Canadian Halfpipe, Snowboardcross and Alpine Snowboard teams named for PyeongChang 2018
From L to R: Mercedes Nicoll, Derek Livingston, Calynn Irwin, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athletes in Snowboard Halfpipe
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canada Snowboard officially announced the 13 athletes and seven coaches nominated to represent Team Canada in Snowboardcross, halfpipe and parallel giant slalom at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. They join the seven athletes previously nominated to compete in Slopestyle and Big Air.
The athletes were selected based on their performances in FIS World Cup and World Championship events between July 1, 2016 and January 21, 2018.
The snowboarders nominated are:
Baptiste Brochu - Snowboardcross - Saguenay, QC
Kevin Hill - Snowboardcross - Vernon, BC
Chris Robanske - Snowboardcross - Calgary, AB
Carle Brenneman - Snowboardcross - Comox, BC
Zoe Bergermann - Snowboardcross - Erin, ON
Tess Critchlow - Snowboardcross - Kelowna, BC
Meryeta O’Dine - Snowboardcross - Prince George, BC
Eliot Grondin - Snowboardcross - Ste-Marie, QC
Jasey-Jay Anderson - Parallel Giant Slalom -Mont-Tremblant, QC
Darren Gardner - Parallel Giant Slalom - Burlington, ON
Derek Livingston - Halfpipe - Aurora, ON
Mercedes Nicoll - Halfpipe - Whistler, BC
Elizabeth Hosking - Halfpipe - Longueuil, QC
Calynn Irwin - Halfpipe - Toronto, ON
Alternates: Trevor Niblett - Toronto, ON - Halfpipe, Sébastien Beaulieu - Sherbrooke, QC - Parallel Giant Slalom
The coaches nominated are:
Mike Slaughter - Halfpipe – Head Coach - Mountain Home, USA
Brian Smith - Halfpipe – Assistant Coach - Saint-Jérôme, QC
Marcel Mathieu - Snowboardcross – Head Coach - Orcières, France
Rene Brunner - Snowboardcross – Assistant Coach - Lienz, Austria
Simon Bonenfant - Snowboardcross – Assistant Coach - Montréal, QC
Jan Wengelin - Parallel Giant Slalom – Head Coach - Smithers, BC
Emily Dee - Parallel Giant Slalom – Assistant Coach - Orangeville, ON
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Champion Jasey-Jay Anderson will be the first Canadian to compete at six Olympic Winter Games, having been a member of every team
since snowboard was introduced at Nagano 1998. Elizabeth Hosking, 16, will be the youngest athlete on Team Canada at PyeongChang 2018.
Before departing for PyeongChang, the Snowboardcross athletes will compete in Bansko, Bulgaria and in Feldberg, Germany. The Parallel Giant Slalom athletes will also compete in Bansko while the Halfpipe team will be training in Calgary.
With seven medals in only five Olympic Games, Canada is one of the top snowboarding nations in the world. Canada has won at least one Olympic medal in every snowboard discipline except Halfpipe and Big Air, which will debut in PyeongChang.
Snowboard Halfpipe, Snowboardcross, and Parallel Giant Slalom will take place at Phoenix Snow Park. Parallel Giant Slalom will take place February 10-12 (Days 1-3), Halfpipe February 12-14 (Days 3-5), and Snowboardcross February 15-16 (Days 6-7).
QUOTES:
“Canada excels in snowboarding and the exciting team we are nominating today is in a great position to carry on that tradition. Congratulations to the athletes, I am looking forward to cheering you on as you challenge for the podium in PyeongChang.”
- Isabelle Charest, PyeongChang 2018 Team Canada Chef de Mission
“Having qualified for the Olympics for my second time is pretty amazing. Last time I was a rookie and this year I’ve got more tricks, more experience, and more drive. The halfpipe at the test event was one of the best pipes I’ve ridden and I am really excited to compete for Canada and better my results from my first Games.”
- Derek Livingston, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athlete
“I honestly don’t put much pressure on myself going into the Games but I have one thing on my mind and that’s getting on the podium. For that to happen it has to be my day where everything lines up in place just like X Games 2015: you wake up, you feel good, your starts are perfect and you ride like no one can touch you all day. I know that the entire team is going to shine and make Canada proud.”
- Kevin Hill, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athlete
"It's been a dream of mine since the age of 9 to compete with my idols at the Olympics, and now it's a reality!"
- Elizabeth Hosking, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athlete
