Welcome To

Contender

2024/2025 Programs Are Now Available

About Us

Our staff are dedicated professional skiers who are redefining how competitive athletes leave their mark on the podium.

"During Contender's debute 2023/2024 season, our athletes earned 59 podiums 74 top 5 finishes making Contender the top performing Freestyle program in the Province. "

Contender is Canada's next freeski program. Professional skiers Corey Vanular and Max Hill have re-established themselves as coaches for Ontario's next up and coming athletes. Through practice sessions, training regimens, progressive skill building and competitive knowledge, Contender helps athletes build goals and achieve success.

Corey and Max have structured a 13 week program for both High-Performance athletes and athletes learning to compete. To sign up for this program, it is mandatory to be able to spin a 540, slide a rail and be comofrtable skiing in a terrain-park. There are two program options and 40 registration spots available for the 2023/2024 ski season.

The skills and certifications:

coaches Gallery

Our Coaches are the backbone of our success. Every training session is brought with experience, leadership, technical skills and detection by our coaches. Our commitment to skiing goes beyond our own accomplishments as coaches, but plays a large role in shaping the careers of aspiring freestyle skiers. This gallery shows our coaches impressive accolades, certifications and achievements from our decades as coaches, history of competition skiing and earliest memories pioneering our sport.

Corey Vanular

I’m Corey Vanular, I’m 36 years old. I love skiing and have been a big fan of the sport of freeskiing since it’s inception around the year 1999. I remember I found my first VHS ski movie called “13” from PoorBoYZ productions in a ski shop window in Ellicottville NY. Shortly after being exposed to this sport I became obsessed with it. At 15 I turned pro and competed at the highest level of competition for a number of years. My highest places being 1st place in the U.S. Open slopestyle, 3rd place U.S. Open halfpipe two years back to back , 3rd place in the World Cup championships in Ruka Finland halfpipe, 1st place Vermont Open Halfpipe and first place at the Gravity Games Halfpipe as well as making two X-games appearances, and being invited to Super Park, Parkasaurus, Jon Olsson Invitational and the Candide invitational. I filmed ski segments with Level 1 productions , Super Proof and Tanner Halls, "The Bigger Picture" as well as, being featured in multiple Volume Video Magazines. I’ve had two pro-model Spy goggles and pro-model skis.

Certifications:

Skiing skills
Park and pipe qualified
Air 1
Air 2
Air 3
Air 4
Doubles on Trampoline
Doubles on Air Bag
Doubles on Snow

Social Media - @vanular

Max Hill

I can remember a time when Freeskiing was not allowed in the snowboard “terrain park.” When I looked for a freestyle program, there wasn’t one. I began training without a coach and started competing at 12. First place at Frozen Rail Jams, 3rd place Triple Challenge Slopestyle 2nd place Triple Challenge Halfpipe all before the age of Sixteen. After moving to Whistler I found international recognition when I signed to the international team with Line/ Full Tilt and Joystick to name a few sponsors. After winning the wild card spot for the U.S. Open, I retired from professional contests and began my career in Film and Media landing myself on the Cover of SBC Skier. I received awards at IF3 Film Festivals for film parts in Line’s “Travelling Circus,” Legs Of Steel “Nothing Else Matters,” Super Proof’s “The Recruitment.” I have coached at Camp Of Champions for Six Years, Ontario Team training Camps, Escarpment Team, and Head coach of Senders last program for two years. I have had Pro-model skis with Line, Pro-model clothing with Orage, and have launched my own successful glove brand Victor Academy. I coach because I feel passionate about this sport. Connection and opportunity were two things I was unable to achieve at a young age and it brings me joy to provide that for athletes. There is so many memorable moments over the years but nothing is as fulfilling as watching an athletes try their best and bring a new skill to their feet, riding away with their hands in the air. I am grateful to have helped so many athletes reach their goals, find their place on a podium or work on their media performance. I look forward to skiing with you this winter.

Certifications:

Park and pipe qualified
Air 1
Air 2
Air 3
Air 4
Doubles on Trampoline
Doubles on Air Bag
Doubles on Snow

Social Media - @maxamashill

Kale Skywood

My name is Kale Skywood, I’m 26 and I love to ski. I became a ski coach because it allows me to share my love and knowledge about my passion with the future athletes who are going to continue to grow and progress the sport we all love so much. My goals as a coach are to inspire not only my athletes but everyone I connect with to be the best they can be and always push themselves without ever losing sight of having fun, I believe that having fun is the most important aspect of any sport. Skiing brings together family and friends all over the world and it is a community that grows bigger and bigger every year. I take great pride in being a leader in this community and I truly love working with the people and companies that share my passion to make it an atmosphere where everyone can express themselves freely, have their own style and feel like they are a part of something greater than just a sport. When I come to work every day with a smile on my face and I see my athletes doing the same, I know we both love what we do. Those endless smiles that I see on the hill are the reason I became a coach. If I can inspire a spark in just one athletes soul to go out and do great things in our community and pass on their passion to another, I can go home and feel proud knowing I made a positive influence. I know I will always be thankful to the ones that inspired me to do the same. CATCH YA ON THE SLOPES!!

Certifications:

CSIA Level 1 instructor
Freestyle Instructor
CFSA freestyle Coach
Air 1
Air 2
Air 3 A&B
Air 4 A&B

Social Media - @kaleskywood.ggz

The Program Packages

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