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Local trampolinists have best meet yet

Sports Briefs: Whistler Gymnastics athletes earn 16 medals at B.C. Championships
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TRAMP CHAMPS Whistler Gymnastics trampolinists were all over the podium during last weekend's B.C. Championships in Abbotsford. photo submitted

Whistler Gymnastics trampoline athletes had their most successful meet ever this past weekend, picking a good event at which to do it — the Gymnastics B.C. Championships.

The eight trampolinists brought home 16 medals between them at the event held March 28 to 30 in Abbotsford.

Jett Williams and Matthew Roth-Wallman both had three podium finishes during the competition, including the golds they earned when teaming up in synchronized trampoline. Williams added a second-place finish solo on the trampoline and another runner-up result on the tumble floor. Roth-Wallman grabbed a silver in double mini and bronze in trampoline.

Sydney Lovell-Schmidt and Caitlin MacConnachie were a silver medal-winning team in synchronized competition, as were Joe Davies and Stephen Lindsay-Ross in the boys' event. Lovell-Schmidt and teammate Gigi Kranjc also posted a one-two finish in the Level 2 double mini event, and MacConnachie claimed gold in Level 3 tumbling and a bronze in double mini.

Davies, who competes at the highest provincial level, earned silvers in trampoline and double mini and is approaching national levels with his results. Kierstin Higgins had an impressive event as well when moving up a level to compete in Abbotsford.

The team competes at the Western Canadian Championships in Calgary later this month.

SKI CLUB, HILL ACADEMY PARTNERING UP

The Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) and The Hill Academy Pacific have struck a partnership that will allow students at the future Pemberton school to pursue their studies while participating in a high performance alpine ski program.

The athletics-focused academy, which is on track to open for the 2015-16 school year, will offer students the chance to train with the WMSC while taking classes geared towards post-secondary success and benefitting from sport-specific conditioning, said a March 24 press release.

"We are thrilled to be working with the Whistler Mountain Ski Club," said Hill Academy CEO Peter Merrill in the release. "Our discussions so far have shown the philosophies of each organization to be complementary."

Sea to Sky students will be able to attend classes as day students; boarding will be available for those coming from further away.

"WMSC sees this as an important step in supporting the correct balance of academics with athletics," said Nigel Loring, the club's executive director. "We believe this will be a winning combination."

SKIERS SECURE MEDALS AT SUN PEAKS

The WMSC's U12 competitors came out of the Hub International Nancy Greene Festival last month with a number of top finishes.

The local club's skiers were among more than 500 athletes who headed to Sun Peaks for the event held March 21 and 22.

Whistler's 2002-born boys were dominant, sweeping the podium in the dual glalom and kombi races. Tait Jordan led the way with podium finishes in all five events, including wins in the kombi and moguls tests. Skylar Beauregard won the glalom as part of his three-medal weekend, while Ethan Shandro had bronze and silver in the glalom and kombi. The jump challenge was also a good one for Whistler, with Beauregard and Alexander Katrusiak tying for second, and Jordan, Jackson Ferguson and Brendan Moss tying for third.

The 2002 girls were impressive as well, with Alexandra Chartrand taking glalom gold and kombi silver. Vera Bulowski and Una Brudar were second and third, respectively, in glalom to make it a Whistler sweep, while Tara Brudar and Lauren Van Vliet tying for silver on the jump.

In 2003-born girls' competition, Whistler skiers showed they're the fastest, with Holly Clark, Gabbi Novak and Jamie Border sharing the top time through the speed trap at 77 km/h. Sierra Haziza, Danika Boucher and Jaden Dawson all matched the third-fastest speeds of the day. Haziza also won the glalom, and finished third on the jump while Dawson placed second.

Matthias Shorter led Whistler's 2003 boys with a glalom victory. Graham Seltzer took silvers from the jump and speed events. David Wood and Jonathan Chartrand had podium finishes in the speed trap competition, too.

WORCA REGISTRATION OPEN

Registration for Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) memberships and the club's summer youth Dirt Camps opened for the season on April 1. Memberships to the mountain biking association are $50 for adults, $25 for teens and $15 for children 12 and under.

There are nine week-long camp dates to choose from during the summer months, and participants must have a WORCA membership to participate. Camp registration and more information can be found at www.worca.com, while memberships can be purchased online or at any WORCA event during the season.

Some other important WORCA dates are coming up: The annual Bike Swap is scheduled for April 26 at Whistler Olympic Plaza, and the first Toonie Ride of 2014 will take place on May 1.