The Mount Washington Ski Club alpine team travelled to Red Mountain in Rossland to compete with 133 of the top provincial athletes in the U16 provincials which got underway on March 21.
Red is a tough mountain known for being "steep and deep." The team competed under sunny, blue skies and bullet-proof icy conditions. After a rough start where the mountain got the best of the racers on the first day, knocking out six of the seven team athletes who did not complete their runs, it all turned around.
On Day 1 only one Mt. Washington skier was able to complete both of her runs. Maja Nymann completed the giant slalom course finishing 29th overall for the females, but 14th for her age group. The five male athletes on the team blew out of the tough slalom course, but they were not alone as 50 per cent of all male athletes crashed.
The Campbell River athletes each had a day where they were the star of the team. On Day 2, the slalom course for the men proved to be gruelling again, but Logan Frame managed to come out on top, finishing fourth in his age group and 24th overall. Again only half of all male athletes managed to get through this tough course, with Robbie Yelland finishing 42nd. Maja Nymann finished 35th overall in GS for the females, but 15th in her age group.
Day 3 saw more success. It was Kole Harle's day to shine as he finished 20th in GS (fifth in his age group) followed by teammate Liam Gilchrist at 27th (seventh in his age group), Cole Anderson in 31st position and Logan Frame in 32nd position (ninth in his age group).
Day 4 had the best result for the team with Maja Nymann finishing 14th overall for the women in slalom (fifth in her age group). Cole Anderson also had his day in the sun as the team's top boy coming in 27th overall in the GS. Logan Frame was 31st but fifth in his age group, and Robbie Yelland was 13th in his age group in 40th position.
Next up is the Teck Coast Zone Finals, April 13-14 at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. This event will host U12 and up aged athletes and will take place on the Whiskey Jack – right in front of the main lodge.
Competitors will travel from all coastal ski clubs including Whistler/Blackcomb, Cypress, Grouse, Seymour, Hemlock and others and this is the final event of a very competitive racing season for the Mount Washington Ski Club athletes.
The Mount Washington Ski Club is the only ski racing club on Vancouver Island – and despite its remote location has turned out some incredible athletes over the years including Olympian Allison Forsyth and Matt Leduc. who is currently racing on the national skier-cross team.
– Mount Washington Ski Club