The Whistler Mountain Ski Club continued to build its reputation as one of the top racing clubs in the Canada last week as a group of Whistler athletes excelled in the Merrill Lynch K2 Series Canadian Juvenile Champions against the top clubs in Canada.
The championships, which included giant slalom, slalom and super G disciplines, were held at Panorama last week, from March 19 to 23. K2 skiers are 13 and 14 years old.
In the women’s GS on March 19, Whistler’s Kendall Benbow finished just 0.05 seconds back of silver medallist Melissa Yarmaloy, and less than 0.7 seconds back of Carmel McElroy, both representing the National Alpine Training Centre in Alberta.
Alison Leighton and Vanessa Disler cracked the top 30 for the WMSC, finishing 16 th and 30 th respectively. Danielle Robson, Keely Coxon and Julia Murray also participated for Whistler.
The men’s GS went to Hugo-Olivier Cleary from Mont Orford, Quebec, followed by Tyler Nella of Georgian Peaks, Ontario, and Francis Fortin-Houle of Val St-Come, Quebec.
Matthew Holler was the top entry from Whistler, finishing ninth. Taylor Self also raced, finishing 40 th out of almost 80 skiers.
In the women’s slalom on the following day, Yarmaloy was first, followed by Kristen Timus of Searchmont, Ontario, and Cynthia Tessler of Val St-Come.
Kendall Benbow was fifth for Whistler, Danielle Robson was eighth, Alison Leighton 20 th , Julia Murray 24 th , and Keely Coxon 40 th out of almost 60 racers.
The men’s slalom went to Paul Atkinson of Craigleith, Ontario, followed by Simon Mannella of the Calgary Olympic Park in Alberta, and Calvin White from the National Alpine Training Centre.
Darren Chaddock was 11 th for Whistler. Taylor Self also raced, as did Holler who was a DNF.
In the women’s super G, Yarmaloy was back on top of the podium, followed by McElroy, and Erica Watts of Camp Fortune, Quebec. Benbow was eighth for Whistler, Leighton 26 th , Robson 43 rd , Coxon 45 th , and Disler 54 th .
The men’s super G went to Ryan Foote of Snow Valley, Ontario. His teammate, Taylor Wronko was third. Second place went to Calvin White of the National Alpine Training Centre.
Holler was 12 th for the WMSC, and the only Whistler skier to crack the top 30. Darren Chaddock came close, and Self landed in the middle of the pack.
