The Enquist Slalom is one of the longest running youth races in Western Canada, celebrating its 75 th anniversary last weekend at Mount Seymour – which has hosted the Enquist since 1936. The only exception was last season, when the race was moved to Whistler due to the lack of snow in the Lower Mainland mountains.
Although the race was back at Seymour, the Whistler K2 skiers (ages 13-14) still made themselves at home by taking nine out of a possible 12 podium spots.
"These results just confirm we are doing the right thing up on the training hill," said Whistler Mountain Ski Club head coach Jeff MacLennan.
The course was tricky, resulting in 14 DNF’s in the first men’s race on Saturday.
On Saturday Ian Morrison took the win for the WMSC, followed by teammates Alexander Binks and Patrick Taillefer. Simon Timoshenko was 10 th overall, but eighth in the K2 category.
Brynne Benbow was the top female finishing just over a second ahead of teammate Madison McLeish. Alecia Willis was third, Nancy Bayly fifth, Heidi Mah sixth, Lindsey Jones seventh, Bria Darlington eighth and Nikki Wilmot 10 th among the K2 racers.
Leading the WMSC charge on Sunday, Alexander Binks was first by almost three full seconds, followed by teammate Isaac Penn in second. Simon Timoshenko was fifth and Eric Holler sixth to wrap up the top-10.
In the women’s event Brynne Benbow took the top spot, more than four seconds ahead of teammate Alecia Willis. Madison McLeish was third, while Heidi Mah finished a close sixth.
At the end of the weekend, the Harold Enquist Memorial Trophy, named after the race founder, was presented to the WMSC’s Alexander Binks. Brynne Benow took the Enquist President’s Trophy, which dates back to 1936, for the second year in a row. She also follows her older sisters, Kayla and Kendall, who also won the trophy in their day.
The special trophies were awarded to the athletes with the lowest combined time over two days of racing.
