News

Retirements create new opportunities within Canada’s Para-alpine ski team

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 17:00

CALGARY, AB (May 20, 2010) - The retirement of two Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team guides following the end of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games has created openings for new athletes to start a career with the national ski team.

CPAST Athletic Director Brianne Law said the search for able-bodied guides has begun for para-alpine ski racers Chris Williamson (Markham, ON), 2010 IPC World Cup Overall Champion and Viviane Forest (Edmonton, AB), who captured five medals at the 2010 Paralympics in Whistler, BC.

Law said both guides will ideally be selected by the time off-season training begins in June 24 in Whistler, BC in order to begin preparing for the 2010-2011 IPC World Cup season.

"Chris and Viviane have had tremendous success as para-alpine skiers throughout their career and both have made a commitment to continue ski racing. This is a unique opportunity really, to step in as a guide to either of these athletes and be presented with an opportunity to achieve a high-level of success," Law said.

Forest, guided most of the last two seasons by Lindsay Debou (Whistler, BC), won five medals at the 2010 Paralympics including gold in the women's visually impaired downhill. The 31-year-old Forest, who is a Paralympic gold medalist in both the Summer and Winter Games, was born with an estimated five per cent vision.

Williamson is a multiple Paralympic medalist who narrowly missed a medal in 2010, finishing fourth in the giant slalom with his guide Nick Brush (Panorama BC). Williamson, 38, won a IPC World Championship title in the super-G in 2009 with Brush and they were Canadian slalom champions last season. They also won the overall IPC World Cup Crystal Globe the past two seasons. Williamson, who was guided by Brush for the past three seasons, has had about six per cent vision since birth.

Debou and Brush both retired following the conclusion of the TELUS Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Championships in March.

"Lindsay and Nick are two great skiers and excellent guides who had a positive impact on the team. Their focus and commitment to training was an important part of the success achieved by Viv and Chris in the last few years," said Law, who along with Forest was awarded a $10,000 grant for coach development through Chevrolet's Making Dreams Possible Program just last week.

Experience ski racing at the FIS-level is required to be a guide on the national para-alpine ski team. As a member of the national team, a guide can expect to race and train in Canada, Europe, Asia and various locations in the Southern Hemisphere. Guides are also eligible for funding under the Sport Canada Athlete Assistance Program.

The CPAST team captured 13 of the host nations 19 medals at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, led by a record setting five gold medal performance from Lauren Woolstencroft's (North Vancouver BC). The CPAST team also won the overall Nation's Cup title for the first time in its history in 2009.

Forest, a resident of Edmonton, AB, was also named as the Global Woman of Vision recipient for that city this month. The monthly Global TV feature honours women who improve their community and inspire other women.

The CPAST summer training team will be announced next month.

ABOUT ALPINE CANADA ALPIN
Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) is the governing body for alpine ski racing in Canada with more than 50,000 athletes, coaches, officials and volunteer members and over 200,000 supporting members. ACA manages the high performance programs for the athletes of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team and the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team who represent Canada throughout the world. For more information on Alpine Canada Alpin, visit www.canski.org.

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