The Quebec native previously served as a World Cup coach for the team during 2006 and 2007, before becoming the programme's head coach from 2007 in the build up to the Paralympic Games in Vancouver two years' ago.

Canada's Para-Alpine team claimed 13 of the 19 medals won by the country at those Paralympics, and ski team athletic director Brianne Law welcomed his return.

"I'm really happy to have JS (Jean-Sébastien) back with the team," Law said.

"He was the leader of our programme in its greatest years of success that was topped off with even greater success at the Paralympics.

"In our sport it really takes two years for a coach to really get a full understanding of the sports-specific aspects of equipment and so the fact that he's coming back with an abundance of Para knowledge is amazing for us.

"What he's mostly going to bring to our programme are the skills that he learned when he was working with the Women's World Cup, so he'll be able to raise the bar both on and off snow."

After Vancouver 2010, the head coach post was abolished, but Labrie's return sees it reintroduced with a focus on this year's World Championships.

They will be a key point in the preparation of the Para-Alpine team for the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi.


"I missed the great team staff, but one of the reasons I came back is that I'm looking forward to working with some of the athletes who I worked with leading to the 2010 Paralympics," said 41-year-old Labrie (pictured above, left with Vancouver 2010 gold medallist Viviane Forest).

"Preparing a team for the Games is an awesome and unique opportunity that I missed and that I'm looking forward to again.

"One thing I noticed working around the women's Alpine programme was the work ethic of some of the more successful athletes, which was amazing.

"There was so much hard work from athletes and staff that it really made a difference.

"What we're looking forward to doing first with the Para-Alpine team is to really establish a good work ethic right away with dry land with a lot of focus.

"For the race season, for some of the athletes we want more consistency on the World Cup and for some athletes we want them to be on the podium."

Labrie won the Dave Murray Memorial Coach of the Year award in 1997, was named Andrzej Kozbial International Coach of the Year in 2009 and claimed the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award in 2009.

Of the 13 medals his team picked up at the last Paralympics, six were gold.

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