World JRS Twelve Canadians heading to Garmisch

Several ski racers with World Cup and Nor-Am experience to races at FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships

CALGARY, AB  The Canadian team heading to the FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships will include several racers with FIS World Cup and Coupe Nor-Am Cup experience, Alpine Canada Alpin said today in announcing the 12 ski racers that will represent Canada.

Marie-Michèle Gagnon (Lac-Etchemin, QC), who finished ninth in a World Cup giant slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo in January and has a string of FIS race and Coupe Nor-Am Cup wins this season, will lead the Canadian team into Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER March 1 through March 7. Along with Gagnon, a member of Canada’s national ski team, there will be seven national development team racers and four talented young skiers from the provincial ranks.

A total of seven members of the team have previous FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships experience.

“We are heading to Garmisch with a good team and we are well prepared for what lies ahead. We are expecting to see a very high caliber of competition and a very challenging race hill, which saw World Cup competition only a few weeks ago,” said Team Captain Benoit Lalande.

“Our goal is always to win medals. Some of our athletes will be aiming for medals this year while others are younger and are here to get valuable experience and benchmark where they are at against top international competition,” added Lalande.

It’s a very busy period of ski races for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen area, having just completed a World Cup event for men and ladies last month. It is also slated to host the World Cup Finals in 2010 and the FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships in 2011.

2009 FIS ALPINE WORLD JUNIOR SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS

Team Captain

Benoit Lalande

Canadian Men’s Team

Dustin Cook – Lac Sainte Marie, QC (Mont Ste-Marie) *

Michael Mackie – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers) *

Mathieu Routhier – Sherbrooke, QC (Mont Orford Ski Club) *

Kelby Halbert – Bradford, ON (Toronto Ski Club)

Erik Read – Calgary, AB (Banff Alpine Racers) *

Andy Trow – Canmore, AB (Sunshine Ski Club)

Coaches and Staff

Peter Rybarik – Men’s Team Head Coach

Andrew Lambert – Coach

Tom Swales – Physiotherapist

David White – Ski Technician

Sebastien Auer – Ski Technician

Canadian Ladies Team

Marie-Michèle Gagnon - Lac-Etchemin, QC (Mont Orignal) *

Kate Ryley – Toronto, ON (Craigleith Ski Club)

Georgia Simmerling – West Vancouver, BC (Grouse Tyee Ski Club) *

Erin Mielzynski – Guelph, ON (Georgian Peaks Ski Club)

Victoria Whitney – Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)

Brittany Phelan – Mont Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant Ski Club) *

Coaches and Staff

Tim Gfeller – Ladies Head Coach

Walter Alber - Coach

Mark Sharp - Coach

Lisa Kudla – Physiotherapist

Scott Reid – Ski Technician

John Mulligan – Ski Technician

Aaron Speden – Ski Technician

* previous FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships experience

2009 FIS ALPINE WORLD JUNIOR SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS

Schedule of Events