Cross Country Yukon (CCY) sent eight members of their Green Squad, ages 12-14, to the Western Canadian Champions in Kelowna B.C. over the weekend.

The team featured Simon Connell, Felix Masson, Misa Svoboda, Constance Lapointe, Abby Jirousek, Aniela Hanley, Sophie Molgat, and Sophia Giangrande.

CCY sport coordinator and head coach Alain Masson did not make the trip to Kelowna, instead, a team of volunteer coaches travelled with the team. However, Masson said it was part of a new plan to get the younger skiers experience at outside competitions.

“It was the first time a midget group has gone to an Outside event,” said Masson.

“Sometimes they do a ski exchange and the Arctic Winter Games have the midget age category. But it is a new initiative of the club to get the younger athletes out.”

The cross-country skiers, had one day of training in Kelowna before their competitions started on Friday.

On Friday, the athletes competed in a 400-metre sprint free technique race. Lapointe was the top finishing midget age female Yukon skier coming in fourth, finishing her race in one minute, five seconds.

Felix Masson was the top finishing Yukon skier in the midget boys’ race coming in 10th in a time of 01:01.19.

Two CCY alumni were also competing in Kelowna over the weekend. Amanda Thomson finished fourth in the open women and Caelen Pangman Mclean was 13th in the senior men category.

On Saturday the skiers competed in a mass start classic race. For the midget skiers, the race was 5-kilometres. Lapointe was the top finishing Yukon midget age female placing eighth in a time of 18:25.9. Jirousek cracked the top coming in the tenth spot with a time of 18:39.4.

Felix Masson was the top finishing boy, just missing out on the top ten. His time of 17:04.6 was good for the eleventh spot. Connell had the next quickest Yukon time, of 18:08.2, which made him the 21st finisher.

On Sunday the midget athletes competed in the relay. Each member of the team did one 2.5-kilometre loop. The boys’ team known as YuKon go it! was made up of Felix Masson, Connell, and Svoboda. Their combined time of 24:00.2 was good for fifth.

The girls’ midget relay team, or YT Girls, consisted of Lapointe, Jirousek, and Giagrande. Their time of 23:25.6 put them onto the podium in second place.

Yukon athletes Molgat and Hanley partnered with an Alberta skier to form Fast & Furious. The team finished in a time of 26:36.7 in the eighth position.

Masson said the results the midget skiers put up over the weekend were encouraging for the club.

“They had a good weekend and the results were good to see,” said Masson.

“Some of the kids who competed will be joining the older team next spring.”