UBC Alpine is one of the best university ski teams in Canada as well as the only Canadian ski team in the USCSA circuit. We strive to give our passionate members the opportunity to continue their race career throughout university. As a member of the team, you will get the opportunity to travel to the United States for conference, regional, and national competitions. If you want to improve your fitness, and develop your skiing, all while building friendships with like-minded individuals, the UBC Alpine Ski Sport Club is the place for you!

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Preferred Racing Experience – FIS/NCAA/USSA/NorAM/Club Teams/School Teams
• Commitment to Fall Dry Land Training: 2x per Week
• Commitment to Pre-Season Camp and Training Weekends
• Commitment to 2 of 4 Conference Qualifier Races, Regional Championships, and National Championships

Don’t meet the requirements but still want to join? Email alpineski.sc@ubc.ca

Try Outs: 

Tryout location and time TBD. For more information regarding tryouts come visit us and your future teammates at UBC’s Imagine Day on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Unable to make it to Imagine Day? Email alpineski.sc@ubc.ca

Team Fees:

All of the following fees are approximate and should not be considered as the ultimate amount to be paid. All values are in Canadian Dollars. Official fees will be made available to all rostered athletes in advance of the due date and will be communicated through official team channels.

• $315 Base Team Fee (Racing and Training) Includes:
  • Team Shirt, Dryland, Team Building Events, Alumni Events, USCSA Registration Fees, Racing Insurance and Seasons Training Pass to Grouse Mountain.
• $165 Base Team Fee (Training Only) Includes:
  • Team Shirt, Dryland, Team Building Events, Alumni Events, USCSA Registration Fees, and Seasons Training Pass to Grouse Mountain.
• Apparel Fees (Optional):
  • $20 Team Bucket Hats
  • $300 Waterproof Team Jackets
  • $150 Team Warmup and Practice Gear
  • More Apparel TBD
• $350 Single Qualifier Race Fee Includes:
  • 2-3 Days Worth of Accommodation, Race Fees, Gas, Rental Cars, and Lift Tickets.
• $650 Regional Championship Fee Includes:
  • 5-7 Days Worth of Accommodation, Race Fees, Gas, Rental Cars, and Lift Tickets.
• $500 National Championship Fee Includes:
  • 5-7 Days Worth of Accommodation, Race Fees, Flights, Luggage Fees, Gas, Rental Cars, and Lift Tickets.

Approximate single athlete cost for a complete season is $2165 CAD. This assumes paying for the Base Team Fee (Racing and Training), two Qualifier Races, the Regional Championships, and the National Championships.

Worried about costs? Want to find more about how we are aiming to lower team fees? Email alpineski.sc@ubc.ca

Practice Schedule:

Fall Training Stating Mid September:

• Weekly BirdCoop Gym Sessions – Location and Time TBD.
• Weekly Field Dryland Sessions – Location and Time TBD.

Winter Training Starting December:

• Pre-Season Training Camp – Sun Peaks, Dates and Length TBD.
• Weekly On-Hill Training – Grouse Mountain, Time TBD.

All athletes must attend a minimum of 75% of training sessions.

Worried about attendance and availability? Email alpineski.sc@ubc.ca

Competition Schedule: 

Check out http://www.uscsanw.org/ for more information about the conference and for updates on team and individual standings throughout the season. Information about our Conference Races, Regional Championships and Nationals Championships will be communicated through official team channels once it becomes available.

Generally:

• Qualifier races occur on weekends from January to early February. We leave UBC Friday morning and return Sunday night.
• Regional Championships occur in mid/late February.
• National Championships occur in early/mid-March.

2023-2024

SILVER MOUNTAIN, ID

DAY ONE

WOMEN’S TEAM – 2ND PLACE
Caroline Robertson – 2nd
Bella Bay – 9th
Audrey Gillenwater – 15th
Bea Mick – 16th

MEN’S TEAM – 6TH PLACE
Marko Smitran – 13th
Phillip D’Andrea – 19th

DAY TWO

WOMEN’S TEAM – 2ND PLACE
Caroline Robertson – 2nd
Bella Bay – 6th
Audrey Gillenwater – 7th
Bea Mick – 9th
Malia Hodgkinson – 18th

MEN’S TEAM -4TH PLACE
Marko Smitran – 7th
Samuel Agerskov – 12th

LOOKOUT PASS, ID

DAY ONE

WOMEN’S TEAM – 6TH PLACE
Bella Bay – 9th

MEN’S TEAM -2ND PLACE
Marko Smitran – 11th
Nicolai Van Kruijsdijk – 20th

DAY TWO

WOMEN’S TEAM – 5TH PLACE
Caroline Robertson – 3rd
Bella Bay – 9th

MEN’S TEAM -2ND PLACE|
Marko Smitran – 7th
Nicolai Van Kruijsdijk – 18th
Nathan Pennie – 19th

SNOQUALMIE PASS, WA

DAY ONE

WOMEN’S TEAM – 5TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson – 13th
Bea Mick – 18th

MEN’S TEAM – 4TH PLACE
Phillip D’Andrea – 11th
Guy Leckenby- 15th
Nathan Pennie – 18th
Nicolai Van Kruijsdijk – 19th

DAY TWO

WOMEN”S TEAM – 5TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson – 14th
Emma Lam – 17th

