain Ski Club Coach
“Speed camp is the best, it is like you can just really go for it! Course setting was great!”

Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club Athlete
“I feel like it went really well because at the start of the speed camp I was really uncomfortable with how fast I was going, but because I got to learn so much and had many tips I am now really comfortable skiing super-G and I realize how much fun it is to ski really fast!”

Whistler Mountain Ski Club Athlete

Checkout the photos on our album here

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics 2022 | February 4 – 20

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics officially Kicked off today! Whistler has a great representation of athletes, coaches and support staff over there and it is amazing how our messages sent and support shared helps them feel the love from back at home. If you feelings inspired, talk to your kids about the Games, what they are interested in, who they are looking forward to watching and take a little time to watch an event with them. Allow their curiosity to be nurtured and see if any sparks grow into a fire.

For cheering on our home club athletes, please find the the links to the schedules below and where to watch them.

Follow the action, Go Canada Go!

Alpine Skiing | Schedule
Freestyle Skiing | Ski Cross Schedule#
Watch Live
Watch replays

More details to come on the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Winter Games – Mar 4 to March 13

Calling all WMSC Parents – Volunteers | U12 Races | Feb 12 and 13

The U12 NGSL Skills Event and Janyk Cup are being held at Whistler on Saturday and Sunday, February 12 and 13 and we are looking for a few more volunteers to make these races run smoothly and safely. In particular we are in need of on-hill volunteers for NGSL Skills Event (Sat) and Chief of gates for Janyk Cup (Sun) If you are in Whistler, please consider helping the U12 race committee. It is a great opportunity to lend a hand to the club’s newest racers and families who are eager to learn race organization and execution from our more experienced parents. Be assured they will reciprocate at the FIS BC Cup as they have done for the U14 and U16 races we have hosted. Thank you to those U14, U16 and FIS parents that have already answered the call for help. Please email Euan at volunteers@wmsc.info as soon as possible if you are able to volunteer.

Extra Training Days – February | Opens for registration Sunday evening
​

Extra Training Days will be available for purchase from December 2, 2021 to April 24, 2022.

Registration opens every Sunday evening and closes every Tuesdays at midnight.

Costs: U12 and U14 $75/day | U16 and FIS $80/day. For specific details visit our website www.wmsc.info | Programs |select your page (U12 to FIS) | Extra Days

U12 Extra Training Days
U14 Extra Training Days
U16 Extra Training Days
FIS Extra Training Days | Contact your coaches

While the rest of the WMSC FIS team is away at Panorama and then on to Lake Louise, two members of the team have been traveling in a different direction this winter. Emeline Bennett and Nick Katrusiak are chasing Ski Cross races across the country and beyond. Nakiska Ski Area is the new home of a training centre for the Canadian National Ski Cross team. As a result, Em and Nick have spent a lot of time on that hill training this season and have already participated in four Nor Am races there.

The first Nor Am weekend was in December and the second was in January on the same track as the World Cup that was held only days before. “The post-World Cup track was way longer and the features were significantly bigger than the event in December. You really had to know how to handle yourself in the air and how to make the most of very tricky passing opportunities.” said Nick Katrusiak who had an excellent result, making it to the Small Final and finishing 8th. The result was all the more significant because the National Team stayed at Nakiska to participate in the event before traveling to Beijing, skipping the World Cup race in Sweden before the Olympics. “It was very exciting being in the start gate for the Small Final with a bunch of National Team members: Chris Del Bosco (former World Champion), Kris Mahler (World Cup Winner on the same track just days before) and Carson Cook! I knew I didn’t have much of a chance to beat them, but I wanted to stay with them and finish as part of the pack.” Nick’s friend Callum McEwen (brother to SX National Team member Abbie McEwen) was the only other non-national team member to make the Finals and finished in 3rd place (Reece Howden took 1st and Jared Schmidt placed 2nd).

Em Bennett has also had a fantastic season so far. At the December Nor Am she made it to the Big Final, finishing 4th. At the January Nor Am, Em also had to contend with 4 National Team women who stayed for the race and who filled all the spots in the big final. Em finished in 6th place overall against veteran Alberta Alpine team members in the Small Final. Both athletes also competed at the most recent Nor Am at Calabogie Peaks Resort near Ottawa. Nick made it to the Small Final both days collecting a 6th and 5th place. Em finished 6th on the first day and won the gold medal, finishing first in the Big Final on the second day.

Emeline, now 18 and finished high school, headed to Europe this week to participate in some Europa Cup races and will be gone for a month and a half. Nick, 17 and finishing grade 12 at Whistler Secondary, continues on to Gore Mountain, NY later this week for another Nor Am and then will head back to Whistler to squeeze in some classroom time before participating in the FIS alpine events at Grouse and Whistler scheduled for the end of March. Both athletes are waiting to hear if they will be invited to represent Canada at the Ski Cross World Juniors in Italy at the end of March. Considering their results, they both have a very good chance.

Diane Katrusiak