A young generation of 麻豆社国产skiers is making an impact in the world of freestyle skiing and 13-year-old Ava Dunham is at the forefront.
The Coast Mountain Academy (CMA) student rides on the Blackcomb Club Freestyle team and honed her skills from a young age in the Whistler Freestylerz program coached by Squamish鈥檚 Tami Bradley.
Dunham said she may not have ever taken the sport up if she didn鈥檛 happen to be neighbours with Bradley.
鈥淭ami brought me up one day when I was 10 and I did not enjoy it the first time,鈥� she said, laughing. 鈥淏ut I went back and started to like it a lot more. I joined the Freestylerz the next year and moved up to a higher level for this year.鈥�
With Bradley, she learned the ins and outs of freestyle skiing, working on slopestyle, big air and moguls. According to her mother, Heather Dunham, Ava has been on the slopes from a young age and really developed as an athlete under Bradley.
鈥淪he鈥檚 been skiing since she was three,鈥� Heather said. 鈥淚t was always a family thing we did together and I鈥檓 so proud of her and how hard she works and trains. The sport is teaching her so many things to help her grow up, and it鈥檚 a great environment.鈥�
At the end of the day, it all comes down to results, and Dunham has proven over the past few years that she belongs with the best in her age group. She placed fifth at the BC Winter Games last year in slopestyle. Her top result was a second-place showing in moguls at last year鈥檚 BC Championships.
This season has seen Dunham continue her success, with a silver medal in women鈥檚 U14 moguls, fourth in slopestyle and fifth in big air at the last Timber Tour stop in Blackcomb in February. The Timber Tour is a series of freestyle events hosted around the province, with the best young competitors in BC battling it out.
Dunham said she has a busy schedule full of schoolwork and training, but she loves the sport and being on the Blackcomb team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fun and we鈥檙e a really tight knit team,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all super-competitive but really supportive.
She does a lot of trampoline training, dryland training and work on the slopes, and her mom said the school, CMA, has been accommodating to allow her daughter to chase her dream.
鈥淐MA has been really great with Ava and the teachers have been very supportive and understanding about her passion,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey can tailor educational programs for students involved in activities outside class, and we鈥檙e so lucky and feel she鈥檚 in the right place.鈥�
Heather said Ava has lofty dreams and is taking the right steps to achieve them.
鈥淏eing on the junior development team is the next progression beyond Blackcomb,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd she鈥檚 top three in the province, so she鈥檚 a good candidate to move onto that team in a few years.鈥�
聽Ava said her goals include wearing the Canadian colours at the Olympics in the future.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take a lot of work but I would like to go to the Olympics,鈥� she said, noting that 2022 is a realistic possibility. 鈥淚鈥檓 really focusing on moguls.鈥�
She said she鈥檚 had her share of bumps and bruises competing in the sport. She offered advice to skiers just starting out in competition. 鈥淒on鈥檛 ever give up or lose hope in yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t can be hard, but it鈥檚 so worth it.鈥�
Next up for Dunham is the BC Championships at Silverstar from March 12 to 15. Read The 麻豆社国产 next week for results from that event.
