Alpine Skiing

When you spend 250 days a year traveling for your job, working from home is usually quite a treat. Unfortunately, for ski racers on the World Cup tour, working from the comfortable confines of home is next to impossible. That's why racers like Manuel Osborne-Paradis relish and cherish the opportunity to ski in their own backyards.

Originally from North Vancouver, Osborne-Paradis, who now calls Calgary home, says he loves traveling the world, but admits that nothing compares to racing in front of a home crowd that includes friends, family and two ladies who are especially close to his heart.

"I love skiing in front of a home crowd, but it's even more special when my girlfriend Lana and my Mom are there to cheer me on. I don't get to see them for long stretches through the winter and seeing them together is even more of a bonus," said Osborne-Paradis.

Rarely able to see each other for more than a few weeks at a time, McIntosh and Osborne-Paradis try to squeeze in snippets of quality time during race week in Lake Louise, but say it's not easy.

"You definitely have to be adaptable to the constantly changing schedule of a ski racer," said McIntosh, "it's a challenge but it makes it more special when you get to be together even if it's for a short amount of time."

Fortunately for the pair, the early part of the week is quieter than the latter when training runs and the races on Saturday and Sunday dominate Osborne-Paradis' time and focus. On this Lake Louise "rendez-vous" they take some time to enjoy the spectacular beauty of the winter wonderland that is the front yard of The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

"Even though we live in Calgary we don't always have time to take in the amazing scenery that's right in our back yard. It's fun to be a tourist at home sometimes especially in a place with such breathtaking scenery and a hotel that's not too shabby either," Osborne-Paradis said with his trademark grin.

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Manuel Osborne-Paradis and Lana McIntosh pose for their own postcard outside The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Hotel

Michael Mastarciyan/CTVOlympics.ca

After a leisurely stroll around the lake, the couple split up for a couple of hours to allow Osborne-Paradis to get in some dry-land training and physiotherapy. McIntosh, a personal trainer and fitness instructor, takes the time to get in a little workout herself and heads to the hotel's gym.

"This place is really special for me because the first trip I made out here to see Manny was the first ski race I'd ever been too - and he won the silver medal in the downhill. So I kind of have high expectations for him whenever I follow him to a race," McIntosh said with a chuckle.

Normally after their time together here in Lake Louise, Osborne-Paradis and McIntosh are separated by geography and a long stretch of time that usually includes Christmas and New Year's as the White Circus moves it's show to Colorado and then to Europe. But this year, McIntosh will spend Christmas with her ski racing beau in Bormio, Italy where the World Cup will run a downhill race.

"Christmas is huge in my family, especially spending time with loved ones, and it's hard not to have him around at that time of year. So this year I'm very excited to have a different Christmas experience and to bring my own Christmas cheer to the Italian Alps," said McIntosh.

"I've written Santa already and asked for some extra speed on the Bormio downhill this year, I'll be giving my trophy to Lana as her present if I win or get a podium, so that'll take care of my Christmas shopping for her," said Osborne-Paradis with a ho-ho-ho that would even make Santa Claus turn his head.