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Whistler Mountain Ski Club pair off to Junior Worlds

Jordan and Alexander set to ski in Italy
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OFF TO ITALY Kyle Alexander (left) is set to compete at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Italy. Photo submitted

Two Whistler Mountain Ski Club alums are off to Italy for the FIS Junior World Ski Championships.

Asher Jordan and Kyle Alexander, both 19, were among 11 young skiers named to the team last week.

Jordan, speaking from Calgary where he was getting set to board a flight to Italy, is excited to compete at Val di Fassa at his first Junior Worlds from Feb. 18 to 27.

"I was pretty stoked. I definitely had a little hope in the back of my mind because I've been skiing good. It was just a matter of putting it down on paper," he said. "I'm happy with it. I'm super happy to go."

Jordan has already covered some significant miles in 2019, starting in Quebec before competing at: Telfs, Austria; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; and Kirchberg, Austria. He then returned to this side of the pond for Nor-Am Cup action at Idaho's Sun Valley Resort. Jordan's best results came at Telfs, where he placed sixth and 12th in a pair of FIS slaloms. He was pleased, in particular, with how he adapted to Europe.

"The racing is so much different over there and there's so much more intensity," he said. "I think it will truly help because everyone (who will be competing) over there is from Europe.

"Training over there and racing, I think, will give me the edge."

Jordan added that he managed to stay collected on the mental side of things, which allowed him to put down smooth runs.

"I was just trying to keep it cool," he said. "It was a pretty hard race, but I was just trying to keep it calm ... and just ski like I know I can. I think it really helped me."

With so much travel, especially with only five days between the Quebec Nor-Ams and FIS racing in Austria, Jordan said he handled the transition well.

"It's definitely been a hectic couple months in the New Year," he said. "Going to Quebec and then Austria, those (dates) were tight, but I managed them well—good sleeps, good recovery, good nutrition.

"That helped me stay strong through the last couple months and I'm looking forward to the next couple weeks here."

Mixed in with Jordan's racing in Europe was an opportunity to train at Val di Fassa, a resort at which he's never competed.

"It was nice to get to see it and feel it out. I think that'll definitely be a big advantage for us going into these races," he said. "It's a super cool hill. The snow is great, the people are great and the weather is great. I think it's adding up to be a good World Juniors here."

Alexander, meanwhile, is already in Italy preparing for European Cup events in Sarntal. As more of a speed racer, his path diverged from Jordan's in Quebec, as Alexander stayed longer before competing at: Bischofsweisen-Goetschen, Germany; Chamonix, France; and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Alexander managed a 10th-place giant-slalom showing at Tremblant, Quebec as well as a ninth-place super-G result at the first German stop. However, he feels he's capable of more than what he's shown to this point.

"My season hasn't exactly been perfection so far, I had a solid result at the beginning of the season while at the (Panorama) Nor-Ams (three top-20 finishes), otherwise there has been a lot left to desire," he wrote via email. "Hopefully I can pick things up for World (Juniors)."

Like Jordan, Alexander had the opportunity to test out the Val di Fassa course and is eager to get started.

"I went and free skied on the World Jrs track a couple weeks ago and it is absolute perfection, looks like it should flow well," Alexander wrote, adding that he has enjoyed trying out several new European venues this year.