The Canadian Alpine Ski Team has seen its depth grow in the athlete department in recent years, qualifying for more quota spots in most disciplines and developing skiers that have a shot at the top-10 in every race.
The depth in coaching staff is also continuing to grow, most recently with the announcement that Swiss coach Carlo Alexander Lotscher would be joining the womens development team as head coach.
The announcement came just two weeks after Alpine Canada Alpin hired Italys Heinzpeter Platter, one of the most successful coaches in the world, as the head coach for the womens World Cup speed team.
"Last season our womens program gained great momentum with Genevieve Simard, Allison Forsyth, and Emily Brydon clinching World Cup medals," said Max Gartner, the chief athletic officer for the ACA. "But we are continually looking for ways to increase our successes and to do so we must continue to ensure that our athletes are provided with the necessary resources to be competitive at the senior and development levels."
Lotscher speaks four languages, including English, and worked with the Swiss World Cup speed and technical teams. For the last four years he headed up the Swiss Federations womens Europa Cup program.
Lotscher will work under Hugues Ansermoz, a Swiss coach who has been the head coach for the Canadian womens team since 1997.
"After more than a decade with the Swiss Team, I am anxious to be starting anew with the talented Canadian team on building a winning team," said Lotscher. "I have noticed the Canadians gain more and more momentum on the international stage and I am looking forward to contributing and expediting the athletes progression from the development team to the World Cup level."
Lotscher will join the team at the end of July at a training camp in Zermatt, Switzerland.