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Sports briefs

Girls U12 soccer team takes the Cup

 

Whistler's Under 12 girls soccer team wrapped up its season on Sunday with a 1-0 win over the West Vancouver Wildcats, clinching the North Shore District Community Cup.

The Community Cup is a nine-on-nine player elimination tournament for teams in North and West Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Sea to Sky, with games getting underway in the fall and weekly matchups between teams.

"The girls played hard from the first whistle and it was clear early on that it was going to be tough to break down either defence," wrote coach Andrew Ellott. "The girls were disciplined and organized, using the full width of the field in midfield and defending well at the back. Always looking for opportunities to break on the counterattack."

Whistler scored at the 20-minute mark of the first 30-minute half, and play was back and forth through the second half. The intensity picked up in the last few minutes of the game with lapses on both sides of the field, but Whistler hung on to win the tournament.

The team was comprised of Eve von Rosen, Stephany Derynk, Rhegan Williamson, Stefanie Tomcheck, Arnica Wight, Nicola MacDonald, Shannon Isnardy, Daisy Andrew, Savanna Ellott and Caleigh Lamont. Coaches were Andrew Ellott and Mike Tomcheck.

 

Park Rider Session underway

The Park Rider Sessions presented by Telus are hosting a rail jump on Sunday, Dec. 12 on Whistler Mountain - the first of five Park Rider events planned for the season. Skiers and boarders of all ages are welcome to take part.

Early registration is available at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations for $29 including HST, with the price going up to $35 if you register on event day. Last minute registration is available from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. in the Roundhouse Lodge, with a 10 a.m. rider meeting and a 10:30 a.m. start.

Because it's a jam format the riders can take as many runs as they can hike during the contest, after which point the judges will crown the winners in each category.

There are prizes available to the top skiers and riders and all participants are eligible to win prizes from event sponsors. The post-race party is at 4 p.m. at 18 Below, Blackcomb Base II.

 

Kokanee Valley Race Series returns next week

Thursday, Dec. 16 will mark the beginning of another local race season with the opening giant slalom of the eight-race Kokanee Valley Race Series.

You must be 19 or older to take part. Advance registration is available at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations desks around the village for $29.

Day of race registration for the first event - at a location which is yet to be determined - will be available for $35 either in the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb or in the trailer at the top of the Garbanzo Chair on Whistler Mountain.

You can also buy a pass for all eight races for $196, which can save you between $36 and $84 for the season.

Skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers of all abilities are welcome to participate in what is essentially a professionally set course and split-second timed race. It's also good training if you're participating in the annual Peak to Valley Race in February.

 

Test of Metal sells out early entries

The locals-only entry to the 2011 Test of Metal sold out in just under three hours on the evening of Dec. 1, with 200 Sea to Sky residents scooping up all the available spots in the 67 km bike race.

If you didn't get into the race that way, there's always the general registration on the evening on Jan. 1. Registration will go live at Jan. 1, 2011, with spots going on a first-come, first served basis.

Organizers have extended registration to 1,000 riders this year, to bring the total to 1,200 including locals. Still, you'll have to be fast, as last year the 800 available spots sold out in a record 25 minutes.

It pays to have a strategy. Participants can register up to four names at once, so it's a good idea to join forces with friends at a location with a fast Internet connection and to try, try again until someone gets through.

Another good idea is to type out names and other registration data beforehand, like your address, e-mail phone number and credit card information, so you can quickly cut and paste the names into the fields before clicking the registration button.

The cost is $75 to sign up and entry fees are non-refundable. Once again there are no wait lists - organizers are expecting about 20 per cent of riders to drop out, so just over 800 will be on the start line.

The other way to get into the race is to go pro, as pro elite athletes can sign up at any time before the start of the race.

The event gets underway on June 18 at 11 a.m., with a staggered start. Riders will be asked to seed themselves based on their estimated finish time, and will leave in waves to prevent riders from bunching up on the first section of singletrack. The race includes over 30 km of singletrack, including the very technical Powerhouse Plunge.

For more information visit www.testofmetal.com.


Squamish Tri registration underway

The Squamish Triathlon: A Memorial to Bob McIntosh, is starting registration a bit early this year. Registration opened this week, with a new gift program called "Fitness for Christmas" - instead of socks this year, you can give someone an entry into the Olympic distance triathlon.

There are 100 Fitness for Christmas spots available in the triathlon, which caps participation at 500 racers. The Fitness for Christmas rates are in effect until Jan. 2, and start at $80 for solo adults. Youth 18 and 19 are $60, and you can enter a team of three for $152 or a team of two for $98. TriBC members also receive an additional discount.

The 2011 edition of the race - which includes a 1,500 metre swim on Alice Lake, 37 km road ride around Brackendale and a 10 km trail run - takes place on Sunday, July 10.

For more information or registration, visit www.squamishtriathlon.org.

 

Wolfpack takes it to Grandview

Things finally went the Squamish Wolfpack's way on Saturday, as the team battled to a 5-4 shootout win over Grandview - their first win in 18 games.

The Wolfpack opened the scoring with a power play goal by Brady Bjornson, with Grandview tying the game at 1-1 later in the period on a short-handed goal.

Grandview then took the lead early in the second period, but the Wolfpack answered back four minutes later with the team's second powerplay. This time Jacob Bergeron pulled the trigger.

The two teams traded goals in the third period, with Dean Wilson and Mico Dragutinovic chipping in for Squamish, while Grandview scored two powerplay goals of their own.

That led to a pair of scoreless overtime periods and the Wolfpack's fifth shootout of the season. Wolfpack goalie Johann Peterson stopped six out of seven shots, while Garrett Woodside and Benjamin McWilliams scored for the Wolfpack to take the win.

It was a rough game with 15 penalties, nine for Squamish and six for Grandview.

The Wolfpack was back in action on Tuesday night, visiting the first place Delta Ice Hawks at their home arena in Ladner.

This Saturday the Pack will play host to the Ridge Meadows Flames, with the puck dropping at 7:15 p.m. at Brennan Park. Admission is $8 or $5 for students and seniors.

On Sunday, the team will zip down to Burnaby Winter Club to play Grandview.

 

Whistler Mountain Ski Club hosting opener

On Dec. 18-19 the Whistler Mountain Ski Club will be hosting the season opener for the Teck Coast Zone Cup, an event that's open to clubs from the Lower Mainland and Mt. Washington. For many K1 athletes (age 11 and 12) it will be their first formal competition, while experienced K2 athletes will be chasing zone and provincial titles, as well as spots in the national championships and a chance to represent Canada in the international Whistler Cup races in April.

On Dec. 18, skiers will take part in a one-run giant slalom race. On Dec. 19, the poles are moved closer together for the opening slalom.

The event is looking for a few volunteers to help out. Contact volunteers@wmsc.info if you can help out.