In early December, the Cypress Ski Club U10, U12, U14, and U16 athletes headed to Sun Peaks for our annual early-season on-snow camp. Departing from Burnaby on Friday morning, December 5, U14 & U16 athletes traveled with coaches to Kamloops, marking an important milestone in our winter training calendar as we transitioned from preseason preparation into focused race training.
While Sun Peaks didn’t deliver much sunshine this time around, it more than made up for it with consistent winter conditions and reliable training lanes. Over the course of the camp, the athletes demonstrated strong focus, positive attitudes, and a real commitment to improving their skiing—exactly what we look for at this stage of the season.
Quality Training Days and Strong Work Ethic
Athletes trained for four and a half full days, typically from 8:00 a.m. through mid-afternoon, making the most of every opportunity on snow. The U14 and U16’s spent mornings dedicated to gate training, primarily giant slalom, allowing the athletes to dial in technical fundamentals and apply them under increasing speed and pressure. In the afternoons, training shifted to freeskiing on slalom skis, reinforcing the same technical objectives in a more open and adaptable environment. Meanwhile, the U10 & U12 spent the camp freeskiing, focusing on fundamental skill.
This combination proved very effective. Athletes were able to better understand how the skills we focus on translate directly into their racing, and we saw steady progress throughout the week. For those athletes who also attended the Mount Sima preseason camp last November, the improvement was especially noticeable—they are beginning to truly understand the technical concepts we’ve been working on, and things are clearly moving in the right direction.
For athletes who did not attend Mount Sima, we went straight into gate training at Sun Peaks. They adapted quickly, showed resilience, and made clear gains over the four days of GS training. On the final day, due to fresh snowfall and some accumulated fatigue, we made the call to switch to slalom, which provided a fun and technically valuable way to finish the camp.
Collaboration and Team Environment
We had the opportunity to train alongside the Tyee Ski Club, continuing a collaboration that has been very positive for our athletes. Training with racers from another club creates a dynamic environment, encourages healthy competition, and exposes athletes to different approaches—all of which contribute to their development.
Off the hill, the athletes were well supported by our chaperones, who managed meals and logistics in the team houses. The group behaved extremely well throughout the trip, contributing to a positive atmosphere both on and off snow. These camps are not only about skiing; they’re also about learning independence, responsibility, and teamwork, and the athletes represented Cypress Ski Club very well.
Looking Ahead
Sun Peaks once again proved to be an excellent training venue, offering the terrain, conditions, and consistency we need at this point in the season. This camp helped set the tone for the winter ahead, reinforcing technical priorities and building confidence as we move toward upcoming races.
Thank you to our chaperones, drivers, and families for their support, and well done to all the athletes for their hard work and commitment. We’re looking forward to carrying this momentum into the rest of the season.
