Whistler Mountain Ski Club products Broderick Thompson and Ford Swette finished up the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships on Wednesday, March 5 in Slovakia after posting some solid results during a week of racing.
Thompson, who was making his second trip to junior worlds, earned his best finish in the men's downhill at Jasna on March 2 when he finished 27th. The 19-year-old was the first of more than 90 skiers in the field to start, and he clocked a time that was 1.32 seconds off the winning pace.
Thompson also placed 52nd in the super-G, but was unable to complete the slalom, giant slalom and combined.
Swette posted the top Canadian result in the men's GS, finishing 18th in a race that was won by Olympic bronze medallist Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway. Swette finished 4.36 seconds back of Kristoffersen to earn his best individual result in three trips to the junior world championships. He skied out in the slalom Wednesday to end the event.
WHISTLER SKIERS CLAIM GROUSE TYEE CUP TITLES
Alexandra Chartrand and Skylar Beauregard from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club were the racers to beat when the club's U12 skiers participated in the Grouse Tyee Cup on March 1 and 2.
Chartrand was the top female skier and Beauregard the best male competitor after four races held over the two days. Chartrand topped the girls' field by collecting three gold medals and one silver, while Beauregard finished his weekend with two gold and a bronze.
Several other Whistler skiers turned in impressive performances at the event, which drew more than 120 racers from around the Coast Zone. Whistler's Freya Jumonville finished on the podium in all four girls' races, while Una and Tara Brudar each recorded three top-10 finishes. Sierra Haziza also reached the top 10 three times, while Lauren Van Vliet and Jaden Dawson were among some of the other Whistler standouts.
Beauregard had several teammates joining him among the top finishers in the boys' races. Ethan Shandro earned one victory and two silver medals during the weekend, while Tait Jordan's kombi silver was just one of his four top-10 results. David Lee, Graham Seltzer, Curtis Jepsen and Matthias Shorter each had at least one top-10 finish during the set of races.
The Whistler club's U12 skiers are back in action this weekend for the Interzone Championships, running March 8 and 9 at Big White.
DEVILS VYING FOR B.C. BASKETBALL CROWN
The Pemberton Secondary School Red Devils senior boys' basketball team is vying for a provincial title this week at the B.C. High Schools 'A' Championships taking place in Langley.
By winning the Howe Sound zone title two weeks ago, the team earned a spot in the 16-team tournament that got underway Wednesday, March 5 and continues until Saturday, March 8.
The Devils were assigned the No. 13 seed for the championship and faced Vancouver's St. Patrick's Regional Secondary School at Trinity Western University on Wednesday afternoon to open the bracket, but results were not available at press time.
Visit www.langleyeventscentre.com for full provincial championship details.
KVRS CONTINUES WITH SUPER-G
More than 50 competitors took on a super-G course on Whistler Mountain when the Kokanee Valley Race Series continued Feb. 27.
Skiers took two runs each on the Ptarmigan run, with their best time counting as their official finish for the day. John Muzillo's second run of one minute, 24.71 seconds ended up being the fastest of the day, and it powered him to victory in the mens' 50 to 59 age group.
Other men's group winners included Ian Stirk (19 to 29), Daniel Moore (30 to 39), Tony Bachler (40 to 49), Peter Lyall (60 to 69), Lloyd Henderson (70 to 79) and Hugh Berwick (telemark).
Liz Thompson set the fastest women's time for the race, finishing in 1:28.60 and claiming a win in the 40 to 49 division. Grace Oaks (70-plus), Barbara Walker (60 to 69), Sanae Tanaka (50 to 59), Corrine Stoltz (30 to 39) and Hannah McIntyre (19 to 29) were the other women's age group winners.
The series picks up again March 13 with a GS on Blackcomb.
Meanwhile, Whistler Blackcomb also hosted a King of the Rail contest at the village base of Whistler Mountain on Saturday, March 1, but results had not been posted at press time. Another King of the Rail takes place this Saturday, March 8. Visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events for more information.
