Drop in and get some air with the Canadian ski and snowboard halfpipe teams
For Training Tuesdays, we’re curating some of the most interesting and creative training moments from athletes. Check out the others here.
Canada’s best ski and snowboard halfpipe athletes are excited to get back to action as the winter competition calendar cranks into top gear. Catch up on how they’ve been training as we launch into the next couple months on the road to Beijing 2022.
1. Recovery leads to more fun
Prepared to make a comeback this season, Olympic gold medallist Cassie Sharpe has been working hard in the gym. Watch below as she demonstrates some exercises that she’s been working on. Our legs are burning just watching her!
In her Olympic debut at PyeongChang 2018, Sharpe dominated the competition to win gold for Canada’s first Olympic medal in women’s ski halfpipe. In January 2021, Sharpe took a hard fall and suffered a devastating knee injury while competing at the X Games in Aspen. She recently opened up on social media about her experience, the long road to recovery and how she handled the many battles that were out of her control. Be sure to follow along with her journey.
Now that the dryland training is done, it’s time for some fun! Sharpe shows off some of her best moves, from a captivating camera angle.
2. Training with a view
Wonder what it’s like to be on the Canadian halfpipe team? While it’s a lot of hard work and dedication, it comes with a lot of benefits, including colourful skies and beautiful mountain views. Two-time Olympian Derek Livingston shows us some great footage in these next two training clips. After watching some of his videos on the pipe, it’s safe to say that the sport may not be for everyone! That’s okay, we can continue to watch and enjoy the snowy view from Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
Livingston owns two career bronze medals from the World Cup circuit. Head to his Instagram and follow along with his snowboarding adventures across the globe as he works towards his third Olympic Games.
3. Warmups are important!
From the gym to the water to the snow, Brooke D’Hondt has been preparing for this season with a wide variety of training. The 16-year old snowboarder from Calgary has been showcasing rapid technical progression in the pipe. Below she shares a home workout routine. Be sure to check it out.
If you are looking for a friendly reminder to stretch, then this one’s for you. D’Hondt takes her warm up run one step further with a morning stretch in the air. Yes, you read that correctly. We’re all for a good warm up, but we may leave this stretch for D’Hondt!
4. Practice, practice, practice!
Noah Bowman is in his element in Saas-Fee! From 9 to 12 to landing his first right 14! Bowman shows us that it’s all about progress, not perfection.
Like we said, it’s about progress. Simon d’Artois confirms this message after another difficult day at the office. d’Artois made history at the 2015 Winter X Games in Aspen when he became the first Canadian man to win the ski halfpipe event. At PyeongChang 2018, d’Artois finished 13th overall in the men’s halfpipe competition.
5. Impressive adventures
From the gym to the pizzeria, Rachael Karker gives you a glimpse at behind the scenes action while training in Europe. Although it seems like fun and games, Team Canada knows that Karker is spending most her time training and working hard on the snow.
In March 2021, Karker won her first career World Cup gold medal on the final day of an incredible two-week run of competitions in Aspen, Colorado that also included silver at the world championships. To date, Karker has a total of seven medals from the World Cup circuit and three X Games medals. She currently has her sights set on making her first Olympic team.
6. A fun atmosphere
How many rotations do you count? 18-year-old Liam Gill makes this halfpipe run look effortless! If you ask us, blue skies, sun rays and some incredible snowboarding makes for a perfect day.
7. Just keep cruising
There are no off days for Brendan Mackay. He may be cruising along and making the most of training in this video, but the grind doesn’t stop. The 24-year-old has two ski halfpipe silver medals from the World Cup circuit. His first came in 2020 and his second in March 2021.
8. It’s okay to take a break
No snow? That’s not a problem for 23-year-old Jack Collins! Competing on the World Cup circuit since 2018, Collins has taken over the skate park for some fun exercise away from the pipe. It’s always important to take a break, clear your mind and allow yourself to participate in other activities you love!
Keep an eye out for the Canadian halfpipe teams as they prepare for Beijing 2022.
