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Sliders wrap seasons at WSC

Sports briefs: Charity ride seeks hosts; Kawano strong at nationals; Hit & Run at WB this weekend
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PROVINCIAL CHAMPS L-R Jane Channell, Elisabeth Vathje and Madison Charney were the top three women's skeleton competitors at the BCBSA provincial championships at Whistler Sliding Centre over the weekend. Photo submitted

Three national team athletes headlined the women's skeleton draw at the B.C. Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association's provincial championships on March 19 and 20.

Calgary's Elisabeth Vathje held off hometown hero Jane Channell with a four-run time of three minutes, 39.68 seconds (3:39.68). Channell was 1.59 seconds back and Madison Charney was 3.45 seconds behind.

On the men's side, B.C. team athlete Mitch McCullough won with a 3:37.97 time, trailed by national team athlete Greg Rafter (0.98 seconds back) and Alberta's Alexis Morris (3.25 seconds back).

In the youth consistency races, where sliders seek to minimize the difference between each attempt, Albertan Carter Malyk took the win with only 0.69 seconds of difference between his runs. B.C. athletes Simone Slipper and Kaitlyn Tucker rounded out the podium.

In the bobsleigh events, Alberta's Christine DeBruin finished in 3:41.07 to edge B.C.'s Julie Johnson by 1.32 seconds.

In the closest race of the weekend, local youth pilot Parker Reid and brakeman Daniel Scheu finished in a time of 3:37.01 to eke out the win by 0.11 seconds over Canadian athletes Jeff McKeen and Jason Oliveri. Local pilot Francis Chiasson and partner Elias Arcondoulis were third, 4.20 seconds back.

Charity riders seek hosts

A group of American cyclists planning on pedalling from Deadhorse, Alaska, to Key West, Florida, is set to pass through Whistler later this year.

And they're looking for a place to rest their heads when they're here.

The four riders in the Patrick Rides On challenge will begin the 8,000-mile (12,874-kilometre) ride in the middle of summer, though the exact kickoff hasn't exactly been determined.

"Our departure date is at the earliest late July and at the latest mid-August. We would expect to be in B.C. and around Whistler during late September, although we will have more concrete details by the end of spring," rider Rachel Hartsell wrote in an email.

The team is riding in memory of Patrick Wanninkhof, who was killed by a distracted driver while participating in a charity ride last summer. In addition to grieving and sharing stories of his life, the group is also fundraising so it can teach low-income youth and adults to cycle.

Those interested in hosting can contact the team at patrickrideson@gmail.com. The team's website is www.pro8000.com.

Kawano strong at nationals

Pemberton's Kaede Kawano let the country know she's coming for them.

The Sea to Sky Nordics biathlete finished in the top 10 at the Canadian Biathlon Championships in Valcartier, Que.

She started with a seventh-place finish in the six-kilometre senior girls sprint and ninth in the 7.5-kilometre pursuit. She slipped a bit in her final event of the weekend, the 7.5-kilometre individual event, placing 23rd.

D.C. Hit & Run finale slated for this weekend

The third final stop of the D.C. Hit & Run banked slopestyle tour will grace Whistler Blackcomb this weekend.

The event will bring intermediate and advanced park snowboarders to the resort to compete in men youth (15 and under), men open (16 and over), men pro and women pro categories.

Whistler Blackcomb terrain parks manager Brian Finestone is excited to see the combination of slopestyle hits and banked slalom turns come to the mountain.

"We are super excited to be the host resort for the last stop of the DC Hit & Run event," Finestone said in a release. "It's the ultimate combo of speed and park skills so I'm looking forward to seeing the cross-section of riders we attract. You are going to have to be fast but style will have a major impact on times, so we will see who can do it all."

The riders will receive a time score, but will receive time deductions after judges consider the difficulty and execution of their moves on the course.

Registration costs $45 and can be completed online at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/hitandrun.