The Road to Winter: Training On and Off the Snow
November is when the CVA community starts looking forward to first tracks at Sugarloaf. But before student-athletes take their first rides on the SuperQuad and CVA-Colby T-Bar, they’ve built a strong foundation for the season ahead. From dryland training to preseason camps around the world, our Big Dogs have been putting in the work and getting ready for winter.
While performance is ultimately tested on the mountain, much of the preparation happens off the snow. At the HPC and AGC, student-athletes develop the strength, mobility, balance, and endurance needed to meet the physical demands of their respective disciplines.
Fall term athletes also completed SkillsQuest fitness testing to establish a baseline and challenge themselves through a series of assessments. Molly Holman '31 and Ethan Godomsky '27 earned the highest overall scores in the girls' and boys' groups, respectively. Athletes across the board pushed themselves, setting a benchmark for continued development throughout the year.
Beyond campus, CVA student-athletes have traveled to specialized training venues around the world. Opportunities have included water ramps, bag jumps, indoor facilities, ski simulators, early-season snow, and backcountry field sessions, with each discipline targeting skills specific to its progression.
Action Sports Teams
CVA’s Action Sports teams have been making the most of specialized training facilities to refine their fundamentals, aerial awareness, and confidence. The Moguls team traveled to nearby Quebec for several water ramp sessions, while Freeski visited the Maximise bag jump facility to work on aerial skills.
Moguls and Snowboard also took their training to Big Snow American Dream in New Jersey, the only year-round indoor ski and snow resort in the United States. With dedicated mogul terrain and a variety of terrain park features, the facility offered valuable early-season time on snow.
Ski Cross took a different approach, visiting Preski in Quebec City to train on indoor ski simulators. The technology creates a controlled environment that replicates the movements and forces of downhill skiing.
More training stops are on the calendar for Action Sports, with teams traveling to Austria, Waterville Valley, Nakiska, and Apex throughout the early season.
Alpine Teams
The FIS Women recently returned from Juvass, Norway, where they spent several weeks training on the glacier. Athletes worked through a range of weather and snow conditions, focusing on slalom and giant slalom. The camp offered challenging early-season training on a firm surface, helping them sharpen their technical skills.
After an initial stop at SNØ, an indoor ski facility in Oslo, the FIS Men traveled to Kåbdalis, Sweden, where they are currently training alongside World Cup teams as they prepare for the Levi World Cup. Along with time on snow, the athletes have also been enjoying a pretty special bonus: views of the northern lights in the evenings!
Meanwhile, U14 and U16 athletes headed to Colorado to get some early-season skiing at Arapahoe Basin and Loveland. Training will focus on technical development through free skiing, drills, and gate work, giving athletes valuable opportunities to sharpen their skills and build confidence before competition begins.
Backcountry Team
CVA’s Backcountry team has spent the fall building skills through backpacking, dryland training, and technical climbing. During a weekend trip to the White Mountains, athletes took on multi-pitch routes at Whitehorse and Cathedral Ledges, learning to navigate challenging rock faces before putting their new skills to the test on a friction slab climb.
The team recently set out on its longer climbing trip to Virginia, spending an extended stretch exploring new terrain, developing technical skills, and strengthening team connections. These early-season experiences are building a foundation for the adventures ahead, with the team looking forward to its first backcountry ski trip of the season in the Tetons.
As the first days on snow draw closer, student-athletes across every discipline are bringing their fall training and preseason experiences together. The foundation is set, and our Big Dogs are ready to take on the winter ahead.
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The Road to Winter: Training On and Off the Snow
November is when the CVA community starts looking forward to first tracks at Sugarloaf. But before student-athletes take their first rides on the SuperQuad and CVA-Colby T-Bar, they’ve built a strong foundation for the season ahead. From dryland training to preseason camps around the world, our Big Dogs have been putting in the work and getting ready for winter.Read More -
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