Canadian Tech Team Revs Up for the Season-Opener in Sölden

Featured Image: Cassidy Gray skiing the 2022 World Cup Opener in Sölden, Austria. Credit: GEPA pictures/ Harald Steiner

“I am excited for a new race season! I think we have a good crew of athletes,” stated Erik Read, Canadian two-time Olympian and World Cup alpine racer. 

The Canadian men and women are preparing for the first World Cup of the 2023/24 season in Sölden, Austria. On October 28th and 29th, the fields will take on the dynamic giant slalom course that tests the racer’s ability to ski smart while finding places to let the skis run. The Canadian team is ready to accept the challenge with seven of their athletes. 

At this race last year, the Canadian men were successful with two finishes in the top-20: Trevor Philp, who finished in 15th place, and Erik Read, who finished in 17th. Unfortunately, the women’s GS got canceled and rescheduled to a December World Cup in Semmering, Austria. Valéerie Grenier was the only Canadian woman to start in Semmering, but was disqualified in the first run.

This year, the Canadian team’s goals are to improve everyone’s world ranking, grow as a team, and establish the new World Cup racers in the top-30. Sölden is the first step to accomplishing these objectives.

Men’s Sölden GS Team

The Canadian men that will be kicking out of the start gate in Sölden are: 

• Erik Read, Banff Alpine Racers, University of Denver, Atomic, UVEX
• James Crawford, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, HEAD
• Liam Wallace, Sunshine Alpine Racers, University of Alaska Anchorage, Rossignol/LOOK
• Justin Alkier, National Ski Academy, Middlebury College, Rossignol/LOOK

Preparing for the season ahead, Nick Cooper, the Men’s Tech Head Coach explained, “We took two preseason camps in Chile, one in August and one in September. In September we got really lucky with the weather and had really solid prep there.” 

The four athletes starting this weekend have very different stories coming into the season. Cooper pointed out the differences between athletes: “Erik is a veteran of the World Cup circuit, looking to improve his world ranking and break into the top-15. Jake has had a lot of success in super-G and downhill, but wants to establish himself in GS. Liam looks to score his first World Cup points, get into the top-30, and then do some damage from there. Also, this will be Justin’s first World Cup GS start, but has started in slalom World Cups before. ”

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Erik Read’s main goal for 23/24 is consistency, but he encountered some challenges at the beginning of this season. He stated, “I got a little unlucky this last month with illness and some minor injuries, so I think that lowered my expectations going into this weekend. But, at the same time, my goal for this year is to shoot for the top-15 or top-10 on a consistent basis.”

This winter, the men’s team will miss Trevor Philp, who retired from his ski racing career at the end of last season. “I am sad that Trevor is not by my side this year,” said Read. However, as Read reflected on his runs from Sölden last season, where the two racers were neck and neck, he knows what he needs to do to execute more speed. 

Read reflected, “You really just have to push on that whole top part and then take that onto the pitch. It is super important to pick the spot at the bottom to know when to let it run onto the flats.” 

Women’s Sölden GS Team

The Canadian women who will be attacking the fall line in Sölden this weekend are: 

• Valéerie Grenier, Club de Ski Mont Tremblant, Rossignol/LOOK
• Britt Richardson, Calgary Alpine Racing Club, Dynastar/Lange/Look, Oakley, Swix
• Cassidy Gray, Team Panorama, Atomic
• Sarah Bennett, Stoneham, Québec Ski Team, Rossignol/LOOK

The team made amazing strides last season, establishing themselves in the top-10 of the overall Alpine World Cup Nations Cup standings in all four disciplines, including 8th in both slalom and super-G. 

Laurent Praz, the Head Coach of the Women’s Alpine Team, stated, “This is the first time since 2011 that Canada’s women are in the top-10 in each of the four disciplines, and as a group, we are motivated to continue to build on that.” 

Valéerie Grenier has been at the top of the roster in GS, with her first World Cup GS win last year in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. She is going into the 23/24 season ranked 12th in GS and is looking to improve that world ranking this winter.

Grenier stated, “I’m excited to start the season. Last season showed me that I am able to do well, and I want to continue to perform well and be on more World Cup podiums. I’m feeling more confident, and at the same time, there’s some pressure.”

The rest of the team, Britt Richardson, Cassidy Gray and Sarah Bennett, are looking to score more points, or their first points on the World Cup. Richardson and Gray have both scored in two World Cup GS races thus far and Bennett is looking to score her first points this season.

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Praz explained, “This is a terrific group of women. They are talented, supportive and they really push each other in the gym and on the snow. The team is feeling very positive about the season.”

Grenier agreed with Praz: “We’ve got a great group, and I am looking forward to some great results from the girls.”

The Canadian Tech Team is a diverse level of World Cup racers with a great blend of youth, experience, enthusiasm and talent. Both the men and women show immense support for one another, great energy and focus leading into this season. The objective of consistency this season is on most of the athletes’ minds as they get ready to push out of the start. Tune in this weekend to watch the team take on Sölden, streaming live on Peacock.