PARA-ALPINE:

Law named para-alpine athletic director

April 9, 2010 — Alpine Canada

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Brianne Law, a World Cup coach with Canada's Para-Alpine Ski Team for the past three years, will guide Canada's Para-Alpine Ski Team as CPAST athletic director, the national governing body for ski racing announced Friday.

Law, who joined the national coaching staff in 2007 after two seasons with the Ontario Ski Team, will focus on building off the momentum created following the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, in which the team captured 13 of the host nation’s 19 medals. The team also won the overall Nations Cup title in 2009 and was the top nation in terms of medals won at the 2009 IPC Para-Alpine World Championships.

"A group of focused and determined athletes achieved a record number of medals at the 2010 Paralympics, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of the team the last three seasons," said the 29-year-old Law. "I look forward to the challenge of leading the para-alpine team, using the experiences of the past three years to build on our success as we shift the focus to sustaining excellence beyond 2010."

Law becomes the first female to lead Canada's para-alpine high-performance program. She takes over for Jean-François Rapatel, who was recently hired to oversee all aspects of Canada's able-bodied development ski racing system.

“J.F. has done great job of building a successful program over the past five years, and I look forward to being able to continue with the momentum he has built," added Law, a McGill graduate in psychology with a minor in kinesiology. "With the boost in support from Own the Podium and ACA's partners in the recent years, our para-alpine World Cup team has been able to prove its potential, and I look forward bringing my unique perspective to the team in my new role."

Law's past coaching experience includes time with the men's development team and women’s team at the provincial level in Ontario. The new position, which will have her based at the ACA office in Calgary, begins on April 13.

"Brianne is an ideal person to take on this role given her skills, experience and knowledge of both para-alpine and alpine ski racing as well as her academic background,” said Rapatel. “Her last three seasons with the para-alpine team will ensure a quick and seamless transition in her new role and make sure the program continues to improve and move in the right direction.”  SRC