Snowy trails at Camp Mercier, QC. Photo : Mireille Pilotto

President’s Message January 2025

The new year is upon us, and with it comes the desire to make the most of whatever winter brings to your part of the country. I hope all of you have seen some snow by now, but if you haven't yet, I suggest you keep on dancing the snow dance. Here in B.C., it has been a great winter with a lot of snow coming early and often. I have had fun XC skiing at Sovereign Lake and SilverStar, and I have telemark skied at SilverStar and Whitewater. My legs feel good, my heart and lungs are letting me push myself, and the smile on my face tells you all you need to know about how much I love winter. So keep dancing – the snow will come, wherever you are!

Toward the end of this month, two very special events will take place, one at Panorama Resort here in B.C., the other at Bromont and Le Massif in Quebec. The first-ever CANSI telemark Level IV courses will run, bringing CANSI telemark up to the same level of excellence seen in our fellow snowsport organizations, the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA) and Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors (CASI). 

Guy Paulsen and René-Luc Morin will lead the course at Panorama, while the Quebec course will be led by René-Luc and Denis Vézina. These three accomplished ski instructors are our newly minted telemark Level IV course conductors. Congratulations to them all! I know that course participants will profit from their years of skiing experience and teaching excellence. CANSI is blessed to have them on our team.

Interski 2027 will be hosted by Vail, Colorado. It promises to be an excellent event, as the ski world gathers once again, as it does every four years, to celebrate ski instruction and technique. The CANSI team of coaches features head coach Guy Paulsen, telemark coach René-Luc Morin and XC coach John Gallagher. This excellent team will oversee a selection process that will create two teams of six skiers – one in XC and one in telemark – before the end of this ski season. If you have ever wanted to participate in Interski, now is the time to let your regional committee know. If you are a Level III or IV instructor in either XC or telemark, why not give it a shot? You have nothing to lose in trying out for the team, and if you do, maybe we will ski together in Vail...

Have a great January full of snow and skiing! (Otherwise, keep on dancing!)