Joining Kraft and Leighton on the women’s team are Kelsey Serwa (Big White Racers), Elli Terwiel (Sun Peaks Alpine Club) and Georgia Simmerling (Grouse Tyee Ski Club) who have all been selected to the Women’s BC Development Team. Victoria Glowczynski (Sun Peaks Alpine Club) and Victoria Whitney (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) will be part of a training group working with the team for the summer/fall training period. The women will be coached by Nancy O’Neill of Fernie, returning for her fifth season as the women’s coach, and Whistler’s Jim Pollock who re-joins BC Alpine after eight years with the Canadian Women’s World Cup Technical Team.
On the men’s side, a strong group of eight athletes will be coached by Glenn Thomsen of Invermere, who is returning for his third season, and Vancouver’s Andrew Lambert, previously the FIS B2B and Okanagan Ski Team Head Coach.
Third year member Matt Holler (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and Ben Thomsen (Windermere Valley Ski Club) have been named to the 06/07 Men’s BC Ski Team. Jonathan Hadley (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) rejoins the development team, joined by a training group consisting of six young up-and-comers: Alexander Matheson (Whistler Mountain Ski Club), Ian Cumming (Apex Ski Club), Conrad Pridy (Whistler Mountain Ski Club), Trevor Rose (Windermere Valley Ski Club) and Stan Rey (Whistler Mountain Ski Club).
“This is an exciting time for BC Alpine,” said Gordie Bowles, BC Alpine Program Director. “Our clubs are producing higher skilled athletes and that is reflected in the level of our provincial team. I have no doubt that we will have a competitive team this season.”
Jim Pollock, the newly appointed women’s High Performance Coach, has lofty goals for the women’s group.
“My goal is to challenge, motivate and push our girls’ team to reach a very high level,” said Pollock. “I believe we have the talent in BC right now to get to the podium at Nor Am races - that will be our focus.”
All development team and training group athletes will be given select training opportunities with the provincial ski team and their status will be evaluated in the fall prior to the start of competition season.
Further to the BC Ski Team selections, BC Alpine announced its FIS B2B development group. The FIS B2B program runs from May through November and consists of ski camps, dryland camps and dryland training programs. The objective of the B2B (Best with the Best) program is to increase the fitness levels of our top athletes and to maximize their time on snow in the preparation period. A total of 17 men and women from all corners of the province have been selected to this year’s FIS B2B Development program.
Nancy O’Neill and Glenn Thomsen will be overseeing the B2B program which will be staffed primarily with BC club coaches, such as Jordan Williams (Whistler Mountain Ski Club), Ryan Jazic (Mt Washington), Derek Trussler (Big White Racers), Sead Causevic (Whistler Mountain Ski Club) and others to be named.
BCST and B2B – 2006-07:
Women’s BC Ski Team/Development Team/Training Group 2006/07
Alison Leighton (BCST) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Lindsay Kraft (BCST) Vernon Ski Club
Kelsey Serwa (BCDT) Big White Racers
Elli Terwiel (BCDT) Sun Peaks Alpine Club
Georgia Simmerling (BCDT) Grouse Tyee Ski Club
Victoria Glowczynski (BCTG) Sun Peaks Alpine Club
Victoria Whitney (BCTG) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Men’s BC Ski Team/Development Team/Training Group 2006/07
Ben Thomsen (BCST) Windermere Valley Ski Club
Matt Holler (BCST) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Jonathan Hadley (BCDT) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Alex Matheson (BCTG) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Ian Cumming (BCTG) Apex Mountain Ski Club
Conrad Pridy (BCTG) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Trevor Rose (BCTG) Windermere Valley Ski Club
Stan Rey (BCTG) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
FIS B2B Women 2006/07
Julia Murray Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Calindy Ramsden Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Jillian McArthur Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Deborah Bayliss Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Julia Peters Mt Washington Ski Club
Jen Mah Whistler Mountain Ski Club
(Invitee) Brynne Benbow Whistler Mountain Ski Club
(Invitee) Sandra MacDonald Apex Mountain Ski Club
FIS B2B Men 2006/07
Evan Moore Big White Racers/Vernon Ski Club
Morgan Pridy Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Sasha Zaitsoff Red Mountain Racers
Ben Podborski Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Philip Matejko Whistler Mountain Ski Club
James McLean Whistler Mountain Ski Club
(Invitee) Ian Morrison Whistler Mountain Ski Club
(Invitee) Alexander Binks Whistler Mountain Ski Club
(Invitee) Daniel Penn Whistler Mountain Ski Club
Congratulations to ALL the athletes named above!