By Matt Smider, Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club
On Saturday, Jan. 2, the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club played host to the 2016 Okanagan Cup #1 and the BC Winter Games (BCWG) Trials. 252 athletes participated in the event, representing six Okanagan-based clubs, plus the Valhalla Hills Nordic Ski Club, Canmore Nordic and two jet-setting skiers from New South Wales, Australia.
The competition was particularly important for Okanagan skiers born in 2001 and 2002, who were vying for spots to compete at the 2016 BC Winter Games in Penticton this February.
Revelstoke Nordic skiers Simon Blackie and Kolibri Drobish automatically qualified for the BCWG by placing top two in their respective categories. Erik Brosch, Rebecca Brosch and Miika Park all placed in the top five in their respective BCWG categories and will now wait to see how many wild card spots the Okanagan region will receive for Nordic athletes. Cross Country BC will officially announce the team selection next week.
Conditions were cooler than many visiting skiers expected, but all welcomed the easy waxing conditions and blue skies. The event was an interval start classic, with competitors 15 seconds apart and utilizing the diagonal-stride and double-pole techniques. A record 61 Revelstoke athletes took part in the event.
Full results are available online at zone4.ca, but here is a selection of top Revelstoke placings:
Atom Boys 1:
Irah Cameron-Harding – 2nd
Hamish Woodman – 3rd
Atom Boys 2:
Nicholas Gill – 3rd
Atom Boys 3:
Kiearn MacIntosh – 2nd
Atom Girls 1:
Megan Norrie – 1st
Micayla MacIntosh – 2nd
Sela McMechan – 3rd
Atom Girls 2:
Livia McMechan – 2nd
Atom Girls 3:
Fiona Woodman – 1st
Norah Painter – 2nd
Emilie Paquin – 3rd
Peewee Boys 1:
Cameron Norrie – 4th
Tobin Gill – 5th
Peewee Girls 1:
Natalie Morrone – 1st
Isobel Wilson – 4th
Peewee Girls 2:
Ruby Serrouya – 1st
Sophie van Oort – 5th
Bantam Boys 2:
Elliot Wilson – 2nd
Bantam Girls 1:
Maeve MacLeod – 3rd
Midget Girls 1:
Jaclyn Elliott – 3rd
Midget Girls 2: (BCWG trial)
Kolibri Drobish – 1st
Rebecca Brosch – 5th
Juvenile Boys 1: (BCWG trial)
Simon Blackie – 2nd
Erik Brosch – 3rd
Juvenile Girls 1: (BCWG trial)
Miika Park – 4th
Juvenile Girls 2:
Alana Brittin – 1st
Elizabeth Elliott – 2nd
Masters Women 40-49:
Nikki Norrie – 4th
Masters Women 30-39:
Marnie Graf – 2nd
Masters Men 30-39:
Patrick McMechan – 3rd
Masters Men 40-49:
Andrew Sheppard – 4th
Masters Men 60-69:
Norm Tennant – 1st
Congratulations to all competitors on their performances! A warm thank you is extended to the organizing committee and 62 volunteers for their tireless efforts at running a well-organized event, especially Verena von Bremen for announcing all day in the cold.
Thank you also to generous sponsors Skookum, Flowt, Begbie Brewery, Pharmasave, Revelstoke Rotary Club, The Modern Bakery and Outdoor Research for donating draw and award prizes.
Revelstoke Nordic skiers are now looking ahead to a busy race season, continuing with BC Cup #1 at Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club in Vernon next week.