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Sports Briefs: Final King of the Rail

Gymnasts qualify for high school championship
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Although there's still a good three months left until closing day, local event series are starting to wind up. There's just one KVRS event remaining, just one of the Telus Park Rider Sessions, and just one Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard Cross. And the last King of the Rail contest took place this Saturday (Mar. 3), under the lights at the base of Whistler Mountain.

The set-up was been different for every event this year, but skiers and riders had a choice of at least two features or two lines.

The athletes themselves judged the event, as always, and the winner in each age category won a cash prizes based on the number of entries. An official judge kept the voting honest and kept track of the votes.

As well, participants were eligible to win draw prizes from event sponsors.

Check Thursday's edition of Pique for full results coverage.

Gymnasts qualify for high school championship

The Whistler Gymnastics Club has had a busy few weeks, including a trampoline competition this past weekend and the B.C. High School zone trials the weekend before.

In the trampoline competition, Archie Mahoney was second in trampoline and sixth in double mini tramp. Joe Davies was second in trampoline and seventh in double mini. For the girls, Sydney Lowell-Schmidt was 11th in trampoline and eighth in double mini while Jamie Gormley was 12th in tramp and 17th in double mini.

In the high school trials, all of the Whistler Secondary Storm Troupe girls qualified to attend the championships on Mar. 18 in Burnaby.

In Level 4, Keeley Wentzel finished with a silver medal on vault and a bronze on beam and floor to place second all around. Rebecca Flynn won a gold on bars, silver on floor, bronze on vault and was fourth on beam to place third.

In High School Level 3, Charlotte Mahoney was second all around with a silver on beam and bronze on vault. Jasmin Budge won gold on floor and a bronze on bars to place fourth and Christina Saldat won a silver medal on the vault to place fifth.

Carly Mann and Ellie Krasny were not at the event, but also qualified based on other results.

In Pique's coverage of the North Shore Invitational, we missed the Level 2 Tyro team. Caleigh Lamont was fourth all around after placing fourth on vault, beam and floor. Hannah Peatfield was sixth all around with a gold on the vault, Cassias Jean was eighth all around and Leah Brownlie was 12th.

Zumba comes to Whistler

While the Zumba dance workout fad has caught on like wildfire around the fitness universe, it's been slow coming to Whistler. That has changed as of today (Mar. 3). The first Zumba Master Class took place at Myrtle Philip school from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Nordics twoonie season winding down

Friday night's Whistler Nordics Twoonie Race (Mar. 1) marked the second-to-last twoonie event of the season.

The race will featured a loop of trails in Lost Lake, with different courses based on age and ability. Headlamps were required.

The cost to participate in the races is $2 for Whistler Nordics members and a special Try a Toonie rate of $10 is available for non-members.

Two snowcross events in the books, one to go

The second of three Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard Cross events took place this past weekend, this time with the field limited to skiers and riders aged 14 and up.

The race took place at the permanent cross course on Blackcomb and soft conditions with a powder day during qualifiers on Saturday and soft-packed snow on Sunday (Feb. 26).

In Ski Male 17-plus it was Robert Lepine in first place, followed by Tyler Murray, Jacob Lepine and Tenney Willkins. Parker Schwinghammer won the consolation final.

Sarah Lepinje was first in the Ski Female Open race, followed by Antonia Wearmouth, Cassandra Mah and Cassidy Deane. Kyra Groll won the consolation.

In Ski Male 14 to 16 there were just four entries so the racers faced off twice and results were added up to determine the final ranking. Jack Iles won both rounds to place first overall. The other three racers each earned six points, so the qualifier times were counted — JJ DeJong was second, Barclay Des Jardins third and David Lepine fourth.

In Snowboard Male Open the win went to Gordon Bruce, followed by Travis Friesen, Dennis Laenen and Brent Nile. Trevor Mylrea was first in the consolation.

There were just four athletes in Snowboard Female Open. Meryeta O'Dine won both races to place first, while Jacqui Sandland was second in both events. Sutikem Bikadi and Ellody Spike-Porter were both third and fourth in the two heats, but Bikadi got the third place result with the faster qualifier time.

The final cross of the season is Mar. 17-18, and is reserved to racers aged 13 and under.

It's a two-day event, with training and qualifiers on Saturday, followed by more training and the finals brackets on Sunday.

Early registration is $44.80 both online and in person at Guest Relations, and day-of-race registration — if spots are available — is at the Rendezvous Lodge for $50.

Helmets are mandatory, mouthguards are recommended. All participants need a waiver signed by a parent or guardian.

Rochon holds onto bib

Quebec's Olivier Rochon was back in form at the World Cup aerials competition in Minsk, Belarus last weekend, placing just off the podium in fourth place. To date he's earned four podiums for Canada, enough to rank first overall in the aerials rankings.

"I was sick all day and didn't eat," said Rochon after the event. "So I had soft legs, and the jump was soft, too — I think that's why I missed my takeoff (in the superfinal)."

After Minsk, and with just two events remaining on the schedule, Rochon has a comfortable lead in the standings with 454 points, followed by Thomas Lambert of Switzerland with 348 and Zongyang Jia of China with 336.

At this point the Canadian Freestyle Ski team looks like it will win at least two overall crystal globes — Rochon in aerials (barring any unforseen injuries) and Mikael Kingsbury in moguls. Canada is also in the running in ski cross, which is officially a freestyle discipline, and in events like ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle. Canada is also on pace to win its ninth overall Nations Cup Title in the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, B.C. mogul skier Andi Naude, based out of Whistler, is a shoo-in for the overall Nor-Am Cup title. This season she has two silver medals and four gold medals in eight events.