The South Lodge is still (barely) standing after a great awards party! We gave out some awards, swung from the t-bars, told some stories, and had an awesome time.

In This Newsletter:

2025 GDHL Committee Thank You
Awards Recap
Final Standings
Sponsors
Craigleith Cares
Ski Cross World Cup
Bibs
2026 Season…

2025 GDHL Committee

A big THANK YOU to the volunteer members of the GDHL Committee. While you may hear from a few of us in these newsletters, there are many hands that make your winter racing happen.

Your committee works through the fall and winter to ensure that the GDHL continues to be the #1 activity at Craigleith, and the pre-eminent racing league on the escarpment.

A big thanks to the committee members for their hard work this season. While the duties listed below are their primary focus, those below have helped out through all aspects of the season.

Brook Dyson, Chair
Chris Knight, Treasurer and Sponsorships
Peter Dyson, Race Operations
Carrie Lenauskas, Events and Rankings
Julie Statler, Events
Michael DeAngelis, Events and Communications
Paul Peterson, Communications and Rankings
Steve Cryer, Rankings
Ben Williams, Events

If you’re interested in joining this elite group of volunteers for the 2026 season, shoot us an email at gdhl@gdhl.org stating your interest, how you could contribute, your views on cilantro and long slaloms, your favourite illegal wax, and any pending litigation/lawsuits/parole that would exclude you from volunteering.

The committee won’t be expanding this spring, but look for some more info in the fall about volunteering.

Final Standings

The complete final standings are now live and can be found here. Congratulations to:

2025 Champs: Team Birches (Team Owner: Phil Ottaway and consortium)

2nd Place: Team National (Team Owner: Tony C and consortium)

3rd Place: Team Vortex (Team Owner: Morgan Chapman and consortium)

All team owners, consortium members, and racers that participated in the buy-back for the above teams will have their Craigleith accounts credited in the next few weeks. (If you don’t know what your Craigleith account is, then you’re living a pretty charmed life…)

Feel free to share your winnings at the bar over March Break!

Awards Night Recap

Full slideshow can be found here.

Men’s Overall Winners - Griffin, Mike, Ben

Overall Women

1st - Meg Ryley

2nd - Cheryl McConachie

3rd - Madison Staples

Women’s Overall Champs - Cheryl, Meg, Madison

Overall Men

1st - Mike Welton

2nd (tie) - Griffin Copp

2nd (tie) - Ben Williams

Overall Men 50+

1st - Greg Cavers

2nd - David Raymond

3rd - Kevin Gust

Overall Women 50+

1st - Kate Veer

2nd - Susie Raymond

3rd - Samantha Callow

70-75 Men

1st - Al Lachance

2nd - James Mathers

3rd - Bill Bigelow

60-69 Men

1st - Jeff Sutherland

2nd - David Staples

3rd - Chris Fregren

50-59 Men

1st - Greg Cavers

2nd - Dave Raymond

3rd - Kevin Gust

40-49 Women

1st - Carrie Lenauskas

2nd - Lesley Leech

3rd - Jenn Price

40-49 Men

1st - Scott Barrett

2nd - Pete Valin

3rd - Tom Muridson

30-39 Women

1st - Kate Ryley

2nd - Cheryl McConachie

3rd - Lindsay Brazill

30-39 Men

1st - Mike Welton

2nd - Ben Williams

3rd - Duff Isberg

20-29 Women

1st - Madison Staples

2nd - Ciara Gaffney

3rd - Georgia Levitt

19-29 Men

1st - Griffin Copp

2nd - Gordie Bruce

3rd - Austin Gust

Rivalry Award

Jason Turnpenny and Mark Shillum

Fastest Siblings

Gordie, Robbie, and Fraser Bruce

Fastest Family

Debbie, Kevin, Austin, and Dylan Gust

Fastest Couple

Carrie and Sarunas Lenausakas

Sutherland Cup - awarded to the winning Super G Team

Team Vortex

FUN AWARDS!

Due to the less than stellar sound system Saturday night, we decided to skip the ‘Fun Awards’, however they are still important and people need to be called out, so hereeee they are!

