National titles were on the line last week in Kimberley, BC, as the best men and women ski racers gathered to be crowned Canadian champion. Organizers woke to a fresh 30cm of snow early in the week and crews went to work to deliver excellent conditions for the races. While the competition is heated, the alpine national championships are also a wonderful celebration of ski racing in Canada.

Cassidy Gray (Invermere, BC), member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, had an outstanding week of racing with podium performances in all three disciplines. Gray started the week with a win in giant slalom (GS), followed by second place finishes in both the super-G (SG) and in slalom (SL).

“Canadian nationals are a great welcome home after a long winter in Europe,” said Gray. “There’s nothing better than seeing all the faces coming up in Canadian ski racing. Kimberly is super close to my actual home, so I really get the ski community energy there. Even with the weather not being ideal, all three of the National champs races went off! Huge thank you to Kimberly and all the volunteers there for giving us a space to compete, it really was a super fun race series!  It was especially cool because my little brother and sister also got to race with me, and to be able to share a race week with them was pretty cool.”

Britt Richardson (Canmore, AB) and Eleri Smart (Invermere, BC) each had two podiums, with Richardson winning the SG and finishing second in GS. For full results please visit the FIS website (link).

On the men’s side there were different winners in each discipline, with six different men standing on the podium. Justin Alkier (Toronto, ON) won his first national title in GS, and finished second in SL. Riley Seger (North Vancouver, BC) secured a pair of second place finishes in GS and SG, and Sam Mulligan (Vancouver, BC) grabbed a pair of third place finishes in GS and SG.

“It was awesome to be back in Kimberly racing the national championships,” said Mulligan. “The mountain and race organizers did a great job providing a welcoming environment that gave everyone an opportunity to challenge themselves head-to-head. I feel grateful to have been able to participate and witness some great performances from up and coming provincial and regional athletes! I hope we keep pushing to make events like this accessible to all, so we can continue to elevate, and celebrate the awesome community we have!”

A large thank you to the countless Dreadnaught volunteers, BC Alpine and Kimberley Alpine Resort, whose partnership, commitment and support were instrumental in delivering a successful Canadian National Championships. 

2023 Canadian Senior National Alpine Championships Photos by Steve Hilts

For more information or media inquiries, please contact: 

Ashlie Avoledo | Senior Manager, Sport Service  

aavoledo@alpinecanada.org I 403-918-9054  

About Alpine Canada  

Alpine Canada is the governing body for alpine, para-alpine, and ski cross racing in Canada, as well as for Canadian ski coaches, providing education, certification, insurance, and compliance with the coaching code of conduct. With the support of valued corporate partners and donors, along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Coaching Association of Canada, Alpine Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship, and World Cup athletes to stimulate visibility, inspiration, and growth in the ski community. In 2020/21, Alpine Canada celebrated 100 years of rich tradition in competitive skiing in Canada.