Funded Athletes
Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society
The Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society has raised over $100,000 in a variety of fundraising initiatives and proudly recognizes the following athletes who have received grants and have represented their Vancouver Island communities locally, nationally and internationally.
“These grants are important as recognition that our Island athletes can compete at a higher level. We hope that they all get to fulfill their dreams on the competitive circuit.” said VIMSS Past Chair Karen Bonell. Vancouver Island alpine athletes can apply for a grant from VIMSS each year through the online applications form found at vimountaincentre.com. There are many alpine sports that qualify for VIMSS grants including alpine ski/snowboard racing, freestyle skiing/boarding, biathlon, cross country skiing and mountain biking.
VIMSS alumni are enjoying great success in a variety of mountain sports. Darcy Sharpe (funded in 2011) won Gold at the High Five in Australia; Braydon Luscombe (funded in 2010) competed in Sochi Paralympic Games and is the Canadian Giant Slalom Champion; Carle Brenneman (funded in 2009) went to the XGames in Vail; Cassie Sharpe (funded in 2010) won Gold at a World Cup in France and Teal Harle (funded in 2014) won double gold at the Canada Winter Games.
VIMSS is a not-for-profit association that raises funds for emerging amateur athletes who compete in the mountain sports of Alpine, Nordic and Freestyle Skiing, snowboarding, adaptive snow sports, biathlon and mountain biking.
Past Receipients
2017/18 VIMSS Grant Recipients:
Amelia Wells
Cross Country Skier from Victoria
2nd in Province at BC Championships 5k free, 16th out of 122 in Canmore at Canadian Nationals
Aiden Noble
Cross Country Skier from Courtenay
Top 5 at National Championships in Canmore and 8th overall for age, achieved top skier for age in BC for the last two seasons
Sarah Roque
Freestyle from Ladysmith
3rd in half pipe at the Canadian Jr Freestyle championships, 1st, 2nd and 3rd in slopestyle, big air at Timbertour.
Carter Woods
Mountain Biking from Cumberland
1st U21 Canadian National Enduro at Big White, 2nd U17 Canadian National Xco championships in Canmore, 1st U17 Canada Cup XC finals Whistler
Joseph Winkelaar
Biathlon from Comox
5th at BC Winter Games and Several top 10’s in Senior events
Emily Johnston
Mountain Biking from Comox
1st in U17 Canada Cup Mt Tremblant, 1st in U17 Canada Cup Baie St Paul XC, 1st U17 Provincial Championship
Winter 2016/17 Recipients:
Chris Raduy, Alpine, Qualicum Beach
Will be training in the U16 Ski Racing Program. There are significant costs involved as the team must travel off the Island and the costs have increased over the years. Chris was awarded with Most Improved Racer, U14 Mount Washington Ski Club Season 2014-2015.
Desmond Debelle, Snowboard Cross, Comox
Requires support for competing and attending camps as there are no snowboard X training events or competitions on the island so he must travel to train or compete. Achievements include 1st place 2015 Like Me Slopestyle and 5th place: 2014 SBX Nationals.
Dillan Glennie, Freestyle Skiing, Courtenay
Is part of the BC Park and Pipe Team for the second year and has scored well in a number of events which allows her to be a part of the team. She plans to attend a training camp at Mt. Sima. The BC Park and Pipe Team is travelling to the Yukon to train for 6 days, followed by the first Canadian Open Tour. She will be participating in both the slopestyle and half pipe events.
Matthew Salmon, Cross Country Skiing, Courtenay
Matthew plans to compete at the Coast Cup in the Callaghan Valley and in Vernon – NorAm
Salmon Arm – BC Cup, Kamloops – BC Championships and Canmore, AB – Nationals. He achieved top 5 in BC Cup (2015/2016).
Ross Lamon, Cross Country Skiing, Comox
Ross will be travelling to the 2017 Haywood Ski Nationals in Canmore Alberta. His past achievements include 6th place Haywood Ski Nationals Skate Sprint and 3rd place Classic Sprint Western Canadian Championships
Tallon Noble, Cross Country Skiing, Courtenay
Will be competing at the world junior championship trials in January in Utah. Previous achievements include 2nd 10km skate Western Canadian championships 2016 and 3rd 10km classic Western Canadian championships 2016.
