Had a great week getting ready for next week’s Speed Noram here in Kimberley!

Ben spent week’s end training SG with the Kimberley North Stars and the Regina Alpine Race Team. Here’s a little glimpse of some of the action:

Enjoy

Today I received an email from Brian Hayden from Huntsville, Ontario who has been doing photography for the Hidden Valley Ski Resort back home. I met Brian when I was a coach for the Ontario Para Team, ODART and had always admired his work and the dedication that went into it.

Turns out Brian saw the video I put together on www.Ski2Win.ca and commented on how much he enjoyed it and pointed me to a video he did last season for the ODART team. The funny part of this story is that Brian had no idea it was me and that I still enjoy his work so much that I had to blog it. Hearing Will only wanting to do “Slalom gates” brought so many memories knowing that some things don’t change change much.

Brain you continue to do fantastic work and thanks for still follow our sport!

Canada’s Para-Alpine 2009-2010 IPC World Cup Team is up the road at Panorama this week, getting in some final pre-season training. Included on the team is sit-skier and Kimberley native Josh Dueck, who is inching closer to his Olympic dream.

Canada will not announce its Paralympic team until February, which means athletes like Josh will have to wait a while longer, but being among the 13 chosen to be on the national team is a very good sign.

Josh Dueck had a breakthrough season last winter, not only winning the Canadian Championship in Giant Slalom at Sun Peaks last March, but also winning a World Championship downhill race in Korea in February, following that up with a win at an IPC World Cup at Whistler.

The summer was spent training mind and body for the all important Paralympic season.

Mom Vickie Dueck, who with dad Peter, still live in Cranbrook, says he is focused and ready, and also excited because he will be a torch bearer for the Olympic flame in Vancouver on February 11, just a day prior to the opening ceremonies.

Josh also recently scored two Telus awards of excellence for Alpine Canada. He was the recipient of the Fan Choice Award, receiving 34 per cent of the votes cast. This is quite an achievement as he was competing against able-bodied national team skiers as well in this category. He was also the recipient of the Breakthrough Star of the Year, recognizing his great achievements in 2008-2009.

Canada has high hopes for Paralympic gold next March.

“We had a tremendous season last year, finishing first overall at both the World Championships and the IPC World Cup. But the stakes are even higher this season,” said CPAST High Performance Director Jean-François Rapatel.

“Our main objective will be winning 17 medals at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games so all our preparation and focus are geared towards that objective. It is an ambitious goal, but with the athletes that were named on the CPAST we have the potential to do it,” he added

Josh now lives and trains at Silver Star in Vernon, which was the site of the skiing accident that left him in a wheelchair almost six years ago. Since that time he has, through focus and determination, learned to use a sit ski and worked steadily up the ranks from development team to national team to contender to World Championship winner.

But all of last winter’s success has only been building to one dream — making the Paralympic team, and now it’s so close he can taste it.

As he told the Bulletin last spring, “As it stands I know I’ve met all the criteria. Technically I’ve qualified. With the results I’ve gotten this season, I’m well on track. I will be jumping for joy to hear I’ve made the team. It’s been a nice season but the goal has always been the Paralympics.”

November 19, 2009
Carolyn Grant, Kimberley Daily Bulletin

Brian’s presentation to Ontario Ski Instructors at their Professional Development day was received with a standing ovation. Great sense of humour and a fantastic Canadian promoter of of sport we love so much.

Thank you Brian for taking the time to share your inspiration! Watch his entire presentation (unedited) in 4 parts by click on the links below.

Part 1 – The first 10 minutes

Part 2 – The second 10 minutes

Part 3 – The third 10 minutes

Part 4 – The payoff & closing remarks