The Revelstoke Nordic Ski Team competed in BC Cup #1 at Otway Nordic Center in Prince George, B.C., last weekend. Fourteen athletes from Pee Wee to Masters categories made the bus trip to compete in beautiful, crisp and sunny conditions.
Saturday's event was a skate sprint with athletes skiing a qualification round in the morning and head-to-head heats in the afternoon. Sprints ranged in distance from 250m for the youngest skiers to 800m for the oldest. The longer sprint courses included technical terrain; steep climbs and quick descents.
On Sunday, athletes raced a challenging interval start classic race over distances of one to 10 kilometres. Cool conditions allowed for easy waxing and allowed skiers to focus on mastering another technical course.
The top results for Revelstoke skiers were:
Alexandra Luxmoore, peewee girls 2: 2nd skate sprint, 2nd interval classic
Jaclyn Elliott, bantam girls 1: 5th skate sprint, 4th interval classic
Nelson Luxmoore, bantam boys 1: 3rd skate sprint, 3rd interval classic
Alana Brittin, midget girls 2: 4th skate sprint, 1st interval classic
Beth Granstrom, midget girls 2: 5th interval classic
Simon Blackie, midget boys 1: 3rd skate sprint, 3rd interval classic
"Really pleased with the way our skiers raced this weekend," said coach Matt Smider. "It's a real confidence boost to excel in technical, challenging terrain. Whether it was podium finishes or technique adjustments and effective race plan execution, all skiers met objectives."
The next event for the team will be the Reino Keski Salmi Loppet in Salmon Arm on January 18. BC Cup #2 takes place in Kamloops on January 25–26.