Winter 2015/16
Kieran Nilsen- Alpine Skier
Dillan Glennie- Freestyle Club, Courtenay
Tallon Noble – Cross Country Skiing
Alec Stapff, Cross Country Skiing
Desmond Debellefeuille- Snowboarding X
Winter 2014/15
Maja Nyman, Alpine Skier, Campbell River
Cole Anderson, Alpine Skier, Campbell River
Ross Lamon, Cross Country Skiing
Alec Stapff, Cross Country Skiing
Connor McGrady, Cross Country Skiing
Madeleine Guimond, Cross Country Skiing, Courtenay
Tallon Noble, Cross Country Skiing, Courtenay
Clinton Wood
Winter 2013/14
Teal Harle, Freestyle Ski, Campbell River
Mei Pond, Freestyle Ski, Nanaimo
Avalon Wastenays, Nordic Ski, Campbell River
Thomas Bergvinson, Slopestyle Snowboard, Courtenay
Mel Pemble, Para Alpine Ski, Victoria
Maja Nymann, Alpine Ski Racing, Campbell River
Winter 2012/13
Alec Stapff, Cross Country
Avalon Wasteneys, Cross Country
Jamie Wasteneys, Cross Country
Riley Heard, Freestyle Skiing
Kole Harle, Alpine
Keegan McKooey, Alpine
Thoms Bergvinson, Snowboard
Max Heard, Freestyle Skiing
Spring 2011
Remi Gauvin, Downhill Mtn Bike, Nanoose Bay
Max Heard, Freestyle Ski, Duncan
Todd Heard, Freestyle Ski, Duncan
Andrea Lee, Cross Country, Black Creek
Maja Nymann, Alpine Ski, Campbell River
Cassandra Sharpe, Freestyle Ski, Comox
Darcy Sharpe, Snowboard, Comox
Peter Stubbs, Freestyle Ski, Courtenay
Fall 2010
Ariel Becherer, Nordic Ski, Black Creek
Kole Harle, Alpine Ski, Campbell River
Sheridan Meckert, Nordic Ski, Comox
Michael Ravensbergen, Nordic Ski, Courtenay
Darcy Sharpe, Snowboard, Comox
Alex Stapft, Nordic Ski, Campbell River
Peter Stubbs, Freestyle Ski, Courtenay
Jamie Wastenays, Nordic Ski, Campbell River
Spring 2010
Simon Garstin, Courtenay, DH Mountain Bike
Fall 2009
Nicola Anderson, Campbell River, Alpine Ski
Cavin Donald, Campbell River, Snowboard
Max Heard, Duncan, Freesyle Ski
Andrea Lee, Black Creek, Nordic Ski
Braydon Luscombe, Duncan, Para Alpine Ski
Michael Ravensbergen, Courtenay, Nordic Ski
Cassandra Sharpe, Comox, Snowboard
Darcy Sharpe, Comox, Snowboard
Peter Stubbs, Courtenay, Freestyle Ski
Freya Wastenays, Campbell River, Nordic Ski
Spring 2009
Chelsea Adam, Nanaimo, Alpine Ski
Patrick Boucher, Courtenay, Freestyle Ski
Yani Brabant, Cumberland, XC Mountain Bike
Carle Brenneman, Courtenay, Snowboard
Simon Garstin, Courtenay, DH Mountain Bike
Nick Holatko, Comox, XC Mountain Bike
David Kinskofer, Quadra Island, Snowboard
Breanna Sorenson, Nanaimo, Alpine Skiing
Christopher Richmond, Campbell River, XC Ski
Silvia Watkins, Royston, XC Ski
Fall 2008
Chelsea Adam, Nanaimo, Alpine Ski
Nicola Anderson, Campbell River, Alpine Ski
Pat Boucher, Courtenay, Freestyle Ski
Yani Brabant, Cumberland, XC Mountain Bike
Carle Brenneman, Courtenay, Snowboard
Cavin Donald, Campbell River, Snowboard
Riley Heard, Duncan, Freestyle Ski
Nick Holatko, Comox, XC Mountain Bike
Adrian Keller, Lantzville, Freestyle Ski
Andrea Lee, Black Creek, Nordic Ski
Braydon Luscombe, Duncan, Para Alpine
Michael Ravensbergen, Courtenay, Nordic Ski
Tra Schalm, Nanaimo, Snowboard
Darcy Sharpe, Comox, Snowboard
Brett Trainor, Courtenay, Nordic Ski
Freya Wasteneys, Campbell River, Nordic Ski
Spring 2008
Nicola Anderson, 15, Campbell River, Alpine Skiing
Simon Garstin, 18, Courtenay, Mountain Bike
Max Heard, 15, Duncan, Freestyle Skiing
Lauren Hughes, 18, Victoria, Mountain Bike
Thomas Skinner, 26, Victoria, Mountain Bike
Freya Wasteneys, 16, Campbell River, Nordic Skiing
Sylvia Watkins, 15, Royston, Nordic Skiing
Fall 2007
Pat Boucher, Courtenay, Freestyle Skiing
Carle Brenneman, Comox, Snowboard
Andrea Bull, Campbell River, Freestyle Skiing
Cavin Donald, Campbell River, Snowboard
Kelsi Francisty, Duncan, Alpine Skiing
Ryan Hotte, Qualicum Beach, Alpine Skiing
Brett Trainor, Courtenay, Nordic Skiing
Krysta Wark, Campbell River, Nordic Skiing
Mathieu Leduc, Comox, Alpine Skiing
Braydon Luscombe, Duncan, Para Alpine Skiing
Andrea Lee, Black Creek, Nordic Skiing
Sarah Peters, Courtenay, Nordic Skiing
Jessica Sedlock, North Saanich, Biathlon
Peter Stubbs, Courtenay, Freestyle Skiing
Brett Trainor, Courtenay, Nordic Skiing
Krysta Wark, Campbell River, Nordic Skiing
2005/2006
Pat Boucher, Courtenay, Freestyle Skiing
Andrea Bull, Campbell River, Freestyle Skiing
Calvin Chamberlain, Courtenay, Snowboard
Megan Chamberlain, Courtenay, Snowboard
Kelsi Francisty, Duncan, Alpine Skiing
Sarah Green, Courtenay, Biathlon
Carly Grigg, Victoria, Para Alpine Skiing
Ryan Hotte, Qualicum Beach, Alpine Skiing
Sharleen Jackson, Courtenay, Biathlon
Mathieu Leduc, Comox, Alpine Skiing
Andrea Lee, Black Creek, Nordic Skiing
Braydon Luscombe, Duncan, Para Alpine Skiing
Julia Peters, Courtenay, Nordic Skiing
Sarah Peters, Courtenay, Nordic Skiing
Jessica Sedlock, North Saanich, Biathlo
Since 2003, many Vancouver Island athletes who compete in mountain sports have received travel grants from the Vancouver Island Mountain Sport Society (VIMSS) to assist them with training and competition expenses.
