By Andrew Mitchell
Like many of Canada’s winter sports organizations, Alpine
Canada typically operates in four-year cycles around the Olympic Winter Games.
Most major changes to staffing and team policy take place after an Olympics as
the organization gears up for the next four years. This year, following the
2006 Olympics, is no different.
The Canadian Alpine Ski Team is coming off its best season ever
on the World Cup with a record of 3,060 points, 12 podiums (twice as many as
last season’s tally), and three fourth place finishes at the Olympics in
Torino. The team also remains one of the youngest on the World Cup tour, with
the majority of athletes in their early 20s.
Last week it was announced that Dusan Grasic will replace Max
Gartner as the Alpine Director for CAST, overseeing team development and
management through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Gartner will remain involved
as a consultant.
“The CAST has great momentum and most importantly tremendous
potential,” said Grasic, who joined Alpine Canada as the men’s technical coach
in 2003, and guided athletes to six podiums in the last two years, including
firsts in slalom and giant slalom.
“In order to get a step closer to our goal of being a world
leader in ski racing, CAST must increase the synergies within the speed and
technical programs and across the women’s and men’s programs. I look forward to
helping our athletes and coaches turn World Cup podiums into victories.”
Grasic’s first task will be to redesign the coaching structure
for CAST, making it easier for athletes to train and compete in both technical
and speed events.
“Ski racing being an extremely competitive sport, it’s imperative
for our organization to continuously seek the winning edge both on and off the
hill to be the best in 2010 and beyond,” said Alpine Canada President Ken Read.
“Dusan, who knows what it takes to succeed at the international level, will
play a key role in managing the ever-growing activities of the Canadian Alpine
Ski Team.”
Grasic has also been awarded the Andrej Kozbial Award presented
to the international coach of the year, as well as the B.C. Sport Coach of the
Year Award.
Grasic is also based in Invermere, close to the national team’s
summer training facilities on the Farnham Glacier.
To fill the coaching gap left by Grasic, this week Alpine
Canada announced that Whistler’s Matt Kerr and Toronto’s Paul Kristofic will be
team managers for the women’s and men’s national teams respectively.
Kerr started coaching for the Whistler Mountain Ski Club in
1996 and joined the women’s national development team in 2000. From 2002 to
2006 he has helped to coach the women’s Europa Cup and World Cup technical
teams.
“My goals are to continue supporting the World Cup team by
finding the best training possible while also working more closely with the
development team to help prepare these athletes for the world stage,” said
Kerr.
Kristofic has been with Alpine Canada since 1994, joining the
national program in an administrative role while earning a degree in physical
education from the University of Ottawa.
He joined the coaching staff in 1996 and was with the men’s
technical team until 1998, when he moved to the women’s technical team. From
2001 to 2006 Kristofic helped to coach the men’s World Cup speed team.
In his new role, Kristofic will oversee team logistics, plan
training programs, supervise the allocation of Alpine Canada resources, and
support CAST coaching staff.
Kerr and Kristofic will report to Grasic.
Hugues Ansermoz, the head coach for the women’s program before
Kerr, has decided to return to his native Switzerland after nine years with
CAST.
Burkhard Schaffer, the men’s head speed coach, will return to
Austria. Jim Pollock has also stepped down as a coach with the women’s
technical team.
Alpine Canada will announce its coaching lineup for the 2006-07
season in the next few weeks.
Podium results for the 2005-2006 winter are:
Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) – Super G, 2
nd
(Beaver Creek, USA)
Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) – Super G, 2
nd
(Val Gardena, ITA)
Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) – DH, 3rd (Val
Gardena, ITA)
François Bourque (New Richmond, QC) – GS, 3rd (Alta
Badia, ITA)
Emily Brydon (Fernie, BC) – Super G, 3
rd
(Val
d’Isère, FRA)
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB) – SL, 2
nd
(Kranjska Gora, SLO)
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB) – GS, 3
rd
(Kranjska Gora, SLO)
Geneviève Simard (Val Morin, QC) – GS, 2
nd
(Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITA)
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB) – SL, 3
rd
(Shiga
Kogen, JPN)
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB) – SL, 3
rd
(Shiga
Kogen, JPN)
Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB) – SL, 3
rd
(Aare,
SWE)
Geneviève Simard (Val Moring, QC) – GS, 2 nd (Aare, SWE)