The Yukon Alpine Ski Team closed out the season with yet another high note at the B.C. North Zone Final in Smithers, B.C., last weekend.
The team raced to nine medals in individual events and won an additional medal in the team competition with a silver.
“I’m not sure where we stood in the past, but I think last year we were last,” said head coach Yves Titley.
The event was comprised of three giant slalom races over Saturday and Sunday. Though there was no giant slalom at the Yukon Cup, the team got plenty of practice during the season.
“Giant slalom was part of the Arctic Winter Games so they trained quite a bit for giant slalom this year,” said Titley. “I think that’s why they performed quite well. I’m quite pleased with the whole team’s performance this year in Smithers.
“The whole team learned to do better at those high-pressure events.”
Yukon skiers Charlie Hawes and Shane Orban dominated the boys’ E2 category.
Hawes won two of the three available golds and Orban, who also won a silver, won the other gold.
Yukon’s Katie Vowk, competing in girls’ K1, also made a pair of podium appearances with two golds.
“On Saturday there was a lot of fog coming in and out,” said Titley. “Sunday was particularly hard because of the soft conditions and the sun. If you came off the track with a small error, you were in slush almost.
“All our skiers handled the weather and snow conditions.”
Medals also came to Yukon skiers in the girls’ K2 division
Abby Hawes captured a silver and a bronze over the two days of racing.
Josie Storey, who has led the team in results over the season, including the win of the Yukon’s first medal at the Arctic Winter Games in six years, won a bronze.
“I think they were just skiing cautiously because of the weather,” said Titley. “At some point, I was on the course and I couldn’t see two gates in front of me.
“The whole team skied very well, but a little error could cost you quite a bit.”
Other Yukon results include Marek Henderson-Pekarik with a fifth and two sixth place finishes; Taylor Mitchell with a sixth and two seventh places; Lyndsey Boorse with sixth, seventh and eighth place finishes.
The Yukon team, which included six members of the territory’s bronze winning Arctic Games team, finished behind the large Prince George squad in the team event and in front of the hosting, third-place Smithers team.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com