Calgary, Canada (Monday, May 16, 2005) - Intently focused on doubling the number of Canadian racers participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Torino, Alpine Canada Alpin has named 45 athletes - 27 veterans and 18 high potential prospects -- to participate in the national team's summer training program.

Max Gartner, Chief Athletic Officer, said Alpine Canada Alpin has a strategic goal to qualify 22 racers for this season's 2006 Winter Games in Torino Italy - double the 11 athletes who met the international standards at the last Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Gartner said the Canadian team will be anchored by last season's World Cup medal winners -- Thomas Grandi, Geneviève Simard, Allison Forsyth, François Bourque, and Emily Brydon along with veteran athletes Mélanie Turgeon and Eric Guay who have battled injuries over the past seasons.

"Tremendous focus and resources are being applied to improve the international competitiveness of our top ski racers," said Gartner. "We must build on our recent success to strengthen our overall program."

The team's 27 senior members will be joined by 18 high potential athletes, all seeking to be named to the Canadian Development Team following the team's intensive summer training program.

With six World Cup medals clinched last season and the country's highest total point count ever in the World Cup Nations' standings, Canada dramatically increased the number of athletes officially permitted to compete on the World Cup circuit for the upcoming season with an increase from 19 to 31 spots for the men and from 24 to 26 on the women's circuit. Canada also clinched five medals at the World Junior Championships.

Alpine Canada Alpin President Ken Read said the final number of athletes who will be named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team's development group for the 2005-2006 season will depend on available funding and individual performances during the summer program.

"We hope to increase the number of athletes beyond the 37 who were part of the teams last season," said Read. "Our goal is to have 22 athletes meet the Olympic qualifying standards in addition to closing the season with six athletes ranked in the top 15 in their discipline in the world."

The summer Development training group, which was selected based on performances within the domestic race series and international rankings, will go through two months of dry land training at the University of Calgary, followed by on-snow training camps for men in Chile and in Switzerland for women starting at the end of August. Final development team selections will be made on October 30 based on physical fitness, commitment, and previous race results.

Gartner said the following athletes have been officially named to the Canadian Alpine Ski Team for the 2005-2006 racing season:

CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM

SENIOR WOMEN & SKI CLUBS
Brigitte Acton - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Emily Brydon - Fernie, BC.
Allison Forsyth - Mont Washington, BC.
Britt Janyk - Whistler, BC.
Gail Kelly - Le Relais, QC.
Christina Lustenberger - Windermere, BC.
Geneviève Simard - Val-St-Côme and Montcalm, QC.
Sophie Splawinski - Morin Heights, QC.
Mélanie Turgeon - Mont-Ste-Anne, QC.
Kelly VanderBeek - Chicopee, ON.

SENIOR MEN & SKI CLUBS
Patrick Biggs - Ottawa Ski Club, ON.
François Bourque - Pin Rouge, QC.
Julien Cousineau - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Thomas Grandi - Mt. Norquay, AB.
Erik Guay - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Stefan Guay - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Jan Hudec - Banff Mountain Academy, AB.
Jeff Hume - Whistler, BC.
Michael Janyk - Whistler, BC.
John Kucera - Mt. Norquay, AB.
Vincent Lavoie - Stoneham, QC.
Manuel Osborne-Paradis - Whistler, BC.
Jean-Philippe Roy - Mont-Comi, QC.
Ryan Semple - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Gareth Sine - National Alpine Training Center, AB.
Brad Spence - National Alpine Training Centre, AB.
Paul Stutz - Banff Alpine Racers, AB.

High potential athletes invited to participate in the summer training
program are:

WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT GROUP & SKI CLUBS
Jessica Dakers - National Alpine Training Centre, AB.
Emilie Desforges - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Jennah Durham - Timmins Ski Club, ON.
Anna Goodman - Mont-Tremblant, QC.
Sherry Lawrence - National Alpine Training Centre, AB. Véronique
Léger-Archambault - Sutton, QC. Danielle Poleschuk - Fernie, BC. Marie-Pier Préfontaine - Chantecler, QC. Shona Rubens - Lake Louise, AB.
Megan Ryley - Craigleith, ON. Kristen Tarchuk - Banff Alpine Racers, AB.
Larisa Yurkiw - Georgian Peaks, ON.

MEN'S DEVELOPMENT GROUP & SKI CLUBS
Jeffrey Frish - Mont-Tremblant, QC
Trevor White - Calgary, AB.
Louis-Pierre Hélie - Mont-Ste-Anne, QC.
Robbie Dixon - Whistler, BC.
Scott Barrett - Osler, ON.
Nick Zoricic - Craigleith, ON.