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Archive for April, 2010

 

Back to basics – Aerial team is taking ski lessons at Whistler

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

 

It’s ironic, but true. The Canadian National Aerial team doesn’t have enough time to ski. That’s the conclusion of Coach Nicolas Fontaine who is trying to improve his team’s competitive results with a two-week ski camp here this spring.

“We have a great program for acrobatic and physical training,” said Fontaine, “but we need to spend more time skiing.”

The majority of members of the Canadian Freestyle Aerial Team have been recruited from acrobatic sports like gymnastics and trampoline. They don’t necessarily have a ski background and in fact some of them had never skied before attempting aerials at summer training on the water ramps.

Members of the Canadian National
Aerial Team atop Whistler Mountain

Fontaine, who was one of the best aerialists of all time and holds four World Cup Aerials overall titles, said he has noticed that this deficiency of basic ski skills is having a negative impact on the aerialists’ ability to compete and train.

In competition, aerialists land their spectacular jumps from 18 meters in the air on to a 38-degree pitch, that’s incredibly steep — especially for someone who isn’t a strong skier. Fontaine has noticed that for some of his athletes, even when they land their jump well, they have trouble making it to the bottom of the course without falling. He also pointed out that skiing on a water ramp – an integral aspect of aerial off-season training – is very difficult as the plastic surface of the in-run is like skiing on a sheet of ice. He said that some athletes’ summer training is compromised because of their fear of the in-run.

Fontaine brought Canadian Ski Instructor’s Alliance level four instructor Guy Blouin from Magog, Que. to come to Whistler to work with the group. Blouin is teaching the team technical ski skills, and also having fun with them in the park and on the moguls. An added bonus, said Fontaine, is the group bonding that’s happening in this resort town.

After a week of skiing, Fontaine has noticed definite improvements to his team’s skiing ability and comfort. A confidence factor that he hopes will take them to the top of the podium next season.

But this two-week camp is not the end of it; Fontaine plans to make changes to his coaching plan to include rollerblading this summer to reinforce basic body positioning and a lot more skiing next winter.

Many thanks to Whistler’s Infinity Sports and Whistler Village Sports who provided the athletes with rental ski gear for their camp.

Aerialists taking part in the spring camp are: Sabrina Guerin from Laval, Que; Crystal Lee from Queensville, Ont; Stephanie Pratte from Quebec City; Remi Belanger, from Mascouche, Que.; Jonathan Vellner, from Red Deer, Alta and Jean-Christophe André from Saint-Laurent, Que.

For more information or to set up an interview with Fontaine or any of the aerialists, please contact Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

 

St-Pierre hangs up her skis and moves on to new adventures

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

 

The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association announced today that National Team mogul skier Stéphanie St-Pierre is retiring.

St-Pierre joined the National Team in 2002, at 17 years of age. A rising star, she quickly proved her talent, earning her first World Cup victory in 2003.

She went on to seven more World Cup podiums over the course of her career. She also had a third place finish at the 2003 World Championships in Deer Valley, UT; and finished 12th at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games.

Unfortunately St-Pierre’s career was cut short by a series of knee injuries, the latest occurring in the 2008-09 season.

While her teammates continued on the World Cup circuit, St-Pierre used this past year to rehabilitate and begin her university studies in communications and marketing at Sherbrooke University in Quebec. It was during this time that she realized she was ready to move her life in a new direction.
“Not skiing this year was difficult at first, but it made me realize that I’m ready for new challenges. School has been really exciting and rewarding and I’m looking forward to next year when I will have a work experience opportunity to try out my marketing skills with a pharmaceutical company,” said St-Pierre.

She added that her athletic career has had an enormous impact on her ability to focus and succeed in her academic life, saying, “Skiing has had a tremendous positive influence in my life. The discipline and determination I learned – and even the injuries – have given me confidence and inspired me. I’m really looking forward to my future.”

CFSA CEO Peter Judge said he is disappointed that the team will lose such a strong member, but salutes her decision. “Stephanie has had a big impact on our sport beyond even her results and will certainly be missed in our program. She has played a significant role in helping to develop athletes and has proven to be a great role model for our younger athletes.”

