BC Ski Team in Europe, 2018
Thirteen members of the BC Ski Team are currently taking part in a 15-day competitive tour in Europe (Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland).
Photo Gallery: see below.
Report to February 24th:
On our last day in Toblach we did some pre-race intensity intervals. The intensity was done on the World Cup sprint course in the stadium right beside our hotel. Unfortunately this already challenging intensity was much more difficult due to the arrival of a sickness. This flu began to slowly spread through the team knocking out almost all of the team for a day or two.
We travelled to Oberstdorf in Germany the day after the pre-race intensity in Toblach. Some of the team members pre skied the course while other (sicker) members went straight to the hotel to rest. The 1.2km sprint course that all BC ski team members were to race on Friday was challenging but fun. The course went straight through the stadium over a small bump and then up a steeper hill that a lot of athletes ended up running up. Over the top of this hill the course went down and turned right swerving 180 degrees to head back up another hill similar to the first one. Next, it went down a challenging downhill, over another bump, and into the finish.
Many of the team members were affected by the flu and therefore did not race the first sprint day. The athletes who competed raced a strong, solid, qualifier and put in valiant effort in the heats. Unfortunately, nobody qualified past the quarterfinal.
Saturday’s race was a interval start classic race. The U18 and U20/Open Women categories raced a 10km course with 4 laps of a 2.5 course. The U18 and U20/Open Men categories raced 15km with 6 laps of the same 2.5km course. The course travelled out of the stadium, over the first bump of the sprint course then swerved left and went up a new hill. This was a solid striding hill. Next, the course had a short downhill and was exceptionally flat for about 1.5km. The course finished with a large two-part hill and a swerving, rutted, downhill that went back into the stadium. All of the team members except three girls were recovered enough from the flu to race this race. The day was relatively sunny and the team had some positive results and solid races.
Alana Brittin
Report for February 19th:
The clouds from the night before cleared and revealed the snow capped Dolomites (Italy). The excitement to get to the ski trails was high as it was a beautiful sunny day. We finished a great breakfast here at Hotel Dolomiten and walked over to the ski trails. Plenty of snow on the trails created made for excellent skiing conditions.
Ian Williams, Tallon Noble
Report for February 18th:
Today was the last race day here in Zweisel. Fresh snow overnight made for soft slow conditions for racing. The coaches did a great job of making the skis fast even with these new circumstances. The fields of skiers were large and aggressive. The girls did a great job in their races making up time and being competitive in the group. The boys also had an amusing time racing in a fast group of skiers.
After a fun day racing, we packed up the vehicles and departed for our 5.5 hour drive through some of the most beautiful mountains in the world to Toblach (Italy).
Ian Williams, Tallon Noble
Report to February 17th:
So far Zweisel has treated us well. Our hotel is in a small town about a thirty-minute drive from the race venue. Rolling hills and countryside with farms surround our hotel and the town center is only a ten-minute walk away. Our spare time is spent napping, socializing and doing homework as the Wi-Fi here is non-existent.
Our first race on Friday was a classic sprint. The course was challenging with a long steep climb at the beginning but evened itself out with a long downhill and then rolling hills into the finish. The competition is tough in that they approach the race aggressively with different tactics. You have to be careful not to intimidate yourself too much by comparing yourself to all the other athletes. Overall the race went well for all Canadians with a few athletes qualifying for the heats and a couple moving beyond the quarter-finals.
I am sure that we are speaking for everyone when we say that we walked away from this race learning a lot; for example, how to approach new competition with an open mind and new sprint technique.
Next up on Saturday was a distance interval start classic race. For us as Junior Women the distance was on the shorter side and quite a few of us found it challenging to finish having gave it our all. Besides that, we all had solid races, and most were satisfied with their performance. The course was interesting in that for every long uphill there followed a long downhill that provided substantial rest and recovery. With
these good races under our belt, we are excited to leave it all on the course for a final race in Zweisel.
Report to February 15th:
Seefeld was an awesome place and a paradise for training - a totally magical cross country Mecca. The trails were endless, and the athletes took the time to acclimatize and enjoy the sunny weather. Many took to the Eurolifestyle, enjoying fresh bread and cappuccino. Not everything was holiday, of course, and an intensity session meant the hotel was kinda quiet on the last day.
We have all made it to Zweisel (Germany) now. There was some confusion with the accommodations, but regardless, all the athletes got to check out the course while the coaches focused on wax decisions. The next phase (OPA Cup) will result in some long days. Sunny Seefeld will likely be an awesome memory for many of these budding Olympians.
Schedule Overview
Feb 11: Flight, Vancouver to Munich, Germany
Feb 12: Training, Seefeld, Austria
Feb 15: Travel to Zwiesel, Germany
OPA Cup - https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/event-details.html?event_id=41404&cal_suchsector=CC
Feb 16: Sprint 1.6/1.8 Classic
Feb 17: Distance 5/10 and 1015 Classic
Feb 18: 1 and 15/20 Free. Travel to Dobbiaco-Toblach, Italy
Feb 18: Training, Dobbiaco-Toblach, Italy
Feb 22: Travel to Oberstdorf, Germany
German Cup - https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/event-details.html?event_id=41405&cal_suchsector=CC
Feb 23: Sprint 1.5/1.5 Classic
Feb 24: Distance 10/15 Classic
Feb 25: Distance 10/15 Free. Travel to Zurich, Switzerland
Feb 26: Flight, Zurich to Vancouver
Athletes
Alana Brittin (Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club)
Alex McDonald (Telemark Nordic Club, Kelowna)
Benita Peiffer (Whistler Nordic Ski Club)
Beth Grandstrom (Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club)
Elizabeth Elliot (Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club)
Gareth Williams (Telemark Nordic Club, Kelowna)
Ian Williams (Telemark Nordic Club, Kelowna)
Jenna Sim (Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club, Vancouver)
Kaia Andal (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, Prince George)
Kate Granstrom (Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club)
Katie Weaver (Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club, Vancouver)
Tallon Noble (Strathcona Nordic Ski Club, Courtenay)
Thomas Hardy (Telemark Nordic Club, Kelowna)
This routeside restaurant is on side of the ski trails,
so you can pop in for a beverage before continuing on skis
Coaches
Chris Manhard (Cross Country BC)
Adam Elliot (Telemark Nordic Club)
Abbi May (Larch Hills Nordic Society)
Tony Peiffer (Whistler Nordic Ski Club)
