The Cypress Ski Club U16 athletes were back on the road this past week for the Sun Peaks Teck Open, a four-day event that delivered exactly what we look for at this stage of athlete development: quality terrain, consistent winter conditions, strong provincial competition, and plenty of learning opportunities across both Giant Slalom and Slalom.
Hosted by the Sun Peaks Alpine Club, the event featured two GS races followed by two SL races, making it an ideal test of technical versatility, physical endurance, and mental resilience over multiple days.
Day 1 – Thursday, January 22 | Giant Slalom
The opening GS set the tone for the week. Conditions on OSV were firm and fair, rewarding athletes who committed early to clean line choice and disciplined pressure management—key technical themes we’ve been emphasizing back home at Cypress.
Inaya Salari delivered an outstanding performance, skiing with confidence and composure to take 1st place in the women’s GS. Her execution reflected excellent tactical awareness and patience through the turn shape, a great example of applying training into a race environment.
Jayden Cai also put together a strong run, finishing 6th in a deep and competitive men’s field, showing solid consistency and good speed management.
Day 2 – Friday, January 23 | Giant Slalom
The second GS day challenged athletes to reset mentally and adapt—an important LTAD skill as courses and conditions evolve throughout a multi-day event.
On the men’s side, Jayden Cai stepped up with a confident, technically sound performance, earning an impressive 2nd place finish. His skiing showed improved flow and commitment compared to Day 1, a great example of making productive adjustments overnight.
Day 3 – Saturday, January 24 | Slalom
With the transition to Slalom, athletes were tested on quick decision-making, accuracy, and rhythm. The tighter sets demanded strong fundamentals and an aggressive but controlled approach.
Inaya Salari continued her consistent racing, finishing 9th in the women’s SL. Her ability to stay composed and fight for every gate highlighted her growing maturity as a racer and her willingness to push even when the margins are tight.
Day 4 – Sunday, January 25 | Slalom
The final day brought another demanding SL set and the cumulative fatigue that naturally comes with four straight race days. These conditions are invaluable for athlete development, mirroring the realities of championship racing later in the season.
Jayden Cai capped off a strong weekend with a 5th place finish in the men’s SL, rounding out a very consistent series of results across both disciplines.
Looking Ahead
Overall, the Sun Peaks Teck Open was a successful and educational event for the Cypress Ski Club athletes. Beyond podiums and top-10 results, the week reinforced important themes aligned with BC Alpine and Alpine Canada LTAD principles: adaptability, consistency, technical precision, and learning to perform across multiple days.
A big thank you to Sun Peaks Alpine Club, race officials, volunteers, and BC Alpine for delivering a well-run event and a positive racing environment. These opportunities are essential in helping our athletes continue progressing on their long-term development pathway.
We’re proud of the effort, focus, and sportsmanship shown by our Cypress racers and look forward to carrying these lessons into the next phase of the season.
