Ski clubbers rule Atomic Supercross

Garfinkel’s Double-Cross next week

The third and final Atomic Ski and Snowboard Supercross of the season took place last Thursday, March 18, with strong fields in every competitive category.

At the end of the day, many of the top spots went to the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, with coaches and racers taking part in the ski categories.

K1 head coach Sead Causevic won the men’s pro skier division, and K1 skiers (age 11 and 12) Brynne Benbow, Nancy Bayly, Ariana Stufano, Alex Blinks, and Ian Morrison found themselves on the podium.

The ski club has stepped up its skier cross training in recent years due to the level of interest and cross-training potential, and last year the sport was given World Cup status.

In the snowboard race, the women’s category went to Cori Olafson, who qualified for the Honda Element Snowboard Nationals this week at Mont Avila, Quebec.

The next snow cross event on the calendar this season is the annual Garfinkel’s Double-Cross next week, March 29-31. The course will be open to competitors from noon to 3 p.m. on Monday for training. Bib pickup takes places between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning in the Rendezvous Lodge, before the qualifying runs at 10:30. All racers will get two timed runs, with the best run counting for seeding in the ladders. The ladders and start times will be posted at Garfinkel’s at 9 p.m.

Wednesday’s bib pickup again takes place between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and the course will be open for inspection from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. Racing starts at 10:30 a.m. and runs approximately until 2 p.m. Video of the day’s event will be shown at Garfinkel’s at 7:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony will take place at 8:30 p.m.

The cost is $50 in advance or $60 on race day, which includes race packages, draw prizes and an after-party at Garfinkel’s. All participants must be 19 years of age or older and helmets are mandatory.

Atomic Supercross Results

1. Cori Olafson

2. Kerry Martin

3. Aurelie Garcin

1. Hiroyuki Endo

2. Peter Jenney

3. Hiroaki Muraoka

1. Jon Lapierre

2. Jeff Drummond

3. Kequyen Lam

1. Liz Roch

2. Chanel Smythe

3. Jennie Small

1. Adam Clarke

2. Shota Yoshihara

3. Steven Conklin

1. Sead Causevic

2. Bill Sheridan

3. Cat Smiley

1. Brynne Benbow

2. Nancy Bayly

3. Ariana Stufano

1. Alex Binks

2. Ian Morrison

3. Robert Bullen

1. Daniel Kwong

2. Nicholas Geddes

3. Alexander Geddes