St-Pierre sends her appreciation to all those who have supported her freestyle career over the years, including: Her teammates, coaches, medical staff, B2ten and especially Coach Dominick Gauthier and her parents, Chantal Verville and Luc St-Pierre. She is also appreciative of the members of the media who have followed her and the sport for so many years. Finally, she says she never could have done it without the support of CFSA and personal sponsors, including: Canada Post, Bell, RBC, Columbia Sportswear, Ernst & Young, Hart, Rona, Oakley, McDonald’s and Micromédica.

St-Pierre will be available for short interviews on April 29. If you would like to speak to her please RSVP with Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com

 

National Team named for 2010-11 season

Friday, April 16th, 2010

 

New team structure offers flexibility and performance benchmarks

Following an incredibly successful 2009-10 season, where the Canadian National Freestyle Ski Team won the FIS Nations Cup for the 5th-straight year and where Mogul and Aerial athletes from the team earned two Olympic
medals; 18 World Cup medals; and, 29 NorAm medals, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association has released its team roster for the next year.

A family affair: Justine Dufour-Lapointe
(Centre) will join big sisters Chloe (left) and Maxime (right)
on the National Team

The CFSA has also announced a new team structure that corresponds to the long-term athlete development model (LTAD) recently released by the association.

Under the new system, National Team athletes will be separated into three separate groups:

Group A - LTAD stage: ‘Train to Win’. These athletes are the stars of the team; they are podium performers and major event contenders.

Group B – LTAD stage: ‘Learn to Win’. These athletes are fine-tuning their skills to become consistent performers.

Group C – LTAD stage: ‘Train to Compete & Learn to Win’.
This development group is focused on applying their skills in competition to eventually graduate to World Cup competition.

CFSA High Performance Program Director David Mirota said the new system of categorizing athletes will help the association clearly define goals and expectations for each individual athlete. He added, “Now we have a  comprehensive and continuous model of competitive levels, coaching programs and performance expectations
from the entry-level six-year-old freestyle skiers all the way up to high performing World Cup athletes.”

Mirota said he is very excited about next year’s roster as it combines a group of experienced, proven performers with a pool of talented and promising newcomers.

“I think we have an incredibly strong team for next season,” commented Mirota, “I’m excited to see what these athletes are going to do on the World Cup next year.”

The 2010-11 Canadian Freestyle Ski Team is as follows:

A – Group

MOGULS

AERIALS
Women:

Jenn Heil (Spruce Grove, AB and Montreal, QC)

Chloé Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)

Kristi Richards (Summerland, BC)

Men:

Alex Bilodeau (Rosemère, QC)

Vincent Marquis (Quebec City, QC)

Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau (Drummondville, QC)

Maxime Gingras (St-Hippolyte, QC)

 Men:

Warren Shouldice (Calgary, AB)

Kyle Nissen (Calgary, AB)

Steve Omischl (North Bay, ON)

B – Group

MOGULS

AERIALS
Women:

Audrey Robichaud (Quebec City, QC)

Maxime Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)

Chelsea Henitiuk (Spruce Grove, AB & Whistler, BC)

Men:

Mikael Kingsbury (Deux Montagnes, QC)

Philippe Marquis (Quebec City, QC)

Cédric Rochon (Saint-Sauveur, QC)

 Women:

Veronika Bauer (Toronto, ON)

Geneviève Tougas (St-Hubert, QC)

Sabrina Guérin (Laval, QC)

Men:

Olivier Rochon (Gatineau, QC)

Rémi Bélanger (Mascouche, QC)

Ryan Blais (Grande Prairie, AB)

C – Group

MOGULS

AERIALS
Women:

Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)

Béatrice Bilodeau (Rosemère, QC)

Jackie Brown (Cambridge, ON)

Alexandra Dufresne (Lorraine, QC)

Kiera Leung (Coquitlam, B.C.)

