BC ski racer crushing it in Europe

sly_karma

sly_karma

Crew Member
The mainstream media only have snippets of air time for winter sports that aren't hockey or NFL football, so you probably haven't heard of Reece Howden who is racing his first full season on the world cup ski cross circuit. Ski cross is an elimination style event where four racers go head to head on a built course with banked corners and big jumps. Reece grew up in Cultus Lake and did his junior training and racing at Apex. Despite being just 22, he's lighting up the world cup series with three wins in his last four starts and holds a commanding lead in the season points tally just past the halfway mark.

CBC sometimes shows some ski cross on their weekend Road to the Olympics program, and races can also be streamed from their sports website. Exciting racing and a BC guy is Number One in the world right now (and Whistler's Marielle Thompson sits #2 in the women's competition as well). Canada has been a strong contender in ski cross for years, and we won both Olympic gold medals in 2018 (Brady Leaman, Calgary and Kelsey Serwa, Kelowna). Give it a look!

CBC story and video
 
Saw the news as I do follow ski racing as well; great results!! Raced when I was young and then over a number of years have volunteered my time on World Cup races (Whistler, was at the Whistler Olympics for a month, Lake Louise World Cup, Paralympics in 2010) and others such as the Whistler Cup and some Nor-Am Races.

Always worked on the track as part of the course crew but would slip when needed as well. The Olympics was a tough slog as we had too much snow in the early part of the month and it wasn't uncommon to be uploading at 2am. o_O
 
I've really missed being at races this past 12 months. I work timing at ski races and am a TD at mtn bike races, usually 4-5 DH events a year. Was definitely weird not going to Lake Louise in November. My Olympic year contribution was to work timing for NorAms at Pano, LL and Apex because all the regulars were committed to Whistler and had no time left for other volunteer work. I'm helping with timing at Pano this March for nationals, still 50/50 if the event goes ahead or not. WMSC hasn't definitively canceled Whistler Cup this year but it's hard to envisage how it could run unless current restrictions are eased.
 
I think I was born 50 years too early.

 
That some impressive drafting.
 
sly_karma said:
I've really missed being at races this past 12 months. I work timing at ski races and am a TD at mtn bike races, usually 4-5 DH events a year. Was definitely weird not going to Lake Louise in November. My Olympic year contribution was to work timing for NorAms at Pano, LL and Apex because all the regulars were committed to Whistler and had no time left for other volunteer work. I'm helping with timing at Pano this March for nationals, still 50/50 if the event goes ahead or not. WMSC hasn't definitively canceled Whistler Cup this year but it's hard to envisage how it could run unless current restrictions are eased.
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We always worked the ladies track at Lake Louise. Our section was always the top....spent a lot of time atop that course and was so happy on days when there was a temperature inversion and we could get up into the warmer thin air when it was -20 down low.

I was part of the Weasel Workers.
 
@sly_karma Have you ever seen the safety video we filmed during the 2010 Olympics? It has circulated far and wide, even to Europe for the pre-race safety meeting.

We had a bit of time working the Olympics and had some fun. Our "sound engineer" was using a gate key on a shovel. ;)

I took the rake to the face and you likely know some of the other characters in the vid.

 
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GLG said:
That some impressive drafting.
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As per coach's instructions. Reece had better touch in the pump section to the finish and that got him the win that day. The following day the course set was more open which favours Reece's big start and lead all the way style. Another win. A lot of maturity for a 22 year old.
 
The Weasel Workers are legend. There was one year where an imported beer company sponsored the downhill and the free worker beer was all consumed in one or two nights.

I was a Patroller at Whistler in the late 80's early 90's and remember working the Downhill. All you wanted was no one to crash anywhere and especially not in your zone. when Rob Boyd won in 89 the town was wild,
 
Western Canada is blessed with several hardworking speed course crews, with considerable crossover between them. The Weasels have their counterparts at Lake Louise, the Sled Dogs. When Apex ran DH, the crew were known as Sun Dogs. And if course there is Mt Washington's incomparable Marmots.
 
sly_karma said:
Western Canada is blessed with several hardworking speed course crews, with considerable crossover between them. The Weasels have their counterparts at Lake Louise, the Sled Dogs. When Apex ran DH, the crew were known as Sun Dogs. And if course there is Mt Washington's incomparable Marmots.
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Yup. Lots of great vollies and as a Weasel have worked with all. Funny though the Weasels need some younger blood as when I started 15 years ago in my early thirties I was amongst the youngest by a long shot.
 
Agreed, though it's great that the retired guys keep their experience in the volunteer pool and have the time to do midweek multi-day speed events. The camaraderie is what keeps most of them coming back.

That will be different this year though. I'm booked to go to Pano in March for nationals and I'm not sure how it will feel with volunteers in separate rooms and isolating off snow.
 
Follow up: Reece Howden has clinched the world cup ski cross title! With two rounds left in the season, his lead is insurmountable. First full season on the circuit and he's won it all. The family have engaged a sports agent to help him sort the sponsorship offers. Congratulations to the Big Rig!
 
Forgot to post this at the time: the final victory pic. World Cup season winner AND rookie of the year.

Bonus extra - at the invitational Red Bull Super Ski Cross a week after the world cup finals, Reece won there as well. Makes you think there might be a Red Bull sticker on his helmet next season, he's so young and already dominating the field.

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