CANADIAN TEAMS (SKI... AND SNOWBOARD!) TO TRAIN AT MOMENTUM

Momentum Ski Camps has stepped in to help the Canadian National Snowboard Team with their pre-Olympic training, after they were left stranded by Camp of Champions’ recent bankruptcy.

Camp Director John Smart, a two time Olympian, understands how important summer training is to ensure the athletes are as prepared as they can be for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeonChang, Korea next February.

He says, “When we heard the news, we found a way to work with our insurance to offer the team an alternative training venue at Momentum. With excellent snow conditions on the glacier this summer we have built one of our best parks ever, including a 65-foot jump, which will allow the elite level skiers and riders to train in optimal conditions. We also have two giant airbags for training acrobatic tricks safely.”

Momentum's Big Jump. Photo by Jeff Schmuck

Canadian Snowboard Team coach Elliot Catton is relieved and thankful that his team can still train in Whistler this summer and says, "I have already talked to a few of my riders who are super stoked on the news!"

The Canadian Mogul Team has also been training at Momentum over the past few weeks and some of Canada's top Olympic medal contenders are staying on as coaches, including 42 time World Cup Gold medalist and Olympic Silver medalist Mik Kingsbury, along with multiple World Cup medalists and Olympians Philippe Marquis and Audrey Robichaud.

Kingsbury has coached at Momentum for six years and says of his coaching experience: “It’s very important to me. I enjoy skiing with the kids. It’s a lot of fun to feel that at the end of the week you’ve helped a kid to learn new tricks and get better. Just to see the smile on their face at the end of the day - that’s the best thing for me.”

Mik Kingsbury with a happy camper at Momentum. Photo by Ilanna Barkusky

Teammate Philippe Marquis, now in his 7th summer as a coach, says, "Skiing has brought so much for me - the culture, the values around skiing, it’s part of the lifestyle I've grown into. Now I have the unique chance to share my knowledge of being a World Cup athlete and Olympian. It’s cool to get this opportunity to be up here in Whistler in the middle of the summer, to do what I love and inspire kids to get into that whole lifestyle of skiing. No matter how busy my schedule is, I always make a spot for Momentum.”

Olympians Phil Marquis & Mik Kingsbury. Photo by Kevin T McHugh

In addition to welcoming individual campers from all over the world, Momentum also hosts teams from across North America to train on their purpose built mogul and park terrain, including Provincial teams from BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, as well as teams from New Hampshire, Squaw Valley, Stratton Mountain, Park City and Vermont.

The camps run from June 9 - July 17th and includes ski coaching on the glacier, late afternoon activities in the valley and evening video review and trampoline sessions. For more information on Momentum, visit momentumskicamps.com.

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