Men:

Eddie Hicks (Langley, BC)

Marc-Antoine Gagnon (Terrebonne, QC)

Simon Pouliot-Cavanagh (Québec, QC)

Arnaud Laurin-Landry (Montreal, QC)

Pascal-Olivier Gagné (Montreal, QC)

 Women:

Crystal Lee (Newmarket, ON)

Laurence Allard (Montreal, QC)

Stéphanie Pratte (Québec, QC)

Men:

Travis Gerrits (Milton, ON)

Jonathan Vellner (Red Deer, AB)

Jean-Christophe André (Saint-Laurent, QC)

Samuel Bélanger-Dallaire
(Lac Beauport, QC)

Yannick Song (Québec, QC)

Marc-Antoine Labbé-Giguère (Québec, QC)

Please note, athletes have until May 30 to accept their spot on the team

For more information, please contact Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin
at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com

 

Inspiring the next generation

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

 

Jenn Heil shares her skills and passion at her Girls Camp

Olympic gold and silver medallist, and five-time FIS Freestyle overall title winner Jenn Heil is passionate about promoting her sport to young skiers, particularly girls. That’s why every spring for the past five years she has organized and run her celebrated Jenn’s Girls Camp for aspiring mogul skiers.

This past weekend, the free camp at Sunshine Village attracted 40 athletes from across Alberta – Heil’s home province. The girls enjoyed two days of coaching from Heil along with guest coaches Dominick Gauthier, Murray Cluff and Mark Shymko, all of whom donated their time for the girls.

“It’s always been important for me to inspire girls to love mogul skiing and to improve their skills,” said Heil. “I know that moguls can sometimes be intimidating at first and as a result girls often shy away from them. I am hoping to change that. My camp helps the girls improve their skiing skills and push their limits in a safe and fun way.”

For more information, please contact Canadian Freestyle Ski Association Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

Jenn Heil with her girls camp participants

 

Ready to capitalize on Olympic success

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

 

New CAN Freestyle model has programs for every level/age of skier

The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association (CFSA) today announced the launch of CAN Freestyle, a detailed, long-term athlete development model designed to train Freestyle skiers of all ages and abilities in all disciplines of Freestyle skiing.

One of the marquis programs in the new model is FreestylerZ. It will safely deliver skills and thrills to children aged eight years and up, and will build on the revamped RBC Jumps & Bumps program, which teaches entry-level Freestyle skiers from ages six and up.

“The establishment of CAN Freestyle represents the next stage in development for our sport,” said CFSA CEO Peter Judge, who added, “It is a perfect time to be able to implement an initiative such as this. The roll out of this program will allow us to create a very strong base and ensure that we have a strong gene pool to develop Olympic champions for the future. It is also an example of how the CFSA continues to strive for overall system growth through the implementation of best practices within Canadian sport.”

The new FreestylerZ program will teach kids aged eight an up freestyle skills

Alex Bilodeau’s gold medal win in Vancouver has already had a tremendous impact in driving interest in Freestyle skiing – particularly in Quebec. The CFSA has been preparing for three years to be ready to capitalize on this type of considerable interest in the freestyle ski disciplines.

CFSA Sport Development Director Meredith Gardner said, “If we want to compete in the future with the emerging sport powers – China, Russia and Germany – and stay in the game with countries like the United States, we have to build better athletes from a younger age.

“We also firmly believe that being part of a high-quality Freestyle program is a unique, life enriching experience that we want to give to more Canadian children. Giving back is part of the culture of our sport.”

The development of CAN Freestyle was possible, in part, from initiatives like The Canadian Sport For Life project supported by Sport Canada, which allowed CFSA to draw information and support directly from other winter sports, like Snowboarding, Nordic, and Alpine. The CFSA believes that a well-rounded snow sports experience for children will ultimately garner Canada international success, and will give kids a life-long appreciation for physical fitness.

For more information about CAN Freestyle, please contact CFSA Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

 

New Freestyle skiing winter training/competition centre announced

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

 

Quebec government to fully fund the $2.5 million Val-Saint-Côme Centre

The future of freestyle skiing in Canada got a significant boost this week when the Quebec government announced a $2.5 million project to develop a winter training facility in the province at Val-Saint-Côme in the Lanaudière region, north of Montreal.

