From Sun Peaks to Sochi: Elli Terwiel’s Olympic journey

With files from Aibiike Alymova

At only 18 months old, Elli Terwiel, from Heffley Lake, began skiing her journey to the Olympics from Sun Peaks. 

It’s no coincidence that both of Terwiel’s parents were ski instructors at the mountain; Skiing wasn’t just a hobby, it was a way of life for her family, she told SPIN. 

“It was something that was just a part of my family’s DNA,” Terwiel said. 

When Terwiel first started buckling her ski boots and hopping on the chair, she had no idea she would become a member of the Canadian National Team and that skiing would become her career. 

Steadily, she moved from the Sun Peaks Alpine Club to the BC team and eventually made it onto Team Canada to compete in the  2014 Sochi Olympics. 

For Terwiel, competing in the Olympics was about more than just her sport. It was an opportunity to showcase where she came from, she said.

Terwiel mentioned that her experience at the games was not only her own, but it was representative of the whole Sun Peaks community. “So that was a really interesting experience, and not something that you get when you’re just at racing on World Cup or in your regular, regular circuit, very specific to being at the Olympic Games, really feeling the wonderful support, but also the pressure of the support of the people back home” said Terwiel.

“The community that I came from was instrumental in my success for numerous reasons,” Terwiel said.

Sun Peaks Resort LLP sponsored Terwiel as an athlete and even held multiple fundraisers supporting her athletic success every single year. Whether it be from travel expenses, gear or even just the cost to be on the national team, being an athlete comes with a price, she explained. 

The community support went far beyond finances, shown in good wishes, positivity and care from the members of the community. 

Terwiel’s olympic race didn’t go as planned, with her finishing with a did not finish, meaning she straddled the gate during her run. Despite this, she realized the experience was about so much more than the athletic aspect of it all. It was about watching people achieve their dreams first-hand, overcome their struggles and being inspired. 

One of her favourite moments from the Olympics was from the common room in the athlete village, she recalled. Terwiel was in the Team Canada house watching the women’s bobsled race alongside the men’s bobsled team, members of which explained the importance and care put into each of the blades on the sleds. 

They talked about the maintenance and dedication for each specific blade and in that moment, Terwiel said she saw the passion and dedication for their sport shine. 

A message to other athletes

“I think the thing to know is that you don’t have to be the best,’ she said. “You have to be the one who works the hardest.” 

Terwiel described Sun Peaks as a great place to get in and learn. Whether it be mountain biking or alpine skiing, the mountain and resort allows for lots of practice, and the community offers reliable support and loyalty to those who call it home.

“If you’re an athlete who’s in the Sun Peaks area, just work hard, make sure that every repetition on the chair counts, be it summer or winter and know that the community is behind you.”