CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Alpine skiing is a sport that requires countless hours of tactical and technical training.
Although the Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale offers our Island competitors a place to train, it doesn’t quite meet the height requirements for competition. This is why P.E.I.’s alpine ski team are constantly travelling across the country to ensure the athletes are preparing at various venues with various degrees of difficulty.
Another reason to travel could be as simple as chasing the snow. A winter like the last in our province can make it difficult for outdoor winter sports which rely on precipitation for training purposes. This being said, as the athletes prepare for the 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta., P.E.I.’s alpine ski team has been consistently qualifying for national and international competitions, a few even for Can-Ams. This is a true testament to their hard work and the leadership from coaches Jordan Mol, Janet Midgley and wax technician Andrew MacCormack.
It will be a busy two months leading up to the Games for the Island’s alpine skiers. Having just returned from Nakiska and Lake Louise in Alberta, the group will be in Sunday River in Maine, Amqui in Quebec, and other stops in Atlantic Canada before taking off for Red Deer in February.
During the past few years, the commitment from the athletes has been paying off.
Two perfect examples are Macy Cudmore and Katie Douglas. They were recently selected to attend Rising Stars, a competition that bolsters Canada’s next generation of alpine superstars. Only four females will represent the Atlantic circuit amongst the top under-16 skiers in the country, so there is much anticipation for Macy’s and Katie’s future achievements.
P.E.I.’s 10 athletes travelling to Red Deer for alpine skiing will have a mixed bag of experience. Several have seen the strength of international competition, while others are yet to compete outside of Atlantic Canada. Head coach Jordan Mol will be looking for help from his seasoned athletes to lead the team into battle. A few notables are Libby Douglas, Makena Cudmore, Sam Peterson and Ben Goodwin who have all compete outside of Atlantic Canada. It also helps having a coaching staff with a vast amount of experience. In fact, all three have competed in the Winter Games. Mol and MacCormack travelled to Whitehorse as athletes in 2007 while Midgley was in Saguenay-Lac-St. Jean, Que. in 1983.
Mol wants his team to enjoy the experience.
“I hope they have fun,” he explained. “We have a great group and they have put in the work. February will be time to go out and enjoy themselves.”
Competing in the second week of the Games, the skiers will have an extra week to prep for what they hope will be an unforgettable experience. Their weeklong stay in a satellite village, almost two hours west of Red Deer in the mountains, will undoubtedly leave an impression either way. Best of luck to the five male and five female alpine skiers representing their province in less three months’ time.
For more information on Team P.E.I. and the 2019 Canada Games, stay tuned for more Countdown to the Games articles and be sure to follow Team P.E.I. on Facebook and Twitter.
#IsleBeReady
Roster
A look at the members of Team P.E.I.’s alpine ski team for the 2019 Canada Games.
Ethan Carragher
Aidan Carruthers
Macy Cudmore
Makena Cudmore
Katie Douglas
Libby Douglas
Ben Goodwin
Hilary Keedwell
Geoff Paton
Samuel Peterson
Coach Janet Midgley
Coach Jordan Mol
Wax technician Andrew MacCormack
Jared Murphy is a sport co-ordinator with Sport P.E.I. and will be assistant chef de mission for Team P.E.I. during Week 2 of the 2019 Canada Games.