Dark Horse - Aisling Lanigan & Jake Sheehan

They both jumped up significantly in the standings this year seemingly out of nowhere (they actually started training!)

Black Out Award - Tyler McBrien & Evan Brisley

Both are now master skiers in the dark after braving Little John when the lights went out.

Rookies of The Year - Bronwyn Gorsline & Stephanie Henderson

These ladies showed up and were super gung ho for every race! Can't wait to see what they do next year!

My Bib is too High Award - Trevor Currie

Trevor with bib 104, petitioned to anybody and everybody in the GDHL to have a lower bib! Next year Trevor ages up and slides down the start order, hopefully he will be happy with a double digit bib.

Biggest Sandbagger - Pete Valin

This one needs no explaining. Finishing 14th this year, it is very clear his back doesn't hurt, he is not old or tired and he still has all the skills plus more from when he was racing in his teens.

My Kids Peer Pressured Me to Race Award - Peter Brenzel

Children Molly, Matt & Sydney convinced/pressured/his wife signed up Peter to join! He's had an amazing season racing with his kids and never turned down a shot of fire juice at the start. Can't wait for Heather aka Mama Brenzel to join next year!

Spirit Award - Cat Goulding & Marcella Pereria

These ladies were always raring to go, cheering on the others in the start and took on many new challenges in their 1st season of GDHL! They'll be seasoned pro's next year and their enthusiasm will keep shining!

I Haven't Been Able to Finish the 1st Race of the Season 3 years in A Row Award - Brent Addison

Rumor has it, he is burying his GS skis this summer and starting fresh next year. Is the 4th year the charm?

Let's Do This! Award - Blair Smears

Blair his new to the club this year and showed up at the start of the season with no idea what to expect and went all in!

Most DNF's Award - Greg 'Caveman' Cavers

With 4 DNF's this season, he snuck ahead of Gordie Bruce. Greg will be tuning and testing skis all summer to make sure it's not an equipment issue.

Best Beer Ticket Giver Outer - Chris Knight (aka GDHL Treasurer)

The most popular person 20 minutes after a race finishes, we all need to thank Chris for figuring out how to keep us hydrated after racers!

Big Spender Award - Ryan Taylor

In his first year of racing, Ryan has bought all the equipment, some of them twice, plus all the recovery equipment and he will never shy away from telling you what pants he is wearing and how long his ice bath was. He's so dedicated that he's moving to Collingwood and is in talks to attend multiple race camps next year and will likely buy a third pair of boots.

Paul The Ski Racer Beat Me - Hall of Shame 2025 Video

There have been some requests for the @paultheskiracer Beat Me - Hall of Shame 2025. Enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/1062503426/846559020b?ts=0&share=copy

A Message to the GDHL from the Craigleith Cares Foundation:

The Directors of the Craigleith Cares Foundation want to thank the Members and Executive of the GDHL for your support over the 2024-25 ski season. You have been early and dedicated friends to the Foundation, leaders in this regard within the Craigleith community.

You embody what we call “The Power of Craigleith” – what happens over and over again when Members decide to put their skills and energy towards a specific endeavour – consequential things, accomplished together. There is so much energy and passion within the Membership: to strive, to challenge oneself, to improve and to better our collective experience. We are grateful that you decided to put your energy behind the Foundation as we develop and grow this mechanism to deliver positive Craigleith energy out into the wider community.

We have followed you through your social media posts and conversations with many of you - its clear you have had a lot of fun and excitement this year. CONGRATULATIONS on another successful year “Going Down Hill”!

***Editor’s Note: The GDHL Community donated approximately $6000 to Craigleith Cares this year***

Ski Cross World Cup

See you on the hills at the World Cup Ski Cross over March Break.

Info on the event can be found here.

Bibs

Keep your bibs! Our sponsorship with Sidelaunch has completed the third year of three, and we will be getting new bibs with a new sponsor next year.

Feel free to frame your bib, hang it in your kitchen, wear it to the beach, or do whatever it is that you do with old bibs. Enjoy!

Next Season

This will be the last weekly newsletter for a while. Hopefully you’re able fill your early Thursday mornings with something more productive through the off-season.

See you next year!