Photo by Photo Submitted
FIRST TIMERS – Yukon freestyle skiers pose for a photo at B.C.’s Silver Star Mountain Resort. The skiers attended a camp and competition at the B.C. Championships last week. For most of the team, it was their first time competing. Photo by HEATHER TIPTON
Yukon freestyle skiers had a benchmark competition last weekend at the B.C. Championships.
Yukon freestyle skiers had a benchmark competition last weekend at the B.C. Championships.
For more than 3/4 of the team, it was their first time competing and for some, it was their first time skiing on a mountain other than Sima.
“Everyone learned a lot,” said coach Graham Pollock.
The week started off with a few days of training at Silver Star Mountain Resort before the weekend’s competitions.
There were two tours taking place: Superyouth was home to the Yukon skiers aged seven to 12, who were coached by Dawn Bohmer, while the Timber Tour featured athletes ages 14 to 16.
The competitions featured three events: slopestyle, big air and moguls.
Leading up to the races, the younger skiers were learning about the competition format; having a few runs to practise and then laying it all on the line when it counted.
Isabella Gallina, seven, had the best results of the competition, placing third in both slopestyle and moguls.
“They try to keep it fun for the young kids,” said Pollock of the course. He said she performed a spread-eagle on one run.
On the Timber Tour, 16-year-old Niel Mikkelson had a personal best in the moguls competition, finishing fourth. The result is “extremely impressive,” Pollock said, considering it was the first time Mikkelson had skied moguls.
He had about eight practice runs on the course before competing.
Pollock said that Mikkelson has been working hard all season on and off the hill.
“It really paid off at the end,” he said.
Sima doesn’t currently have a moguls course, but with the Yukon athletes’ demonstrated propensity towards the Olympic event, Pollock said he would likely build a course next season.
RESULTS: 7 year-olds: Isabella Gallina (third, moguls & S.S.); 8 & 9 year-olds: Kieran Ritchie (15th, moguls; 11th, S.S.); 10 & 11 year-olds: Logan Collon (27th, moguls & S.S.), Jake Tipton (29th, moguls, 25th S.S.); 12 & 13 year-olds: John Tipton (10th, moguls & S.S.); 10 & 11 year-olds (female): Anwyn Tillett (12th, moguls; 7th, S.S.), Oriana Gallina (16th, moguls & S.S.); M14: Max Logan (20th, moguls; 24th, B.A.; 30th, S.S), Emmett Ross (22nd, moguls; 23th B.A.; 31st, S.S.), Christopher Arsenault (17th B.A.; 25th, S.S.) M16: Niel Mikkelson (4th, moguls; 8th B.A.; 13th S.S.)B.A. – Big Air; S.S. – Slopestyle
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