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Melamed takes another enduro series win

Sports Briefs: Conrad Pridy not included on 2014-15 national team roster
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runner-up rider Whistler's Katrina Strand rides to a second-place pro women's finish in the Sea to Sky Enduro Series stop in Pemberton on Saturday, May 17. submitted Photo by clark lewis

Jesse Melamed is now two-for-two in Sea to Sky Enduro Series races after winning the second stop of the circuit in Pemberton on Saturday, May 17.

Melamed, who also won the pro men's race during the series-opener in Squamish earlier this month, finished with a total time of 15 minutes, nine seconds. Dylan Wolsky was the runner-up at 15:27, while Josh Carlson edged Nick Geddes for the last podium spot.

Racers took on five stages over the course of the day Saturday, but the pro men's riders opted to ditch the Stage 1 results due to a hiccup with the timing system. Each of the other categories counted all five stages.

Emily Slaco (24:40) claimed the pro women's win by four seconds over Katrina Strand, who earned her second runner-up result in as many days after placing second in the GO Enduro in Whistler the day before. Kelli Emmett finished third.

In men's open racing, Brad Bethune (23:20) took the lead away from Joel Harwood on Stage 4 and hung on to win by 26 seconds. Oliver Snow, in third, was nearly a minute back of Harwood's silver-medal time. Simmone Lyons (29:38) was the open women's winner, while Deborah Motsch took second and Julia Murray was third.

Craig Wilson (23:24) was the top master male rider on Saturday, clocking in 15 seconds ahead of runner-up Aaron Lyons. Seb Wild finished in third spot. Lisa Korthals (28:45) won the master women's class, joined on the podium by Lisa Ankeny and Rena Worden.

Finally, the top three juniors, respectively, were Colt Hoyle, Neve Aberham and Thomas Rozsypalek.

The series returns to action on Saturday, May 24, in North Vancouver for Wade's Excellent Adventure.

Meanwhile, some local youth riders were winners over the weekend in Penticton at the first B.C. Cup enduro. Georgia Astle won the junior women's race, while Conrad Murdoch was the top junior male.

THREE WMSC ALUMS ON NATIONAL TEAM

Whistler Mountain Ski Club alumni Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Robbie Dixon and Morgan Pridy will make up the resort's contingent on the Canadian Alpine Ski Team for the 2014-15 season.

Alpine Canada released next year's national team roster last week, naming a total of 18 athletes to the squad. Last year, there were five WMSC products on the team, but Mike Janyk has retired, and Conrad Pridy was not selected back to the team.

The elder Pridy brother has three top-30 World Cup results over the last three seasons, all in downhill. But the 25-year-old did not meet national team criteria for next season.

In a statement released by Alpine Canada, Conrad said he intends to continue racing.

"This past season didn't go as planned, but I know what I'm capable of and I want to keep skiing," said Conrad. "My plan for next year is to train hard this summer and, come November, be ready to give it one more kick at the can."

Whistler-trained skier Ford Swette, meanwhile, has been invited to train with the national team this year.

SPIRIT OF SARAH WINNER SELECTED

A Vernon skier has been selected as the recipient of this year's Spirit of Sarah Scholarship, created in 2012 to honour the memory of late freestyle ski champion Sarah Burke.

Elena Gaskell, 12, will receive a free, full package camp this summer with Whistler's Momentum Ski Camps, having been chosen by a panel that includes Burke's mother, husband Rory Bushfield and Momentum director John Smart.

"I am so grateful and excited for this opportunity," Gaskell said in a release. "Sarah is just such a big inspiration and to be chosen to win a scholarship that is in memory of Sarah means so much."

This past winter, Gaskell won age-group titles in big air at the junior national championships, and in slopestyle at the provincial championships.

CRUD 2 MUD COMING

The Crud 2 Mud Downhill returns to Whistler Mountain on Saturday, May 24, celebrating the seasonal overlap with a fun-filled race.

Competitors ski or snowboard the top half of the course, then cycle through the Whistler Mountain Bike Park the rest of the way to the finish.

"With the recent warm temperatures, the Crud 2 Mud course is looking incredible and will definitely put Whistler's multi-sport athletes to the test," said Seb Fremont, Whistler Blackcomb's events supervisor, in a release.

The race can be completed solo or as a team. Participants should be intermediate to expert-level skiers and bikers, due to conditions.

Registration remains open at bike.whistlerblackcomb.com until 2 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Visit the site for full race details.