National Team Members
Here are profiles of the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team members. These athletes and support team members represent Canada at a variety of ski mountaineering competitions in North America and around the world, including the World Ski Mountaineering Championships that are held every two years (usually in Europe).
Athletes (in alphabetical order):
Melanie Bernier
Birth Date: April 27th, 1981
Place Of Birth: Quebec City
Currently Residing: Revelstoke, BC
Profession: Residential Designer
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 15th at the World Championships 2010
- 3 times Canadian Champ
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
- 67th at the Pierra Menta 2010
- Southern Ice Cap Traverse, Argentina 2008
- Cerro Cathedrale Traverse, Argentina 2008
- Different Volcano Ascent in Chile & Argentina 2007
- Freestyle - Moguls Raced at National Level 2000-2003
Favourite Training Exercise: Intervals cuz they hurt!!!
Years Skiing: 12 years
Other sports practicing: Race Mountain biking and also bike for fun! Road riding, Trail Running, Swimming, Volleyball
Website/Blog: http://inthetrails.blogspot.com
Jeff Colvin
Birth Date: 1978
Place Of Birth: North Bay, Ontario
Currently Residing: Revelstoke, BC
Profession: Teacher
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 3 yrs National Team
- 2nd overall in 2008 and 2009 for National ranking
- completed the Pierra Menta 2010
- participated in World Ski Mountaineering Championships in 2008 and 2010
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
Favourite Training Exercise: Downhill skiing
Years Skiing: 27 yrs
Other sports practicing: Mountain biking, Ultimate frisbee, trail running and Crossfit
Website/Blog: www.skimostoke.com
Ian Gale
Birth Date: 1980
Place Of Birth: Terrace, BC
Currently Residing: Golden, BC
Profession: Skipatroller/Firefighter
Club/Team: Golden Skimountaineering Team
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 3rd over all Canadian Male 09/10
- 2nd place Tiki Torch relay, 3rd tiki Vertical
- 3rd place Dogtooth Dash
- 5th place Whitefish Whiteout
- 22nd place Praz-sur-Arly Vertical Night race (French Cup race)
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
- Bugs to Roger’s Traverse ‘05
- Mcbride Traverse ‘08
- Wapta in a day ‘06
- Rockies - the Aemmers, the Cobra, W. face of Mt Lefroy, 3/3.5 couloir, Mt Quadra, Kahl rt and Y couloir on Mt Stanley, the N. Face of Victoria, W face Clemenceau, Mt Columbia….
- Selkirks - Forever Youngs, Sir Donald range traverse, 3 pass route/day, Sifton E couloir, the “French Poodle” on Grizzly, 8812 N face…
Favourite Training Exercise: intervals at night…
Years Skiing: 18
Other sports practicing: trail running, road riding, climbing, mountaineering
Website/Blog: Goldenskimo.wordpress.com
Stano Faban
Birth Date: 1982
Place Of Birth: Slovakia
Currently Residing: depends but mostly Coquitlam, BC
Profession: web designer & developer, part-time entrepreneur
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 3rd at Skimo National Champs 2009
- National Team member
- competed in Pierra Menta 2010 (4 day race)
- competed at World Skimo Champs 2010
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
- Spearhead traverse in 8h 11min (Whistler village - the Traverse - Whistler village; 4230m)
- Bostock to Revelstoke traverse
- Misty Icefields traverse
Favourite Training Exercise: anything that involves good friends
Years Skiing: 21
Other sports practicing: trail running, mtb and road riding, hiking, tennis, soccer, xc skiing, balance and strength exercises, triathlon, climbing
Website/Blog: www.skintrack.com
Julie Matteau
Birth Date: 1977
Place Of Birth: Grand-Mere, QC
Currently Residing: Revelstoke, BC
Profession: Retired
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 2008 & 2010 Ski Mountaineering World Championships
- Member of the National team from 2008 to 2010
- 1st overall in 2009 and 2nd in 2010
- completed 2010 Pierra Menta
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
Favourite Training Exercise: Powder ski touring mileage
Years Skiing: 18 yrs
Other sports practicing: Mountain biking, trail running, Crossfit training and Ultimate frisbee
Website/Blog: www.skimostoke.com
James Minifie
Birth Date: 1978
Place Of Birth: Fernie, BC
Currently Residing: Whitehorse, YT
Profession: retired Wildlife biologist (stay-at-home-dad for two beautiful girls)
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- Currently ranked 2nd in the Canadian national rankings
- Bronze at 2009 Canadian National Championships
- competitor at the 2010 World Championships
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
Favourite Training Exercise: I like to set up a small parcour type course with about 200m of climbing that incorporates all the technical aspects of skimo such as kick-turns, transitions, boot packing, etc and then just hammer out 3 or 4 laps at race intensity. Also, everyone should have a 1000m vertical training run that they can test themselves on.
Years Skiing: Maybe 25, I was lucky to be born and raised in a mountain paradise.
Other sports practicing: Endurance mountain biking, mountain running, road biking
Website/Blog:
Kylee Ohler
Birth Date: Feb 10, 1984
Place Of Birth: Vernon, BC
Currently Residing: Calgary, AB
Profession: Accounting
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- Ranked 3rd in the 2008/2009 season in Canada
- Ranked 4th in the 2009/2010 season in Canada
- Competed in the Dachstein Xtreme 2009
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
Favourite Training Exercises: Putting on my iPod and skinning up on a blue bird sky day and mountain biking with my brother.
Years Skiing: 23
Other sports practicing: Running, Mountain and Road Biking, Downhill skiing, yoga
Website/Blog:
Reiner Thöni
Birth Date: 1984
Place Of Birth: Jasper National Park
Currently Residing: Valemount, BC
Profession: Professional tree planter and faller
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- Overall Canadian cup winner in 2009 and 2010
- Canadian skimo champion in 2009 and 2010
Other Ski Objectives Completed: Exploring the beautiful mountains in BC and across the globe
Favourite Training Exercise: Rest days!
Years Skiing: 22
Other sports practicing: Mountain sports summer and winter, badminton, ping-pong.
Website/Blog: http://theoutsideout.blogspot.com
Alex Wigley
Birth Date: 1984
Place Of Birth: Toronto, Ontario
Currently Residing: Whistler, British Columbia
Profession: Avalanche Instructor & Ski Technician/Bootfitter
Skimo racing accomplishments:
- 4th Canadian Championships
- Racing the Andorra 2010 World Championships
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
- First McBride Traverse in a day
- multiple steep skiing descents
Favourite Training Exercise: Putting in vertical and strength training
Years Skiing: 23
Other sports practicing: Climbing
Website/Blog: www.skitheory.blogspot.com
Support Team:
Dave Dornian
Birth Date: 1955
Place Of Birth: Edmonton
Currently Residing: Calgary, AB
Profession: Geophysicist & Sports Bureaucrat
Skimo racing accomplishments: One of the few ISMF-certified skimo racing officials in North America
Other Ski Objectives Completed:
- several traverses
- 1st ski ascents and decents, mostly in Alberta and BC
Favourite Training Exercise: Cycloscross
Years Skiing: 40
Other sports practicing: sport, rock and alpine climbing, cycling
Website/Blog: www.skimocanada.org