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Photo by Annalee Grant

SLIDE – A skier hits a rail in the half pipe at Mount Sima during the 2010 Arctic Winter Games trials on Sunday (top). AIR TIME – A snowboarder hits a jump off the side of a rail at Mount Sima at Sunday's Arctic Winter Games trials.

Snowboarding and skiing AWG trials see younger athletes

Snowboarders and skiers were battling for position on the Yukon Arctic Winter Games team this weekend.

By Annalee Grant on January 12, 2010

Snowboarders and skiers were battling for position on the Yukon Arctic Winter Games team this weekend.

The skiers and riders were treated to warm weather on the Saturday race portion of the trials, but temperatures dropped significantly for the Sunday freestyle competition.

Snowboard Yukon president Chris McNutt said the event was a huge success.

"The weekend went great, we had a great turnout,” he said.

About 35 skiers and riders were out for the trials, according to Alpine Yukon timer and board member Greg Kent.

McNutt said one of the biggest successes was the amount of younger riders that came out.

"It shows that three or four years from now we have kids that are really keen,” said McNutt.

Alpine Yukon was also selecting athletes for the Games.

"The kids had fun,” said Kent.

Many of the turnout included athletes who weren't old enough for the juvenile and junior categories, but Kent said they hope to fill the remaining spots with the younger athletes who proved they can keep up on the slopes.

Snowboard Yukon and Yukon Alpine were looking for riders to send to a training camp later this month for the final selection of riders. From that camp eight athletes will be chosen in the following age categories: two male junior athletes, born 1991 or later, two female junior athletes born 1991 or later, two male juvenile athletes born 1993 or later and two female juvenile athletes born 1993 or later.

McNutt said they decided on nine male athletes to attend the training camp to help the lower placing riders gain some experience.

"We want to send our best athletes to the Arctic Winter Games,” said McNutt, but Snowboard Yukon is also choosing athletes based on their ability to represent the Yukon proudly. "We have to make sure that their going to do well, and represent the Yukon well.”

The riders were judged based on two jump runs, two rail runs and a slopestyle race. The rider's score was taken from the best of the two runs.

Eleven snowboarders were chosen to attended the training camp; boys Max Melvin-McNutt, Reg Clark, Thomas Mills, Tim Schirmer, Gary Drinnan, Alidas Jamnicky, Alex Chisholme, Patrick Parker and Geoffroi Boucier were selected, and for girls, Kayla Hollanquist and Talia Woodland.

McNutt said it is always exciting to see which kids will come out. Because there is no formal club of snowboarders, the association is never sure who or what to expect.

"They just go out to Sima on the weekend and ride,” said McNutt. "When they come out it's a surprise.”

And Snowboard Yukon was pleasantly surprised by the talent they viewed this weekend, many of them first time attendees to a snowboarding event.

"We've got some good athletes,” said McNutt.

The Yukon generally has a good showing in the snowboarding portion of the Arctic Winter Games, according to McNutt.

"Traditionally snowboarding does well,” he said. "We are lucky to have a good facility (at Mount Sima).”

– – –

Saturday, Jan. 10

Snowboarding

Overall results

Juvenile male

  1. Max Melvin-McNutt

  2. Reg Clark

  3. Thomas Mills

  4. Tim Schirmer

  5. Gary Drinnan

  6. Alidas Jamnicky

  7. Tyler Wynnyk

  8. Adam Torgerson

  9. Nick MacDougall

  10. Gavin Miller

  11. Sam Schirmer

Juvenile female

  1. Kayla Hallanquist

  2. Talia Woodland

Junior male

  1. Alex Chisolme

  2. Patrick Parker

  3. Geoffroi Boucier

Skiing

Giant slalom and slalom

Alpine Results

Juvenile female

Skier Time

  1. Kate Mitchell 1:46.82

Juvenile male

Skier Time

  1. Michael Hougen 1:52.02

Underage girls

Skier Time

  1. Josie Storey 1:48.32

  2. Abby Hawes 1:56.22

  3. Tayler Mitchell 2:00.87

  4. Lyndsey Boorse 2:02.14

  5. Alisha Sewell 2:09.68

  6. Katie Vowk 2:11.15

  7. Shayla Hamilton 2:27.81

Underage boys

Skier Time

  1. Sam Storey 1:45.76

  2. Marek Henderson 2:13.88

  3. Jacob Wyers 2:14.65

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