ALPINE:

Whistler Cup to host 24 nations starting Thursday

April 6, 2010 — Alpine Canada     ►Photo: Broderick Thompson rips to 2009 super-G gold (robertkwong.com)

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WHISTLER, B.C. — The Canadian team will be defending its overall title for the second time in three years when the 2010 Whistler Cup kicks off this week at Whistler, B.C. 

Whistler Cup organizers are celebrating the 18th anniversary of the event, which brings together the top 11- to 14-year-old ski racers in the world for North America's only FIS-sanctioned race of its kind. A record 24 nations will be represented this year.

"It's my honour to welcome all athletes, coaches, families, friends, volunteers and sponsors to this thrilling event," said Whistler Cup Organizing Committee Event Chair Wayne Holm. "Once again we greet young athletes from many nations, as we watch their passionate involvement in their chosen sport and their eagerness to forge lasting friendships that span the globe. We welcome the world and we hope you enjoy the competition."

Canada won the competition last year, reclaiming the title it won for the first time in 2007. The United States ended up claiming second spot with Japan in third.

The Whistler Cup has proven to be a destination of future ski racing champions, with remarkably seven of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games medallists at the alpine events having competed in the Whistler Cup, including USA's Lindsay Vonn and Julia Mancuso as well as Slovenia's Tina Maze and Anja Paerson of Sweden.

Several Canadian World Cup winners have also participated in the Whistler Cup, including 2010 super-G crystal globe winner Erik Guay and 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships medallist Jan Hudec. Current CAST member Julien Cousineau won the K2 slalom and giant slalom race back in 1996.

The countries represented at the 2010 Whistler Cup are Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, USA, U.S. Virgin Islands and Hong Kong, the only new entry this season.

The event is also pleased to welcome Rio Tinto Alcan as a new title sponsor and 2010 platinum partners Manulife Investments, Goldwin, Sport Canada and Shaw Cablesystems G.P.

Alpine Canada and the Whistler Cup Race Organizing Committee applaud the efforts of the many volunteers who make the races possible each year.

The schedule this year has training getting under way Thursday with boys’ and girls’ K1 Kombi, and the K2 super-G is Friday. The girls’ GS takes place Saturday along with a boys’ slalom and the event wraps up with girls’ slalom and boys’ GS on Sunday.  SRC

WHISTLER CUP — TEAM CANADA


K2s (13- and 14-year-olds)
Girls

Meg Currie (Toronto, ON) Osler Bluff Ski Club

Sandrine Demers-Telmosse (Mont-Royal, QC) Mont-Tremblant Ski Club

Emma King (Whistler, BC) Whistler Mountain Ski Club
*Jenna McIntyre (Calgary, AB) Lake Louise Ski Club

Roni Remme (Collingwood, ON) National Ski Academy/Alpine Ski Club

Adrienne Poitras (Mont-Royal, QC) Mont-Tremblant Ski Club

Mikaela Tommy (Wakefield, QC) Edelweiss Ski Club

Andrea Turner (Calgary, AB) Kananaskis Alpine Ski Club

Alix Wells (Prince George, BC) Prince George Ski Club

Boys
Mitchel Brunning (Toronto, ON) Craigleith Ski Club

Martin Grasic (Invermere, BC) Windermere Valley Ski Club

Alex Kreutz (Vernon, BC) Vernon Ski Club

Karl Kuus, (Toronto, ON) Devil's Glen

Adam Lamhamedi (Charlesbourg, QC) Stoneham Ski Club

Blake Ramsden (West Vancouver, BC) Whistler Mountain Ski Club

David Rennick (Toronto,ON) Osler Bluff Ski Club
Aaron Taylor (Hamilton, ON) Holimont Ski Club
Thomas Trusler (Toronto, ON) Osler Bluff Ski Club

K1s (11- and 12-year-olds)
Girls
Stephanie Currie (Toronto, ON) Osler Bluff Ski Club

Tori Hislop (Winnipeg, MB) Summit Ski Club
Cassandra Mah (Vancouver, BC) Grouse Tyee Ski Club

Mikayla Martin (Garibaldi Highlands, BC) Whistler Mountain Ski Club

Hailey McKercher (Calgary, AB) Sunshine Alpine Racers

Caitlin Roe (Ottawa, ON) Camp Fortune Ski Club
Boys
Mark Grain (Regina, SK) Regina Ski Club
Corey McConville (London, ON) Devil's Glen

Sam Mulligan (West Vancouver, BC) Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club
Huston Philp (Calgary, AB) Banff Alpine Racers

Sébastien Parizeau-Hamel (Montreal, QC) Bromont Ski Club

Keegan Sharp (Invermere, BC) Team Panorama

*Qualified for participation but will not compete due to injury

Staff

Team Leader 
Benoit Lalande (Laval, QC) ACA

K2s

Sean Frith (Vancouver, BC) Whistler Mountain Ski Club

Stefan Overgaard (Toronto, ON) Osler Bluff Ski Club
Jill Fugino (Collingwood, ON) Craiglieth Ski Club
Yves Payer (Mont-Tremblant, QC) Mont-Tremblant Ski Club

K1s
Glenn Thomsen (Invermere, BC) ACA
Mark Sharp (Invermere, BC) ACA

Peter Dolman (North Vancouver, BC) Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club

Norm Baufeld (Toronto, ON) Devil's Glen
Frédéric Tremblay (Bromont, QC) Bromont Ski Club