It is no small feat to pull off a race that hosts over 550 U12 athletes from around the Province. If anyone can do it though, Canadian Olympic champion and skiing legend Nancy Greene can.
And that is just what happened this past weekend at the 12th annual Hub International Nancy Greene Festival, held Marc 21-22 at Sun Peaks in Kamloops.
Mount Washington Ski Club athletes were there in fine form to reap the rewards of this Provincial event – in no small way. It was a clean sweep of the podium in two events for the Comox Valley’s Emily Johnston with double gold in Moguls and Kombi.
Hot on her heels was teammate Haley Nelson with a bronze medal in the Kombi, a fourth in the Dual Glalom Event and a ninth in the Moguls. Not to be outdone by her older sister, nine year old Brynn Johnston won a gold medal for her speed and agility flying down the bumpy moguls run and placed eighth in the Dual Glalom event.
The Mount Washington Ski Club boys shone as well with U12 Luke Hoefer rising to the podium with a silver in the Moguls, a fifth in the Kombi and an eighth place in the Dual Glalom event While Hayden Harley surpassed a field of 45 boys to win a Bronze in the Dual Glalom event, even after losing his glove and pole and skiing the race one handed!
The festival though, is a real showcase for the young, new ski racers and as Nancy Greene herself intended, young athletes have the experience of racing, finishing and celebrating their success. For the Mount Washington Ski Club, this was no exception with Rowan Hughes who is all of seven and Erik Leikermoser who is all of six years old, receiving 9th place finishes in the Kombi event. Best of all, awards were handed out by Nancy Greene herself.
Overall the Mount Washington Ski Club sent a contingent of over 25 athletes to this event. So, rising out of a field of over 500 athletes, the Mount Washington Ski Club continues to surprise other competitive clubs with the calibre of athletes that come out of its’ programs – snow or no snow as we have seen this past season.
– Mount Washington Ski Club