Four new riders have been added to the Canadian Halfpipe Snowboard Team, increasing the team size from eight to 12 riders as depth, competitiveness and intensity increases...

 within the Canadian snowboarding scene closing in on the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver this upcoming February.

The halfpipe team, which stepped four times on World Cup Podiums last season, will be represented on the FIS World Cup Tour by an equal six men and six women.

“The objective for the team this upcoming year is to have three riders in the finals with a minimum of one podium at the Olympic Games,” said Head Coach Tom Hutchinson.

The team selection is a result of an open Selection Camp for athletes meeting the minimum eligibility criteria. The selection camp was held in Stoneham (QC) the week following the Canadian Snowboard Championships in April.

“The Olympic Team selection process will differ as our qualifying events are all held in 22-foot halfpipes, which reduces the number of events we will enter on the World Cup Tour. The other way it differs from the traditional process is that qualifying contests are not just FIS World Cups but also includes Grand Prix events in the US. This open system allows professional snowboarders to have a chance at qualifying for the Games,” commented Hutchinson.

In Women’s action, the four veterans from the 2009 season will remain in place on the National team. Sarah Conrad of Dartmouth (NS), Alexandra Duckworth of Kingsburg (NS), Mercedes Nicoll of Whistler (BC) and Dominique Vallée of Montréal (QC) will all be back on the World Cup tour.

Two new riders will join the core group of veterans: Charmaine Ironside of Calgary (AB), who took part in the 2009 FIS World Snowboard Championships last year, will join the National Team rank accompanied by returning athlete Katie Tsuyuki of Whistler (BC). Tsuyuki was relegated to the National Development Group in 2008/09 but has been promoted back to the National Team for the Olympic year.

The Men’s team will showcase the talents of returning athletes Jeff Batchelor of Oakville (ON), Brad Martin of Ancaster (ON), Justin Lamoureux of Whistler (BC) and Crispin Lipscomb of also of Whistler (BC).

The men’s halfpipe program will see two new faces added to the National Team line-up. Derek Livingston of Aurora (ON) and Dan Raymond of Whistler (BC) will be moving up to join Canada’s elite halfpipe riders.

Dan Raymond, who grew up in Québec, won the 2009 Nor-Am Tour for halfpipe, giving him a FIS World Cup quota for the upcoming season.

Last season, the Canadian Halfpipe Snowboard Team stepped on the podium at four occasions in World Cup action in addition to Batchelor’s silver medal at the World Championships.

All four new riders have come from the National Development Group.

“We opened the camp to professional and amateur riders to have the top riders representing Canada. It is also pushing members of the National team harder. Competition for the spots ultimately makes better riders,” added Hutchinson.

With their Top 8 results at the 2009 FIS Snowboard Championships, both Lamoureux and Batchelor were offered positions on the team prior to the selection camp as set forth by a provision in the CSF Halfpipe Team Selection Protocol

Batchelor, Martin and Lipscomb all podiumed on the World Cup Tour last season in men’s contests. Conrad is the only women to have reached the FIS World Cup podium steps.

Justin Lamoureux of Whistler (BC) is the only halfpipe rider to have already met the 2010 Olympic Internal Nomination Process qualification criteria, with two Top 5 results at select World Cup events.

CANADIAN HALFPIPE SNOWBOARD TEAM – 2010 WORLD CUP SEASON
WOMEN
Sarah Conrad (Dartmouth, NS) FIS Bio
Alex Duckworth (Kingburg, NS) FIS Bio
Charmaine Ironside (Calgary, AB) FIS Bio
Mercedes Nicoll (Whistler, BC) FIS Bio
Katie Tsuyuki (Whistler, BC) FIS Bio
Dominique Vallée (Montréal, QC) FIS Bio

MEN
Jeff Batchelor (Oakville, ON) FIS Bio
Justin Lamoureux (Whistler, BC) FIS Bio
Crispin Lipscomb (Whistler, BC) FIS Bio
Derek Livingstone (Aurora, ON) FIS Bio
Brad Martin (Ancaster, ON) FIS Bio
Dan Raymond (Whistler, BC) FIS Bio