After hosting World Cup athletes the previous two weekends, last week Lake Louise hosted the annual Nor-Am Cup season opener, with a pair of downhill races and a super G.
Whistler athletes did well overall, many racing in their first Nor-Am.
In the opening downhill, Quebec's Victoria Stevens placed first, followed by Grouse Mountain alumnus Georgia Simmerling and Julia Roth from Ontario. Jocelyn Ramsden of the B.C. Ski Team was the top Whistler Mountain Ski Club alum, in 27th place, while Kailee Darlington, also with the B.C. Ski Team this year, was 37th.
In the men's downhill, a trio of American skiers finished on top - Nick Daniels, Thomas Biesemeyer and Keith Moffatt - while the top Canadian was Benjamin Thomsen in fourth.
From Whistler, Conrad Pridy placed ninth overall and Morgan Pridy was 23rd. Broderick Thompson, 16 years old and new to the B.C. Ski Team this year, was 50th.
On the second day of downhill, American Julia Ford led the women, followed by Georgia Simmerling and Victoria Stevens. Jocelyn Ramsden and Kailee Darlington were 32nd and 36th.
On the men's side, Canadian Kelby Halbert and Louis-Pierre Helie took the top two spots, followed by Thomas Biesemeyer of the U.S.
Whistler's Morgan Pridy moved up to sixth overall, while Conrad Pridy placed eighth.
The super G was eventually cancelled due to the heavy snow, which was welcomed in Lake Louise after a cold and relatively dry start to the season.
From Lake Louise the tour moved to Panorama Mountain Resort for Super Combined, super G, giant slalom and slalom races. The series there continues to Thursday, but Whistler athletes were solid in the opening events.
In the men's super combined, American skiers Colby Granstrom, Nick Daniels and Andrew Phillips were first through third, followed by Sasha Zaitsoff from B.C. in fourth.
Morgan Pridy was the top Whistler skier, in 16 th place, while Conrad Pridy was 27th. Ford Swette and Broderick Thompson, in their first year with the B.C. Ski Team, were 50th and 58th.
In the men's super G, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Nick Daniels and Thomas Biesemeyer of the U.S. were first through third. Dustin Cook was the top Canadian, fourth. Morgan Pridy was 18th, Conrad Pridy 34th, Ford Swette 49th and Broderick Thompson 77th.
In the second men's super G, Dustin Cook earned Canada's first medal of the event, a bronze behind Americans Thomas Biesemeyer and Colby Granstrom. Conrady Pridy and Morgan Pridy moved into the top 10, seventh and eighth respectively. Swette and Thompson were among the DNFs.
Whistler Mountain Ski Club alumnus Madison McLeish won the women's opening super G on Monday, followed by American Julia Ford and national development team member Kelly McBroom.
It was McLeish's first NorAm Cup win. "I'm quite ecstatic to be honest," she said. "I was not expecting this result at all. Because of my concussion in October I couldn't ski for six weeks and I've been back on snow for two weeks now. I've been on my super G skis twice before today's race, so it's definitely a surprise."
From Whistler, Sofi Leroux was 29th, Jocelyn Ramsden 40th and Kailee Darlington 44th.
Complete results will be available next week.