MEN’S TEAM – 4TH PLACE
Samuel Agerskov -9th
Guy Leckenby – 13th
Nathan Pennie – 16th
Nicolai Van Kruijsdijk – 18th

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

GIANT SLALOM
Women’s Team – 8th Place
Men’s Team – 7th Place

SLALOM
Women’s Team – 6th Place
Men’s Team – 6th Place

 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

GIANT SLALOM
Women’s Team – 19th Place

SLALOM
Women’s Team – 16th Place

2022-23

SILVER MOUNTAIN, ID

DAY ONE

WOMEN’S TEAM – 6TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson  – 12th

MEN’S TEAM – 2ND PLACE
Nelson Fretenburg – 4th
Marko Smitran – 6th
John Forssander – 8th
Brogan Themens – 11th

DAY TWO

WOMEN’S TEAM – 5TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson – 9th
Anika Prasad  – 18th

MEN’S TEAM – 2ND PLACE
Nelson Fretenburg – 2nd
Marko Smitran – 7th
John Forssander – 8th
Brogan Themens – 13th

SNOQUALMIE PASS, WA

DAY ONE

WOMEN’S TEAM – 4TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson – 12th
Emma Fontaine – 17th

MEN’S TEAM – 2ND PLACE
Marcus Athans – 1st
Nelson Fretenburg – 4th
Brogan Themens – 9th
John Forssander – 14th
Marko Smitran  – 15th

DAY TWO

WOMEN’S TEAM – 5TH PLACE
Malia Hodgkinson – 11th
Anika Prasad – 16th

MEN’S TEAM – 1ST PLACE
Marcus Athans – 1st
Brogan Themens – 7th
Nelson Fretenburg – 8th
John Forssander – 10th
Marko Smitran – 16th

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

GIANT SLALOM
Women’s Team – 12th Place
Men’s Team – 6th Place

SLALOM
Women’s Team – 12th Place
Men’s Team – 8th Place

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

SLALOM
Men’s Team – 14th Place

It all began in 1920 with the creation of the Varsity Outdoor Club (VOC). This club was involved in many outdoor activities, including skiing, and was student run. By 1928, it was among the most popular clubs on campus.

1934 UBC Inter Collegiate Ski Team

In the Spring of 1930, the first alpine competition was introduced, an intramural event that included both a downhill and a cross-country skiing component.

Then late in the 1930’s, the UBC Ski Team separated from the VOC and began racing in the Northwest against teams such as the University of Washington.

1955 UBC Men’s Ski Team

By the 1950’s, UBC had become a popular and competitive team. Al Fisher joined as a volunteer coach in 1956 and was later inducted into the UBC Athletics Hall of Fame (2003). Fisher combined a passion for fitness and skiing to get the most out of the athletes and, over the years, led some of the University’s most successful ski teams.

Since the 1950’s, strong Alumni support and a desire to keep a collegiate team in Canada has kept the Skibirds going.

Until 2015, the UBC Alpine Ski Team was a Varsity Team at UBC, competing in the USCSA circuit. Since then, the team has restructured to a UBC Thunderbirds Sport Club and remains competitive in the USCSA. In the 2015-16 season, the team placed top 3 at the Regional Championships and had one of the strongest UBC showings at Nationals in Lake Placid, New York. More recently, the team has returned from the pandemic in form – consistently placing top 3 in qualifier races and qualifying for both the 2022/2023 USCSA National Championships in Mammoth Lakes, California and the 2023/2024 USCSA National Championships in Lake Placid, New York.

2022/2023 UBC Men’s Alpine Ski Team at USCSA National Championships

For updates about the team throughout the season and Alumni information please check out the team blog posts seen at the bottom of the page!

To support UBC TSC Alpine Skiing head to our Give UBC page and select “Alpine Skiing”.

UBC Thunderbird Sports Clubs Scholarships

Thunderbird Alpine Skiing Endowment

• One or more awards, which may range from a minimum value of $500 each to the maximum allowable under athletic association regulations, are offered to outstanding members of the Thunderbird Alpine Ski Team in any year of study. Awards are made on the nomination of the President’s Athletic Awards Committee
• The Gifts will be given to the top male and top female student athlete or student leader who performs competitively and has results during the season, demonstrates good leadership, has good academic standings and is a positive ambassador of the team and the sport.

Al Fisher Skiing Award

•  One or more awards under athletic association regulations, are offered to outstanding members of the Thunderbird Alpine or Nordic Ski Team in any year of study. The awards are made on the recommendation of the President’s Athletic Awards Committee.
• The gifts will be used to honour student-athletes who exhibit competitive attitude and track record, pursue the highest level of competition, displays outstanding leadership qualities by example and through coaching, provides an organized approach to training and competition, and academic studies, is in good academic standing, demonstrates a passion for sport and fitness and the desire to inspire others, and demonstrates financial need in pursuit of competition.

Harry C. and M. Cecilia Miller Memorial Skiing Award

• One or more, which may range from a minimum of $500  each to the maximum allowable under athletic association regulations, are offered to members of the UBC Women’s Alpine Ski Team in any year of study, through an endowment established by the Harry C. and M. Cecelia Miller Trust. The awards are made on the recommendation of the President’s Athletic Awards Committee.
• The gifts will be used to honour female student-athletes who are committed and dedicated to the team, training and competition, are in good academic standing, contributes to the Alpine Ski Sports Club as an athlete and a teammate, takes initiative, and invests in making the team better