CANMORE – When a world famous skier like Lindsey Vonn lifts a young fan onto her shoulders and celebrates immediately following a triple gold medal performance, ski racing just might be destined for that child’s future.
For Canmore’s Sierra Coe, the future is now.
The 17-year-old technical alpine skier is ready to compete at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1.
Like Coe’s idol Vonn did so well, such as on that memorable day 12 years ago at the Lake Louise World Cup, the young skier said a podium is always the ideal goal.
“I’m really honoured to be wearing Canada on my back for the first time ever in my ski racing career, which is pretty exciting, but at the end of the day, it’s just another race and I’m there to go and do my best and ski fast,” said Coe.
Coe will race in a mix of events, from slalom, giant slalom, super-G and alpine combined from Jan. 21-26 at the Jeongseon ski resort, the same venue used in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games for speed events.
Strong results on last year’s NorAm Cup and FIS circuits gave the tech skier the nod for the big event in South Korea.
Skiing since she was two years old, Coe has joined clubs in Lake Louise and at Sunshine Village before sticking with the Calgary Alpine Racing. Nowadays, Coe attends Burke Mountain Academy, a top-ranked alpine skiing school in Vermont, USA, just like top Canadian skier and alum Britt Richardson, before her.
When the up-and-coming skier wasn’t out slicing through fresh powder, Coe could be found at CrossFit Canmore, where she met World Cup gold medallist Kris Mahler, who became like a big brother and mentor.
Coe said the elite ski cross racer is someone she looks up to, and she even has Mahler and CrossFit Canmore owner Carson Sander as her smartphone's background photo.
“If I have any self doubt, I just [look at the photo and] picture what they would be saying to me in that moment,” said Coe.
For Mahler, a three-time World Cup medallist, he sees big things still to come in the teenage skier.
“Sierra is one tough cookie even though she doesn’t like cookies,” said Mahler. “Her drive to better herself every day is absolutely amazing. She is like a sponge when she trains alongside me, asking for answers to questions I only recently came to understand myself. She is well beyond her years mentally and I’m very fortunate to be in the position to not only help coach her but grow and learn alongside her as a fellow athlete. If there is someone out there working harder than Sierra I would be very surprised. She has all the pieces of a champion.”
Though it will be Coe’s first time racing overseas, she said she doesn’t feel a straining amount of pressure on the eve of the big event.
“The pressure I would feel is completely out of my control,” said Coe. “I’ll just be thinking about what I’ll be doing and that’s really about how I will ski my best, and I’ll be having fun out there.”
Jenni Stielow, alpine excel program and pathway manager at Alpine Canada, said Gangwon 2024 marks an exciting chapter for the nine alpine athletes selected for the Youth Olympic Games.
“Their remarkable spirit, brimming with youthful energy and limitless potential, is a testament to their skill and a source of hope and inspiration for every aspiring young dreamer,” said Stielow, in a media release. “Their commitment and enthusiasm in chasing their dreams are nothing short of inspiring. Let’s wholeheartedly support them as they stride toward excellence.”
Canmore alpine skier Thomas Cais is a non-travelling alternate for Gangwon 2024.
One other Bow Valley athlete, Leanne Gartner, qualified for Gangwon 2024 in cross-country skiing.
