The Cypress Ski Club U14 team travelled to Whistler for the Teck Coast Zone Race, a key Slalom (SL) and Giant Slalom (GS) BC Games qualifier held at the Dave Murray National Training Centre. With strong Coast Zone participation and very icy, challenging race conditions, the weekend demanded technical precision, mental toughness, and adaptability — all critical skills for athletes in the Learn to Train stage of development.
Preparation & Conditions
Following focused GS training days earlier in the week, athletes arrived prepared for a demanding race environment. Race surfaces throughout the weekend were firm and icy, rewarding disciplined fundamentals: strong outside ski pressure, early edge engagement, patience in the turn, and committed line choice.
These conditions left little room for error and placed a premium on confidence and focus. For many athletes, this was an important opportunity to race on true “championship-style” surfaces and apply their training under pressure — a valuable learning experience within the BC Alpine pathway.
Race Highlights – Cypress Results
Saturday, January 17 – Giant Slalom
The GS race challenged athletes to stay composed and technically sound on a slick surface through two consistent runs.
- Top 10 Women: Erya Yan – 9th place
- Top 10 Men: Nicolas Rosell – 8th place
Sunday, January 18 – Slalom
Sunday’s SL brought increased intensity, with the icy surface and tighter rhythm testing reaction time, balance, and resilience after a full weekend of racing.
- Top 10 Women: Bara Novakova – 5th place
- Top 10 Men: Liam Wrigglesworth – 3rd place (Podium) & Jasper Cai – 5th place
Coach’s Take
Racing on very icy surfaces is a critical part of long-term development, and this weekend provided exactly that. Athletes were challenged to trust their technique, stay mentally engaged, and manage nerves when conditions felt uncomfortable. We saw meaningful growth — not just in results, but in how athletes approached inspection, adapted their tactics, and supported one another as a team.
Events like this BC Games qualifier are important checkpoints in the season, and our Cypress racers showed resilience, focus, and a willingness to rise to the challenge.
Thank You
Thank you to Whistler Mountain Ski Club, race officials, volunteers, and BC Alpine for delivering a high-quality event under demanding conditions, and to our Cypress Ski Club coaches, chaperones & families for their continued support. These experiences — especially on tough surfaces like this — play a vital role in shaping confident, capable ski racers.
We’re proud of the effort shown by all Cypress athletes and look forward to carrying these lessons forward as the season continues.