A look at the new Freestyle Centre of Excellence at Val St-Come, signed by current National Team members.

The Freestyle Excellence Centre will be comprised of FIS-standard mogul and aerial sites as well as a chalet and infrastructure to support training and competitions at the resort.

The New Marble Mogul Course will be 250 metres long and a consistent 28 degrees; the existing Marble course, which is less steep, will remain for training purposes. The aerial site will have it’s own judging tower. The three sites will converge in a central finish area just in front of the new chalet.

The chalet will be a contemporary, three-storey building that will house an athlete lounge, a public viewing area, a judging/scoring area and storage facilities.

The sites will be lit to TV broadcast standards and will be supported by state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment.

Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge attended the funding announcement. He said, “To have this kind of world class facility available and dedicated full time for training and domestic events in eastern Canada is amazing. One of the most difficult issues for domestic athletes is reliable access to courses and terrain that can challenge them and optimize their development.

An artist’s rendering of the new Val St-Come Freestyle Chalet

“The Val-Saint-Côme Centre will complement what has been done in the West at WinSport Canada’s facilities in Calgary. Quebec has a significant and proud heritage in Freestyle and the investment by the Government of Quebec in partnership with Val-Saint-Côme, which has established itself as a strong supporter of Freestyle, will ensure that future generations of athletes will be produced from this region. We are extremely grateful to Minister Michelle Courchesne, the Government of Quebec, and Station Touristique Val-Saint-Côme for this significant and important investment in sport. We also salute the representatives from Fédération québécoise de ski acrobatique who have worked, and will continue to work, to make this dream a reality.”

Quebec already hosts a summer Freestyle training centre — Centre National d’Entrainement Acrobatique Yves La Roche – in Lac Beauport. The Val-Saint-Côme centre will provide a sustainable, accessible and affordable winter training site for club, provincial and national team athletes. Already three athletes from Val-Saint-Côme are on the Canadian National Team for next season: Alexandra Dufresne, Marc-Antoine Gagnon and Pascal-Olivier Gagne. The CFSA believes that the new centre will help Canada develop the next Freestyle Olympic champions.

The site will be ready for the 2010-2011 season and will host Canadian Series, NorAm and Canadian Nationals events next year.

For more information, please contact CFSA Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

 

Canada Post Freestyle Frenzy Canadian Series Grand Prix winners

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

 

The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association announced its 2009-2010 Canada Post Freestyle Frenzy Canadian Series Grand Prix winners from the Moguls and Halfpipe today.

As part of the Canadian Series, athletes from across the country competed in events in Val St. Come, Que., Mt. St. Louis, Ont., and Silver Star, B.C.

CFSA Technical Director Katherina Kubenk said, “With Grand Prix winners from across four provinces, the results of this season’s series Grand Prix confirm the strength of our programming across the country. We hope this trend will continue in the years to come and that even more provinces will be represented.”

The top three freestyle skiers in each discipline will receive Grand Prix belt buckles in honour of their achievement. They are as follows:
Justine Dufour-Lapointe was the Canadian
Series Grand Prix Women’s Mogul winner

Women’s Moguls

1. Justine Dufour-Lapointe – Quebec

2. Kylie Sivell – Ontario

3. Andi Naude – British Columbia

Men’s Moguls

1. Simon Pouliot-Cavanagh – Quebec

2. Marc-Antoine Gagnon – Quebec

3. Garret Wiltshire – British Columbia

Women’s Halfpipe

1. Gunning, Shannon COP
2. Bourque, Stephanie ON - Tie for 2nd place
2. Atkinson, Jackie AB – Tie for 2nd place
4.  Gordon, Jillian Blu

Men’s Halfpipe

1.  Northey, Garett Cen
2.  Mackay, Aaron COP
3.  Metzger, Nevin   ON

Congratulations to all Canadian Series competitors. For more information please contact Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.