Whistler’s FIS skiers held their own against a strong core of experienced skiers from across the country this week as a week-long Pontiac GMC Cup series kicked off at Apex Mountain in Penticton.
In the first day of racing on Tuesday, a pair of Whistler skiers made the podium. Charlotte Whitney and Alison Leighton of Whistler and the B.C. Ski Team were second and third overall with times of 1:21.80 and 1:22.14 – hot on the heals of winner Janelle Miller of Lethbridge, Alberta.
"In the race I made some big mistakes such as dropping my hands down," said Whitney, who has been nursing an ankle she sprained two weeks ago in training. "But I still ended up with a good result. I’ll clean up my skiing and give a little more (on Wednesday) which can hopefully put me on the top step on the podium."
Leighton, the winner of the juvenile super G crown over the weekend, was solid once again.
"I was pretty good at the top but arrived too late in the steep sections and had to let it run out on the flats," she said. "I’ll definitely have more to give tomorrow."
Also from Whistler, Jillian McArthur was 19 th , Shannon Smith 24 th and Alix Browne-Munz 28 th . Julia Murray and Kendall Benbow were among the nine skiers out of 45 starters who didn’t finish in the challenging overcast and snowy conditions.
In the men’s GS, the top spot went to 16-year-old Brett Haney of Calgary, his first win on the national circuit. His time of 1:18.41 edged out Graham Kraft of Vernon’s 1:18.52 and Trevor Conroy of Truro, Nova Scotia’s 1:18.71.
Whistler’s Ben Chaddock finished just off the podium with a time of 1:18.95. Other Whistler skiers include Chris Colpitts in 10 th , 15-year-old’s Matthew Holler and Conrad Pridy in 19 th and 34 th , and J.D. McLean in 46 th . More than 80 male racers took part.
The Pontiac Cup races continued this week and through the weekend.
