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Whistlerites make Alpine Canada squad

Sports briefs: Crud 2 Mud race cancelled; BMX Park receives boost
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SILVER BULLET Whistler Mountain Ski Club's Brodie Seger was named to the Alpine Canada national team for 2016-17. Photo by Steve Fleckenstein

Whistler will be well represented in Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) gear next season.

The organization revealed its 2016-17 squad on May 16 with many Whistler Mountain Ski Club alums on board.

On the men's team, Brodie Seger of North Vancouver is a new addition while Whistler's Broderick Thompson, Jack Crawford of Toronto and Manny Osborne-Paradis of Vancouver will all be back. Rounding out the team are Phil Brown, Dustin Cook, Erik Guay, Morgan Megarry, Trevor Philp, Erik Read, Benjamin Thomsen and Tyler Werry.

The women's team is once again entirely made of up Ontario and Quebec representatives, with Candace Crawford, Marie-Michèle Gagnon, Valérie Grenier, Erin Mielzynski, Laurence St. Germain and Mikaela Tommy comprising the squad.

On the development team, WMSC members Stefanie Fleckenstein and Riley Seger will suit up this winter, joining Simon Fournier, Sam Mulligan, Huston Philp, Jeffrey Read, Ali Nullneyer, Amelia Smart and Marina Vilanova.

Marielle Thompson will once again headline the women's ski-cross team with Kelsey Serwa and Georgia Simmerling while Chris Del Bosco, Kevin Drury, Dave Duncan, Mathieu Leduc and Brady Leman will represent the men.

Lastly, the para-alpine team will welcome Squamish's Alex Cairns as well as Alexis Guimond, Braydon Luscombe, Mac Marcoux, Kurt Oatway and Kirk Schornstein for the men and Alana Ramsay and Erin Latimer for the women.

West Vancouver's Mollie Jespen, meanwhile, will be joined on the development team by Amanda Timm, Frederique Turgeon and Melissa Pemble.

In a release, ACA president and CEO Mark Rubenstein said he is excited with the team that was assembled.

"Every team member has demonstrated tremendous dedication, perseverance and talent," he said.

Three stalwarts in the starting blocks representing Canadian women will not return. Marie-Pier Prefontaine made the team, but announced her retirement on May 17. Larisa Yurkiw, after a career-best season, retired on May 12. Para-alpine racer Kimberly Joines also decided to hang up her skis earlier this month.

Crud 2 Mud cancelled

Ah, crud. A classic season-ender is off the calendar for 2016.

The Crud 2 Mud race, which traditionally transitions the resort from winter to summer, is cancelled. A Whistler Blackcomb representative explained in an email that the snow routes don't line up with access roads and there is no safe route organizers can design to make the race a go.

The race was scheduled for Saturday, May 21.

BMX Park receives boost from WB Foundation

The Whistler BMX Park currently under construction in Cheakamus Crossing received a needed shot in the arm this weekend.

The project received an additional $14,000 grant from the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation to help cover unanticipated expenses associated with the low Canadian dollar and trucking fees.

"Brian Finestone and the Whistler BMX Club's tenacity to get this track built is extraordinary. Countless volunteer hours and perseverance went in to make this dream a reality. The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation was a founding supporter by purchasing the start gate for the club and when we heard that there was a shortfall at the eleventh hour, we were happy to step up to help bring this project to fruition," WB Foundation executive director Mei McCurdy said in a release.

Volunteer fundraiser Dan Harmon explained how international economic conditions affected the club's plans.

"The weak Canadian dollar significantly increased our costs due to the fact that our start gate has to be sourced from the U.S.," Harmon said in the release.

Organizers also put out a call for volunteers to help rake, shape and compact dirt as well as for carpenters to help build a tool shed and a registration booth. Anyone interested in helping can get in touch through the Whistler BMX Facebook page or info@whistlerbmx.com.

Saints blanked in second game

The Whistler Saints had a strong defensive effort, but were kept out of the end zone in its second North Shore Spring Flag Football League contest.

The Saints fell 19-0 in North Vancouver to the Cardinals on May 14.

Kai Bacon earned game MVP honours while Josh McKenzie made six stops. Scott Aiken hauled in his second interception of the season, while Trenton Schumann made a pick as well. Leif Gascoigne also helped the defence, recording his second quarterback sack in as many weeks.