Thirty-six Strathcona Nordics racers travelled to Kelowna this past weekend in search of snow and podium finishes at the BC cross-country ski championships – and the Island racers did not disappoint. Over 500 skiers from 26 clubs from Alberta, Washington, and across B.C. were there. Mother Nature was kind and provided good snow conditions and very fast skiing.
Our Island racers performed extremely well, despite the lack of local snow. The club earned a fifth place finish overall and 10 individual top five podium finishes, including four gold, six silver, and four bronze.
Podium finishes in the classic race: Everett Wells, PeeWee boys (Victoria), Hugo Henckel (Courtenay), Bantam boys, Aiden Noble, Midget boys, Tallon Noble, Juvenile boys (Merville), Gabe Gledhill, Midget boys (Cumberland), Luke Damery, PeeWee boys, Stephen Lamon, Midget boys, Ross Lamon, Juvenile boys (Comox), Emmy Stapff, Midget girls, and Alec Stapff , Junior men, (Campbell River).
In the Skate race podium: Everett Wells, Hugo Henckel, Berend Henckel, Masters men, Aiden Noble, Tallon Noble, Naomi Swift, Bantam girls, Matthew Salmon, Juvenile boys (Merville), Luke Damery, Carson Damery, Bantam boys, Stephen Lamon, Ross Lamon (Comox), Marilyn Atkinson, Masters women (Royston), Emmy Stapff, Alec Stapff, Avalon Wasteneys, Junior girls, and John Andres, Masters men (Campbell River).
The final event of the championships was the much anticipated, hotly contested, fun, and fast Classic Sprint Club Relay. With 148 relay teams entered, in eight categories, Strathcona had 12 entries including two podium finishes: a bronze medal from the Midget boys team of Stephen Lamon, Aiden Noble ,and Gabe Gledhill and a fifth place finish from the Masters women’s team of Marilyn Atkinson, Patty Johnson, and Lynn Swift.
Head coach Andrea Stapff says, “Every single racer came away with a goal accomplished and/or a best result!” The Junior Racing team now looks forward to the Ski Nationals in Thunder Bay, March 14 -21.
– Strathcona Nordics