Oliver Young of Vernon (Photo credit: Steve Hilts)

By Pete McIntyre

elite program

Need for speed: Vernon athlete setting high goals as BC Ski Team member

Sep 18, 2023 | 6:30 AM

A Vernon athlete is looking forward to racing down mountains around North America this winter as a member of the BC Ski Team.

Oliver Young is being promoted from the team’s “training group’ to the actual team due to his impressive results.

“The criteria is a national ranking of top seven in two race disciplines,” Young told Vernon Matters. “I made criteria through national slalom and downhill rankings.”

Young, who was born in 2004, said he and three other training team athletes that qualified through criteria will be named to the BC Ski Team in November when the race season starts.

“Qualifying for the actual team is a big step up for me this year, as last year I skied on the training group,” Young explained.

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The primary goal of the BC Ski Team is to advance B.C. ski racers to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team.

“The provincial team is an elite development program designed to select the best-performing ski racers in the province and provide them with enhanced training and competitive opportunities,” the team’s website stated.

Young said his main goal this season is to consistently ski to the top 30 at North American Cup races, earning NorAm points.

“Doing so would also set me up to qualify for World Juniors in the next two seasons.”

The Vernon Ski Club member who is sponsored by HEAD, has been racking up the travel miles to take part in training.

“In August we spent three weeks training on snow in El Colorado, Chile. We’re currently are at home for an off-snow training block, before we return to Chile, this time to Corralco, one of Chile’s southern-most resorts, for another two weeks of training,” Young said.

The team’s first training in Canada will start in November, and the first races will be the North American Cup races at Copper Mountain and Beaver Creek, Colorado, in early December.

Young said his ultimate goal is to make the Canadian National Team and race at the World Cup level.

“The BC Ski Team is one of the best ski racing programs in the nation and it’s been a life time goal of mine to qualify for the team. It’s an honor to be a part of the team and to be able to set my goals as high as possible,” he said.

(Image credit: BC Alpine)

While the BC Team is supported by government funding and team sponsors, there is still a large sum that the athlete is responsible for.

“I am hoping to make connections with sponsors to help with the financial demand of being on the team,” Young told Vernon Matters.

“Sponsorship support would make a meaningful difference and be a source of inspiration for young athletes everywhere, while showcasing a company’s commitment to fostering hard work and promoting their own excellence,” he added.

Anyone wanting to chat with Young about sponsorship opportunities can contact him at ojyskii@gmail.com.

Other qualified members of the B.C. men’s team are Dylan Timm of Fernie, Sascha Gilbert of Whistler and Dylan Stevens of North Vancouver.

B.C. men’s team head coach Morgan Pridy said earlier this summer, he was optimistic about the team’s development.

“It’s very exciting to have the core group of guys back for the new season. They worked hard last year to build up a strong foundation and also discovered the demands of a full Nor-am schedule. The group is hungry and has set high expectations moving forward,” Priddy said.

Oliver Young (BC Alpine photo)