Whitehorse’s Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre was filled with high kicks and kneel jumps galore last week.
The third annual Arctic Sport Inter-School Championships had its largest turnout to date with about 170 athletes taking part.
Around 140 elementary athletes competed on Wednesday, followed by 31 secondary athletes Thursday, representing 20 schools.
The two-day event, hosted by the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle, was also an international affair with two athletes from Anchorage, Alaska competing.
“Maybe 25 per cent, maybe less, have been involved in Arctic sports at the Arctic Winter Games, but for most of these kids it might be their first time participating,” said Colin Hickman, sport program coordinator of Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle. “And they do very well for the amount of experience they are bringing in. A lot of them were doing phenomenal.”
In the elementary competition, Whitehorse’s Ecole Emilie-Tremblay took first with eight gold medals, plus two athletes winning overall individual gold. Whitehorse Elementary School took second and the Carcross Community School third.
In Thursday’s high school competition, F.H. Collins Secondary snagged first with eight gold medals. Porter Creek Secondary placed second ahead of Vanier Catholic Secondary in third.
Holy Family Elementary and Ross River School were both given Fair Play Awards following Wednesday’s competition.
Last week’s competition was also a chance for the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle to scout talent for a pair of major upcoming events. The Sport Circle is assembling teams for the Native Youth Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska, in April, and the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska, in July.
“There’s no Arctic Winter Games this year, but it’s great to build and keep competing for (Arctic Games in) Greenland in 2016,” said Hickman. “We have a very strong team.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com
Overall
individual results
Grade 1 female
1st Shelby Strange (Alaska)
2nd Anick Girouard (home school)
3rd Sophia Charlie (Carcross)
Grade 1 male
1st Seth Smith (Carcross)
2nd Dawson Penner (Carcross)
3rd Kenai Bryden (Carcross)
Grade 2/3 female
1st Camille Belanger (EET)
2nd Sophie Molgat (EET)
3rd Angel Labugen (St. Elias)
Grade 2/3 male
1st Cy McDowell (WES)
2nd Louis Mouchet (EET)
3rd Felix Masson (EET)
Grade 4/5 female
1st Maude Molgat (EET)
2nd Ella Pauldy (EET)
3rd Kate Mason (WES)
Grade 4/5 male
1st Zach Saplywy (WES)
2nd Connor Henderson (Golden Horn)
3rd Seth Strange (Alaska)
Grade 6/7 female
1st Zoe Sage (WES)
2nd Bianca Berko-Malvasio (WES)
3rd Kristina Ridebis (ESES)
Grade 6/7 male
1st Austin Shaw (WES)
2nd Ralph Hermosa (Selkirk)
3rd Sammy Mather (EET)
Grade 8/10 female
1st Fayne O’Donovan (VCSS)
2nd Reena Coyne (FHC)
3rd Robyn Poulter (FHC)
Grade 8/10 male
1st Riel Scarf (PCSS)
2nd Robert Smallwood (PCSS)
3rd Austin Paquet (FHC)
Grade 11/12 female
1st Megan Banks (PCSS)
2nd Caitlyn Venasse (FHCC)
3rd Jessie Colwell (home school)
Grade 11/12 male
1st Mikaiah Ladue (Ross River)
2nd Kuduat Shorty (FHC)
3rd David Ford (VCSS)