The 2025/26 season brings a meaningful evolution to alpine programming across all U brackets in the Southern Ontario Division. Built from collaborative feedback from our member clubs and aligned with LTAD (Long-Term Athlete Development) principles, this new format creates a balanced path between training and racing—one that reflects the natural development of athletes.
What’s New?
1. Structured Competitive Pathway (U10–U18) – Every age group now follows a more purposeful calendar that balances key competition experiences with space for athlete development. This includes targeted mid-winter races for U10 and U12, tiered finals (14 and up), aligned race weekends, and expanded spring opportunities for late-season skill acquisition.
2. Skill-Up Series (U10–U18) – Positioned at the heart of this year’s plan, Skill-Up events offer high-impact race training at low logistical cost. Athletes participate in focused, coach-supported sessions that emphasize learning over rankings. Pricing will be released in the fall, with a reduced rate for athletes who attend with their own coach, as many are bringing a coach from their club.
3. Spring Championships for All Brackets – We’ve extended the season for every athlete. Spring events now offer a chance for athletes to showcase progression in a lower-pressure environment—perfect for wrapping the season on a high note. It also allows Ontario athletes to more closely keep pace with their counterparts across the country when it comes to days on snow.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just a new schedule—it’s a new framework. One that:
· Honors the reality of athlete development
· Promotes training-to-race ratio best practices
· Reduces travel, stress, and admin complexity
· Supports every club—large or small—with flexible hosting models
Together, we’re building a calendar that reflects who we are as a region: collaborative, athlete-first, and ready to evolve.
Thank you,
SOD Committee and Alpine Ontario