Meet Caoimhe Heavey, freestyle skier, who was selected for Team BC and will compete at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta.
Heavey, 14, is from Fernie and will compete in big air, half pipe and slopestyle. Heavey said she is looking forward to meeting new people at the Canada Winter Games and wants to land clean runs while pushing herself to do the hardest tricks she can.
What is it you love the most about your sport?
I love grinding rails and the adrenaline rush I get when I land a new trick.
How did you get your start in your sport?
My older brother was skiing with Fernie Freestyle and I joined the club when I was eight so I could learn to do the same tricks he was doing.
Who has had the most impact on you so far?
My family constantly support me. My parents drive me to different places, for training and competitions, and my siblings help me balance skiing with my everyday life by covering my chores when I am away.
What does it mean to you to be chosen to Team BC?
I have lived in B.C. since I moved to Canada and it is a privilege to represent my province at a national level.
What is your greatest accomplishment so far in sport?
Second in slopestyle at the 2018 Junior Nationals and fourth at the Silver Star COT in January 2019
What are some of your other achievements?
I am captain of my local girl's soccer team which I have played goalie on for the past six years. I was super excited to be given the Up and Coming Award by the Sarah Burke Foundation in 2017, which has helped immensely me on my path to the Canada Winter Games.d
What else would you like to accomplish in sport?
My dream is to one day represent Canada at the Olympics and the X Games.
What is the best piece of advice that you live by and who gave it to you?
My granny told me to work hard if I want to see results. She also told me that I have to go after the things I want, not wait for them to come to me.
Who do you look up to the most, and why?
I look up to Sarah Burke the most because she was a pioneer for the sport of freestyle skiing. She enabled girls like myself to have opportunities, previously unavailable in the sport.
Do you have any relatives that have competed/coached at Canada Games before?
My family emigrated to Canada 10 years ago so I am the first one to be involved in the Canada Games, which i can’t wait to participate in.
What do you like to do in your downtime?
I like to draw, mountain bike and hang out with friends.
Do you have superstitions/good luck charms?
I don’t have any, all I need is a pair of skis.
Any other unique things we should know about you?
When I was younger, I spent a year and a half travelling with my family around Europe in a campervan and cycling the Munda Biddi trail in Australia. My love for skiing began after visiting Lillehammer and seeing the ski jumps on the hills in Norway.