New Look National Skeleton Program Refines Team-Focused Approach on Winning Well

Newly named national team athletes driven to achieve performance goals in supportive culture at all levels

CALGARY— A two-time Olympian along with a reigning World Champion will dive headfirst into leading Canada’s skeleton athletes into the 2024-25 season with a team-focused approach to winning well.

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton named two athletes to its Senior Skeleton Team and one athlete to the Development Skeleton Team while technical leaders for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton continue to focus on rebuilding the National Skeleton Program into a world-leading nation. Aggressive national recruitment drives, and a partnership with RBC Training Ground in the last year, have resulted in the largest number of athletes in the organization’s history attending camps and introductory driving schools.

Canada’s two members of the Senior Skeleton Team – Jane Channell (North Vancouver) and Hallie Clarke (Brighton, Ont.) – will lead the charge for the Canucks on the elite international stage. The 36-year-old Channell, who remains one of the fastest starters on the planet, is a multiple World Cup medallist, and is driven to play a leadership role for the national program on the track to Milano/Cortina 2026. The 20-year-old Hallie Clarke, who has two silver medals on the World Cup, proved she is also ready to carry the torch for Canada’s new generation of skeleton athletes after being crowned World Champion one year ago.

Canada’s newest citizen, Josip Brusic (Okotoks, Alta.), will continue his progression splitting time on the North American Cup and World Cup circuits as the lone member of the Development Skeleton Team.

“I believe our program as a whole shows so much promise at all levels, and we are incredibly lucky to have world-class coaches leading us,” said Clarke. “Our team has never felt more cohesive and supportive on tour. The amount of talent that has been brought into our program this past year is so exciting, and I’m looking forwardto cheering everyone on.”

That development pathway has been fueled this year with 13 newcomers to Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton’s NextGen program. Many of these athletes, who will compete on the North American Cup throughout the 2024-25 campaign, are in their first season of sliding. These athletes include: Sebastien Regnier (Winnipeg, Man.); Dion Charles (Guelph, Ont.); Massimo Ardizzoni (Vancouver); Zander Greco (St. Albert, Alta.); Andrew Piderbeisky (Calgary); Peyton Mecham (Beaverlodge, Alta.); Jesse Plante (Sudbury, Ont.); Simon Salisbury (Carleton Place, Ont.); Eliot Tremblay (Sherbrooke, Que.); Roselyn Houde (Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.); Madeline Parra (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.); Julia Hamilton (Barrie, Ont.); and Emily Bateman (Desbarats, Ont.).

“Over the past few seasons, we have worked hard to strengthen our team dynamics and establish a shared vision of what it means to be a part of the National Skeleton Program,” said Joe Cecchini, head coach and technical lead, National Skeleton Program. “Our goal is clear – to win, and win well, not just as individuals but as a supportive team. Achieving success at all levels will set the standard for what Canadian skeleton represents. Every athlete in our system plays a vital role in shaping the team’s success, and we are very proud of each one of them on the National Team and our extended group of athletes continuing to chase their performance goals. The potential that exists within all tiers of our program is exciting.”

Additionally, one dozen more athletes will form the National Athlete Pool – a group of athletes who will continue working towards hitting performance thresholds. These athletes will be given the opportunities to race internationally when Canadian IBSF quota spots are available, but this pool of athletes are not considered a part of the National Team. 

National Athlete Pool:

Kyle Murray (Calgary, Alta.)
Ryan Kuehn (Calgary, Alta.)
Nicolas Dunn (Coronado, California)
Jordan Rwiyamiilra (Montreal, Que.)
Brayden Posyluzny (Lethbridge, Alta.)
Kyle Donsberger (Regina, Sask.)
Mark Lynch (St. John’s, Nfld.)
Marc-Antoine Vignault (Montreal Que.)
Jacob Coleman (Whistler, B.C.)
Grace Dafoe (Calgary, Alta.)
Nicole Jones
Mackenzie Adams (Kelowna, B.C.)

Coaching responsibilities throughout the athlete development pathway will be shared by Joe Cecchini, Kevin Boyer and Micaela Widmer. Cecchini continues to hold the dual role of Head Coach and Technical Lead for the National Skeleton Program. Kevin Boyer, who represented Canada at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and was a member of the National Skeleton Program for 10 years, is supporting Cecchini as an Assistant Technical Coach. Micaela Widmer will play a critical role in supporting the program as the National Skeleton Program Team Manager and as a Technical Coach.

Canada’s skeleton athletes will be on starting blocks around the world this week. Jane Channell, Hallie Clarke, Grace Dafoe, Kyle Donsberger and Jordan Rwiyamilira will be back in action as the World Cup resumes in Altenberg, Germany, December 6. Development level athletes will be in Park City, Utah for North American Cup races, December 6-7.

Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Karbon, Athabasca Oil Corporation in collaboration with Canada Action’s I Love Canada Energy, Joe Rocket and Driving Force – along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops champions in the community, on and off the track, who have a passion for bobsleigh and skeleton. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca.