Brenden Trudeau: Skiing in Norway at 17
Some teenagers can claim things many adults never will.
For example: “In November, I’m off to ski in the Yukon.” Brenden Trudeau, 17, is one of the few who can casually drop such a line. But don’t expect him to brag—this beanie-wearing teen has a cool head and an even cooler mindset.
On Skis at Two, on the Slopes of Mont Blanc
Brenden was just two years old when he first clipped into skis. Raised in a sport-loving family, his life now balances between ski slopes and science classes at Marianopolis College in Westmount. At night, you’ll usually find him in his bed in Vaudreuil-Dorion, perhaps dreaming of his next race.
“When I started, I never stopped,” says Brenden, now part of his college’s sport-study program. “I was hesitant to try racing at first, but once I did, I really liked it.”
By age five, he was already racing with his dad—who soon realized he wouldn’t be able to beat his son for long. Competing since age seven, Brenden has spent the last decade carving slopes and rising through the ranks.
Movement Comes Naturally
Brenden doesn’t go a day without staying active. In addition to skiing, he’s done cross-country running and swam competitively at Collège Bourget. In summer, he trades skis for bike tires.
“It’s a feeling of accomplishment. I feel good after exercising,” he shares. “I don’t like sitting around all weekend.”
Now competing in U18-6 with his Estrie-based club, he trains on slopes like Mont Orford, Sutton, and Bromont, and races around 30 times per year in Quebec, Ontario, Maine—and sometimes Europe. As of this fall, he had just returned from Austria and was preparing for a training trip to the Yukon.
“Last year, I didn’t perform as well as I wanted. But this year, I have more experience and know what to expect.”
Flying at 140 km/h
To place well, skiers must earn the fewest points. In alpine skiing, that means minimizing the time behind the race winner, plus a course-specific penalty. But let’s be honest—what wows most spectators isn’t the math, it’s the speed. Hitting nearly 140 km/h down icy slopes? That takes guts.
“You need real confidence,” Brenden says. “You also have to be super strong, especially in the legs, to control the turns and manage the G-forces. You need to translate that into speed.”
Discipline On and Off the Slopes
Though Brenden trains year-round—often at Centre Multisports, who sponsors him—he acknowledges that mental toughness is everything in high-pressure moments.
“Before bed or before a race, I take time to relax and think about what I need to do,” he explains. “The stress is there, but once the race starts, it disappears. You’re in the zone.”
Balancing skiing and school isn’t easy.
“I travel so much for races, and when I return, I have to catch up on homework and classes. It’s hard to manage both.”
Still, he dreams of the Olympics and hopes to make Quebec’s provincial team within a year or two. In the meantime, he encourages his younger brothers and trains where it all started—Mont Blanc.
“Start young, and train whenever you can. But most of all, have fun while doing it.”
Whether in Beijing, Innsbruck, or anywhere else, we may one day hear Brenden Trudeau’s name echo from a TV broadcast. But wherever the trail takes him, one thing is certain: he’ll be skiing because it makes him happy.