Plenty of snow, cold for BC Championships
Local cross-country skiers performed well at the 2018 Teck BC Championships last weekend, hosted by Telemark Nordic in West Kelowna.
The event set an all-time attendance record with over 660 athletes representing a total of 26 cross-country skiing clubs from all across B.C., Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Ontario and even into Methow Valley in Washington.
Telemark’s squad was 62 members strong, its largest contingent ever to compete in a provincial championship.
Over the course of the weekend, the athletes braved a mix of snow flurries, clear skies and -12 C temperatures. There is a lot of snow at Telemark Nordic.
“At this rate, our athletes should be able to ski through most of May,” said Telemark volunteer ski coach Paul Shipley.
Highlights from the weekend included gold-medal performances by Finn Redman (Bantam Boys Classic and Free), Garrett Siever (Midget Boys Classic), Ian Mayer (Juvenile Boys Free), Cole Turner (Junior Boys 1 Classic) and Philip-Maynard Davies (Junior Men Classic).
The courses were a challenge for the athletes — technical, steep and sometimes deep with the 20 centimetres of fresh snow.
There was sunshine for the fun relays, where teams competed for the podium, for costumes and for the “spirit” award. The team that displayed sportsmanship, team support and politeness were eligible to win the latter, with Sovereign Lake Nordic from Vernon earning the honour this year.
Rewards were also available to each age group on the podium.
Award-winning chief and Telemark team father Mark Filatow, from Waterfront Wines, provided concession for the athletes, coaches, and parents. Volunteers were key to running an event this size and contributions were very much appreciated.
The next event for Team Telemark is the BC Midget Championships in Revelstoke this weekend (March 3-4).
For more information, email coach Brent Hobbs at brent_hobbs@telus.net.