A lifetime of skiing appears to be paying off for Squamish鈥檚 Kasper Woolley.
The 15-year-old Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS) student is the lone Squamish resident competing at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George starting on Friday (Feb. 13).
Woolley has been on the slopes as long as he can remember.
鈥淢y mom and dad were really into skiing so they put me on skis when I was about two,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been skiing ever since.鈥�
He鈥檚 the beneficiary of fortunate circumstances 鈥� Woolley鈥檚 father coached skiing at the provincial level and his mother also coached the sport 鈥� and he鈥檚 taken advantage. He鈥檒l be competing in the Super G, giant slalom, slalom and ski cross at the Games.
鈥淚t was a goal of mine at the start of the year to make the team,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I knew after the Sun Peaks race earlier this year that I鈥檇 made it, and I was pretty happy about that.鈥�
Woolley picked up a first and third in the giant slalom and slalom respectively at the Sun Peaks event in December, and he followed that up with two firsts and a second at giant slalom and slalom races at Red Mountain earlier this year to qualify.
His home hill is Whistler, which he says should give him a nice advantage heading into the Canada Winter Games.
鈥淭he course for Prince George is much easier than Whistler, but when we skied it last year the snow was dry and soft,鈥� he said, noting the ski venue is about an hour out of town.
Skiing has been a lifelong interest for Woolley, but that doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檚 spent all his free time on the hills. He competed at high levels in BMX and has also been involved in mountain biking, hockey and soccer. But he said skiing is his true love.
鈥淚 like that skiing is different every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 play hockey and soccer, but with those sports you kind of do the exact same thing all the time. In skiing the courses and conditions are always different and it鈥檚 a lot of fun.鈥�
Despite being only 15, Woolley already has amassed a number of impressive accomplishments in the sport. He said one moment stands out so far.
鈥淲inning the Whistler Cup two years ago was a big one,鈥� he said.
The Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) member said he鈥檚 also hoping to fare well at the Can-Am races and the Whistler Cup later this year.
But finishing strong in Prince George is also a goal. He鈥檒l be competing against the best U16 skiers in the country at the event.
鈥淢y goal is to be on the podium,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would be nice to do well.鈥�
Read The 小蓝视频 for details on how Woolley fares at the Games.
