We are proud of Ontario’s history of producing great Olympians.
We’ve attempted to include the bio and picture of all known Ontario ski related athletes who will be representing us in Vancouver
Alpine Athletes
Patrick Biggs
Birthdate: 10/11/1982
Birthplace: Berwick, Australia
Residence: Orleans, ON
Club: Ottawa Ski Club, ON
On Team Since: 2004
Patrick Biggs is a slalom specialist who finished last season with three Top 25 results, including placing 21st at the famous night slalom race in Schladming, AUT. Biggs, an Olympian in 2006, was a GMC Canadian slalom champion in 2005.
Dustin Cook
Birthdate: 11/02/1989
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Residence: Ottawa, ON
Club: Mont Ste-Marie, QC
On team since: 2007
Dustin Cook is entering his first season with the senior men’s team after a couple seasons with the development group. He enters the 2009-2010 season with one career Coupe Nor-Am Cup podium, a third place finish in the giant slalom at Panorama, BC last season. Cook has represented Canada three times at the FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships, his best result a 9th place finish in DH last season in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER
Tyler Nella
Birthdate: 03/08/1988
Birthplace: Burlington, ON
Residence: Toronto, ON
Club: Georgian Peaks
On Team Since: 2007
Tyler Nella competed in the first three World Cup downhill races of his career last season. He also captured four Coupe Nor-Am Cup podiums, including super-G wins in Panorama, BC and Mammoth Mountain, USA.
Brigitte Acton
Birthdate: 11/30/1985
Birthplace: Sault-Ste-Marie, ON
Residence: Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.,
Club: Mont-Tremblant Ski Club
On team since: 2003
Brigitte Acton returned from injury last season to post two top 30 World Cup slalom results, including a 19th in Semmering, AUT in late December. Acton finished 25th in the slalom at the 2010 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, a result that doesn’t tell the whole story as she was well positioned for a top 10 result or better before a costly mistake on the bottom of her second run. Acton’s career highlights include finishing first overall in the Coupe Nor-Am Cup standings in 2003 and 2005 and being the overall ladies Coupe Pontiac GMC Cup winner in 2002 and 2003.
Kelly VanderBeek
Birthdate: 01/21/1983
Birthplace: Kapuskasing, ON
Residence: Kitchener, ON
Club: Chicopee, ON
On team since: 2000
Kelly VanderBeek has three World Cup podiums in her career, highlighted by a third place finish in the Lake
Louise super-G in 2006. VanderBeek placed fourth in the super-G, just 0.03s from the podium, at the Olympic
Winter Games in Turin, ITA in 2006.
Larissa Yurkiw
Birthdate: 03/30/1988
Birthplace: Wiarton, ON
Residence: Owen Sound, ON
Club: Georgian Peaks Ski Club
On Team Since: 2005
Larisa Yurkiw showed a glimpse of what the future holds by finishing first in the World Cup downhill at Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, AUT last season. It was the opening run of a super combined and Yurkiw made an error at the top of the slalom run to finish the race in 38th. Yurkiw, who already holds two Pontiac GMC Canadian championships titles, was the female junior Athlete of the Year in 2007/08.
Paraolympic Athletes
Andrea Dziewior
Birthdate: 06/26/1986
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Residence: Nanaimo, BC
On team since: 2004
Class: LW 2
Andrea Dziewior, a member of the CPAST since 2004, finished second in the slalom event and third in the giant slalom event at the TELUS Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Championships in Sun Peaks, BC last season
Christopher Williamson
Birthdate: May 5th 1972
Birthplace: Edmonton, AB
Residence:vMarkham, ON
On team since: 1998
Class: B3
Chris Williamson, along with his guide Nick Brush, finished fourth overall in the IPC World Cup point standings for the 2008/09 season in the men’s visually impaired category. Williamson won a gold medal in super-G during the 2009 IPC World Championships in Korea. This result completed a unique achievement for Williamson, who has won a gold medal in every major event at either a Paralympic Winter Games, the IPC World Championships and the IPC World Cup.
Freestyle Athletes: Aerials
Veronika Bauer
Birthdate: 19/17/1979
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Residence: Toronto, ON
Event: Aerials
Member of 2002 and 2006 Canadian Olympic teams
2003 World Championships, 2nd place
2001 World Champion
Steve Omischl
Birthdate: 11/16/1978
Birthplace: North Bay, ON
Residence: Kelowna, BC
Event: Aerials
2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 FIS World Cup Aerial Champion.
2004 and 2008 FIS Overall Champion
2005 FIS World Champion
Silver medallist at the 2009 FIS World Freestyle Ski Championships.
Bronze medallist at the 2007 and 2003 FIS World Freestyle Ski Championships
Member of the 2002 and 2006 Canadian Olympic Aerials team
Amber Peterson
Birthdate: 04/24/1982
Birthplace: Thunder Bay, ON
Residence: Thunder Bay, ON
Event: Aerials
Won first World Cup medal (Silver) at Lake Placid in 2006, which ensured her Olympic spot for Turin
Four-time Canadian Champion (2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006)
Ski Cross Athletes
Dave Duncan
Birthdate: July 15, 1982
Birthplace: London, ON
Residence: Golden, BC
Club/Training Location: Golden, BC
2009 World Cup Point Ranking: 31st
2009 FIS Point Standings: 20th
Canadian National Champion 2009
Cameron Culbert
Birthday: February 3, 1977
Birthplace: North Bay, ON
Residence: North Bay, ON
Club/Training Location: Nipissing University
2009 World Cup Point Ranking: 33rd
2009 FIS Point Standings: 29th
Nik Zoricic
Birthdate: February 19, 1983
Birthplace: Sarajevo, Bosnia/Herzegovina
Residence: Toronto, ON
Club/Training Location: Craigleith, ON
2009 World Cup Point Ranking: 35th
2009 FIS Point Standings: 33rd
3rd - National Championships, Calgary, CAN
