BC Championships - Whistler

One of the good things (not on the pocketbook however) about Samuel competing in freestyle skiing is that we always end up a few weekends away during the season.  BC Championships this year were in Whistler.  I love Whistler and I'm sure if I didn't live in the Okanagan, Whistler would be my second choice.  Of course that would only be if we won a lottery or something, and since I never by tickets, I suppose Whistler's out.  Samuel finished the weekend top five in the province in both slopestyle and moguls.  Way to go Sam!

Samuel and a team mate checking out the competitive order with their coach.



In the line up.



Last minute encouragement from his coach...



And the flag is down!



I'm always so proud of him on the mogul course.  I do alright at moguls, but not on the mogul course - that's a whole different game!  And by alright I mean I can get down a black run that has moguls - so can Teigan.  I am in no way comparing my skiing abilities to those of my children, who insanely fly down double black runs with moguls the size of Teigan, routinely jump cliffs - yes, cliffs - I've watched them (with trepidation), and wait patiently (or not) for me at the bottom of said runs (if they have no one of their own caliber to ski with).  I can still compare my self to Teigan.  I'm still better than Teigan - this year at least!

Teigan watched patiently (most of the time) while we waiting for Samuel to ski.  Then she was happy to rip off and ski herself!







You get two runs in moguls.  This was the second run - it went from beautiful sunshine to lots of snow - and back again.  I missed the actual trick in this pic, but he's just coming down from a mule kick cross.  (I'm sure that means so much to you!)





Samuel and his entire team.



We walked everywhere and the weather was great both on and off the slopes.
You may notice that Liam isn't in pretty much any of the pictures!  He was off ripping up the hill either with his friends (little brothers of other competitors), or with our good friend who came up with us.  He did however get a minor concussion on Saturday (good thing the dad he was skiing with was a doctor), so we were all together in the village on Sunday.  No skiing for Liam!  I do have pics of Liam on my iphone - however I'll have to have Samuel figure out how I get them off of there and on to here. 



The last night we went to Fire and Ice - freestyle skiers having fun showing off their stuff for the crowds.  Follow it up with fireworks and you've got yourself a nice little show!





Our Whistler friends.

Sniffle and cheer as the season wraps up

Well one more ski season has ended (at least the mountain has closed) but as we learned last year we're now deep into this and it doesn't ever end. We've got a little bit of a respite until trampolining starts full swing and then the summer ski and water ramp camps... It was a great season though with some big highlights.

Liam was asked to go Jr. Competitive next year. He's excited about that. He's so easy going I didn't think he'd want to, but he does!





One of Samuel's big goals this year was to start throwing 360s. He is. And he is happy about it!





Teigan had a great year, and skied her first double black. She worked her little ski bum off and was bumped up a level and coach mid season. The second picture of her here is receiving the award for the most improved skier in the whole program.

Samuel's Big White Competition

This was Samuel's first competition. He did very well and placed 5th in slope style on jumps and aerials. Here he is doing a daffy off of a very big jump!

This is mute grab off another jump.
And more air. Samuel loves the big air. He really enjoyed the competition and can't wait until the next one! I was so proud of him.

Canadian Olympic Moguls Team!

It all started after training Saturday afternoon. The mountain was closed and we were having a nice, cozy hot chocolate in the dining room, when one of Samuel's coaches came in and asked if they boys could help prepare the mogul course for the Olympians! We all got our gear back on and took the, now closed to the public, t-bar part way up the hill and across to the course. The boys got to "slip" the course (slide down side by side pushing the fresh snow away). That first night we got to watch Kristi Richards, Chloe Dafour-Lapointe and Jenn Heil and Alex Bilodeau training. It was AMAZING.

This picture shows the course as well as our spot for the training. We ended up going up multiple times throughout the week to watch them and on the last night Samuel even got to ski the course with the athletes!

Jennifer Heil and Teigan.
Kristi Richards. (Teigan's very favourite!)
The boys and Chloe Dafour-Lapointe.
Samuel and his very favourite, Alex Bilodeau!

After training the athletes would come and talk with the kids. They were really great. Such a fantastic experience to watch them train and be so close. Next week there will be thousands of people, and we had our own private nights!

Looking forward to next season

These first two pictures are fogged because we came in from a cold mountain to the room where the awards ceremony were and the lense on my little camera was fogged! Samuel skied this year with the Apex Freestyle Club, and is now a card carrying (no kidding, he got his membership card a couple of weeks ago) member of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association. (He thinks it's very cool to be a member of the same club as Christy Richards - Olympic freestyler). Liam was proud to get a ribbon from Samuel's coach as well. He and I tagged along with Samuel's group to the places that Liam could handle - that being said, Liam (who's 4) did a few black diamond runs this year! He absolutely loves skiing. Samuel got a medal and a 1st ribbon and actually got to ski on the World Cup mogul course this year. (Yes, he does moguls! I generally avoid those.) Freestyle was the perfect place for Samuel, he loves the bumps and jumps, the half pipe which he rides to the top rim, and the tree trails, as well as just general fun skiing! Liam just treks along right behind. Numerous times this year the three of us went skiing mid week (the perks of homeschooling) and had such incredible times together. I love hanging out with these guys!

Liam and Alissa, as always, having a great time together.

A weekend with our friends at BIG WHITE - the kids are already asking for a week next year!

Teigan loves skiing too, but at three she only makes it through the morning before she's done!