After some delays due to the cold weather, the much-anticipated Northwestel Western Canadian Cross Country Ski Championships finally got underway Sunday afternoon in Whitehorse.

The championships, which are also part of the Haywood NorAm Canada Cup Race Series and will serve as the Yukon championships, are being held on the Mount McIntyre Ski Trails this week.

The individual start classic race was initially slated for Saturday morning, with the sprint races scheduled for Sunday and the free technique event Tuesday. But the recent frigid temperatures and wind chill forced organizers to do some switching.

The classic race went Sunday afternoon and rather than take the scheduled off day today, the athletes are competing in the sprint races. The free technique event will remain on Tuesday.

While the weather delays may have caused problems for organizers and put a damper on the weekend for local spectators, the athletes didn't seem to be hampered by it at all. In fact, said Yukon Ski Team Head Coach Alain Masson, the extra day off Saturday provided much-needed rest for those who competed at the national championships and Arctic Winter Games last week.

'(Plus) everybody is used to racing almost every day, so I don't think it's really a big deal,' said Masson, adding it's great to see the local facilities used to their potential.

'That's the way it should be. Most people can't believe how close our facilities are to the community. I tell our skiers all the time, You don't know how spoiled you are,' but they don't really believe me. For them to hear it from the people who are here now is good.'

Masson was happy to see such good competition on the first day of the Westerns.

While he expected a few national team members and skiers from Alaska, he wasn't sure Alaska would send their top athletes, because they just returned from the junior nationals. But they brought at least a few of their big guns, he said, and a few skiers from the University of Anchorage� where Yukoner Brittany Greer is currently training also made the trip.

Members of the Yukon Ski Team certainly seemed to hold their own Sunday.

Local favourite Graham Nishikawa, who is now a member of the national team and trains in Alberta, retained his points-lead in the Canada Cup series, placing first in the open men's category and first overall, with a time of 28 minutes and 4.1 seconds on the 10-kilometre course. Nishikawa also received a prize for being the first skiers under the age of 23 to cross the finish line he's 22.

It's the first time Nishikawa has been able to attend a major competition at home since he raced at the Arctic Winter Games in 2000. He doesn't think the familiarity of the trails gave him any sort of advantage, considering they've changed so much over the past couple years in anticipation of the 2007 Canada Winter Games. But being at home with his family has certainly helped him relax.

'It's exciting being back, racing at home. Everyone knows my name so there's lots of cheering along the trails.'

Nishikawa said he has some solid competition this week, up against Olympians Drew Goldsack and Dan Roycroft Chris Jeffries was originally supposed to compete but did not ski Sunday so he doesn't expect any of the three races to be at all easy.

'The core guys are all here, so it's definitely really high competition. It's the end of the season, so everybody's pretty tired.

'I was happy with how my race today went. The classic is one of my better events.'

Nishikawa said it's one thing to come out on top in the first race, but the challenge for him now is to stay mentally ready for all three events. If he can maintain his Canada Cup lead through these championships, he'll clinch a spot for the start of the World Cup races next fall, since the Westerns are the final competitive event of the season.

'That's really important to me, so I'd definitely like to win (the Canada Cup series). But I'm just happy to be leading it right now.'

After the Westerns, Nishikawa will remain in Whitehorse for a few weeks to visit with family and relax before training starts up again in May. He's planning to enter the annual Buckwheat Classic ski race this weekend for fun.

Meanwhile, Nishikawa wasn't the only Yukon skier to medal at the Westerns Sunday. Janelle Greer claimed gold in the juvenile girls division while Fabian Brook and Dahria Beatty picked up gold medals in the mini-midget boys and girls categories, respectively.

In the junior girls event, Bryn Knight grabbed silver while Emily Nishikawa collected the bronze. Ray Sabo finished second in the junior boys division while Colin Abbott won bronze in the juvenile boys category. And in the midget girls race, it was Heidi Brook who picked up bronze.

Yukoner Marcus Waterreus also struck gold at Westerns, finishing first in the master's men category.

Here are the full results:

Open Men 10-km Classic

1. Graham Nishikawa, 28:04.1

2. Stefan Kuhn, 28:15.6

3. Dan Roycroft, 28:19.5

Masters Men 10-km Classic

1. Marcus Waterreus, 33:09.1

2. Bobby Burton, 34:05.4

3. Jim Lokken, 34:19.4

Junior Boys 10-km Classic

1. Max Treinen, 29:41.9

2. Ray Sabo, 30:50.4

3. Curtis Merry, 31:06.6

Open Women 7.5-km Classic

1. Tasha Betcherman, 24:12.8

2. Tara Witten, 24:42.0

3. Brittany Webster, 24:49.6

Master's Women 7.5-km Classic

1. Karin Gillis, 27:48.7

2. Liz Holdyk, 32:22.1

3. Audrea Wulf, 34:46.3

Junior Girls 7.5-km Classic

1. Christina Gillis, 26:46.5

2. Bryn Knight, 27:22.9

3. Emily Nishikawa, 27:28.5

Juvenile Girls 3.75-km Classic

1. Janelle Greer, 13:16.2

2. Alison Clarke, 13:45.9

3. Andrea Lee, 13:57.5

Juvenile Boys 5-km Classic

1. Lex Treinen, 14:37.2

2. David Norris, 14:39.4

3. Colin Abbott, 15:52.9

Midget Boys 2.5-km Classic

1. Eric Ryan, 8:25.5

2. Scott Patterson, 8:28.6

3. Steven Hollenberg, 8:32.9

Midget Girls 2.5-km Classic

1. Megan Hall, 9:18.7

2. Samantha Reid, 9:21.3

3. Heidi Brook, 9:24.2

Mini-Midget Boys 2.5-km Classic

1. Fabian Brook, 9:35.5

2. Jake Burton, 11:09.6

3. Jan Grzeda, 11:20.0

Mini-Midget Girls 2.5-km Classic

1. Dahria Beatty, 9:00.8

2. Holly Bull, 11:39.8

3. Marie-Louise Roy, 12:02.4