All photos by T. Hynd
Ski teams from around the Kootenay were at Whitewater Ski Resort last weekend for the Kootenay Zones for U12, U14, U16, U18, Masters GS and Slalom Races.
More than a hundred skiers from 10 to 72 years old raced in conditions that Whitewater ski team coach Dylan Henderson said were great for racing as the cold temperatures made for hard snow, which makes for “fair races due to a consistent track.”
Whitewater general manager Kirk Jensen started the races off by pre-running each coarse.
“You won’t see a general manger start off a race anywhere else,” said Henderson.
On Saturday the U12 and U14 were challenged by the tight gates at the bottom section of the second course set on Bonanza and as a result many racers did not finish. Several racers were demonstrating their cross-blocking techniques as they rounded the gates. Many racers refused to give up when they missed a gate, choosing to hike up to re-navigate the post to avoid disqualification.
Henderson said there are a couple of Whitewater Freeride Team athletes on the Whitewater Ski Team this year. “It is becoming well known that a good alpine ski racer makes for a strong Freeride athlete,” said Henderson. “Whitewater is known for its big mountain culture of powder skiers but there is a certain level of ski race culture starting to build. The whitewater ski team did borrow some Freeride Big Mountain culture and were successful this weekend due in part to their pre-run power stance where they were breathing in the power of the mountains and breathing out the butterfly’s.”
“We have a very strong field of racers in our Kootenay Zone that will go on to Provincial series races this weekend for U16 at Red Mountain and for U14 at Silver Star in February.”
Ski teams from Kimberley, Fernie, Trail, Rossland, Golden and two skiers from Lake Louise participated.
The next Kootenay Zone race will be a Giant Slalom in Kimberley January 31 to February 1.
Race highlights for the Whitewater Ski Team
U12 -Liam Lazier was the top male U12 skier with two sixth places and a seventh, while Sophie Hickerson led the U12 females with a second place finish and two third places finishes.
U14-Yael Oosthuizen had first and second place finishes on Saturday and sixth and seventh on Sunday. Kiley Waterfield placed fifth, 12,14, 15 in the female division.
U16/Masters saw Bobby Swan take two second places, followed by Noah Gaffran and Liegh Brousson. In the female division, Oso Punchard placed second on both days.
Whitewater Ski Team Results
U12
Saturday Race 1:
Male: LAZIER LIAM-6, SWETLAND RIVER-12, SOLLID EDAN-15, LESSARD KIAN-16, KELLY RYAN-18
Female:Aliza Jones-3, Sophie Hickson-5,Sierra Pardoe-9, Lauren Robertson-10, MARECHAL NEEVA-15, SHAPOVALOVA NARAYANI-16, ROBERTSON ANA-18, MURRAY RHIANNON-19
Saturday Race 2:
Male: LAZIER LIAM-7, JENSEN BRODIE-11, SOLLID EDAN-16, SWETLAND RIVER-17, LESSARD KIAN-21
Female: HICKSON SOPHIE-2, JONES ALIZA-5, ROBERTSON LAUREN-6, PARDOE SIERRA-9, MARECHAL NEEVA-15, SHAPOVALOVA NARAYANI-16, ROBERTSON ANA-17
Sunday Race 1:
Male: LAZIER LIAM-5, JENSEN BRODIE-7, KELLY RYAN-11, SOLLID EDAN-13, SWETLAND RIVER-14, LESSARD KIAN-20
Female: HICKSON SOPHIE-3, JONES ALIZA-5, ROBERTSON LAUREN-7, PARDOE SIERRA-9, SHAPOVALOVA NARAYANI-13, MARECHAL NEEVA-14, ROBERTSON ANA-16, MURRAY RHIANNON-17
Sunday Race 2:
Male: LAZIER LIAM-6, SWETLAND RIVER-12, SOLLID EDAN-13, LESSARD KIAN-14
Female: HICKSON SOPHIE-3, PARDOE SIERRA-5, ROBERTSON LAUREN-6, SHAPOVALOVA NARAYANI-11, MARECHAL NEEVA-13, MURRAY RHIANNON-15, ROBERTSON ANA-16
U14
Saturday Race 1:
Male: OOSTHUIZEN Yael-2, WATERFIELD Garrett-7, LEISHMAN Henry-8, BELLMAN Troy-9, GAFFRAN Nathan-10, MEASURES Tao-11, DIGIACOMO Kell-18, LAWRENCE-JEFFERY Chris-19,
Female: WATERFIELD Kiley-15, LEWANDOWSKI Gretchen-22, VANDERHOLT Hanna-23,
Saturday Race 2:
Male: OOSTHUIZEN Yael-1, BELLMAN Troy-5, MEASURES Tao-6, LAWRENCE-JEFFERY Chris-11, DIGIACOMO Kell-12, GAFFRAN Nathan-16
Female: WATERFIELD Kiley-5, MURRAY Zarah-9, LEWANDOWSKI Gretchen-16, VANDERHOLT Hanna-18
Sunday Race 1:
Male: OOSTHUIZEN Yael-6, LEISHMAN Henry-8, WATERFIELD Garrett-9, BELLMAN Troy-13, LAWRENCE-JEFFERY Chris-17, DIGIACOMO Kell-19
Female: WATERFIELD Kiley-12, MURRAY Zarah-17, LEWANDOWSKI Gretchen-24
Sunday Race 2:
Male: OOSTHUIZEN Yael-7, WATERFIELD Garrett-9, DIGIACOMO Kell-19, GAFFRAN Nathan-20
Female: WATERFIELD Kiley-14, MURRAY Zarah-18, LEWANDOWSKI Gretchen-24
U16/MA
Saturday
Male: SWAN Bobby-2, GAFFRAN Noah-3
Female: PUNCHARD Oso-2
Sunday
Male: SWAN Bobby-2, BROUSSON Liegh-3, GAFFRAN Noah-4
Female: PUNCHARD Oso-2