CROSS COUNTRY SKIING NEWS

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Relay Races Brings BC Games Nordic Events To Close

By Julie Melanson

The BC Winter Games cross country skiing wrapped up at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre Sunday with an exciting relay race involving athletes, coaches and a para-nordic racer.
Cold yet sunny conditions made for fast snow, and encouraged the racers to add a little speed to keep warm. Austin Reith, representing the Vancouver-Squamish Zone thought that the cold helped on the short course.

It was the first time that a para-nordic skier has raced in the cross country ski relay race at the BC Games. Emily Suchy joined the 'One Fish Two Fish' team representing Zone 2. "It was really cool because I got to ski with able bodied and I was on the track with other skiers, so I could try to challenge myself more. It was a challenging course, with a hard hill. It went down at the beginning and up at the end. It was a really cool experience. We really appreciate all of the volunteer work and everyone was really inviting."

The winning team, 'Mean Green Fighting' included Austin Reith, Annika Richardson, Katie Weaver and Rowan Morris finishing in a time of 23.54.6. Richardson, a 14-year-old from Vancouver won all three of her races and called the experience "really fun and had one the best experiences of her life. It was just so fun, the people and the races were all really fund and I had a really good time."

Richardson's team mate Weaver agreed with her. "BC Games was really fun, even though I got a lack of sleep from a lot of fun at the dance.  My best race was definitely the skate sprint yesterday. I won that and I had a really good race. I just like the BC Games because I was with all of my friends."

Gareth Williams, of the Zone 2 team,  'Hey Look a Squirrel' finished in the relay team just behind Reith. His spirits were high at the end of three days of racing. " It's pretty cool. Never done a race like this kind of thing, staying and getting bussed up, so it's been interesting. You're always with your competitors and talking to them, so different than other ski areas."

More Cross Country Skiing Quotes

Zone 5, Annika Richardson, Hollyburn, Vancouver
BC Games was really fun and I had one of the best experiences of my like. It was just so fun, the people and the races were all really fun and I had a really good time. I had some good races. I had three golds. I won all my races.  I definitely think the sprint (was the best) because sprint is not my best event and I had a really good start and I just kept up the lead.

Zone 5 - Katie Weaver, Hollyburn, Vancouver
BC Games was really fun, even though I got a lack of sleep from a lot of fun at the dance.  My best race was definitely the skate sprint yesterday. I won that and I had a really good race. I just like the BC Games because I was with all of my friends.

Zone 2 Eliza-Jane Kitchen, Larch Hills, Salmon Arm
I had a great BC Winter Games. It was a lot of fun, I met some new friends, and I really enjoyed it. I had some great races. The most fun race I had was the classic interval race on Friday.

Zone 2 - Elena Bruns, Larch Hills
My favourite race was the classical interval start as well. I got third place and I enjoyed the BC Winter Games because I made lots of new friends and the atmosphere was new and exciting.

Zone 2, Emily Suchy, Revelstoke
(Of her relay race.) It was really cool because I got to ski with able bodied and I was on the track with other skiers, so I could try to challenge myself more. It was a challenging course, with a hard hill. It went down at the beginning and up at the end.
It was a really cool experience. We really appreciate all of the volunteer work and everyone was really inviting.

Fast and Furious Sprint Races At Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre

By Julie Melanson

The freestyle sprint races in cross country skiing were fast and furious today as the participants raced around a 400m sprint course. Some racers caught edges and fell, and some excelled to the finish seconds ahead of their competitors.


The course started with a climb, which funnelled the racers around a corner to climb again. The racers found their speed as they turned the corner to race down a steep slope back into the stadium.

Don Wylie, Chief of Stadium described the race. "They have to be fast out of the gate, get in front and stay in front because it's hard to pass. You have to be quick to and the final turn you want to be right beside the other racers to sprint to the finish."

Individual qualifiers were held in the morning, which seated the racers for the afternoon heats. The afternoon heats took place in a snowy mist as a storm threatened. 

Cam Fitzmaurice, 13, from West Vancouver, and 14-year-old Annika Richardson of Vancouver took the wins in the Midget male and female categories.

The Juvenile male win was given to 14-year-old Rhys Evans of Revelstoke (Zone 2 Okanagan) and Katie Weaver, 14, of North Vancouver, took the win in the Juvenile Female.

"Everyone looked like they were having fun. We were able to add in a compression bump into the stadium which is unusual in sprinting and an added feature that the kids loved," said Wylie.

Conditions Good For Cross Country

By Julie Melanson 

Today's snowy conditions didn't slow the racers in the first day of racing 3.5km classic distance ski today at the BC Winter Games held at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre.

Emily Suchy of the Okanagan the first competitor on course, had all eyes on her as she sped around the two lap course in the Para sit division finishing with a time of 11:33.4.

Suchy, in her first year of racing thought that it was a good race and that competing in the BC Games is pretty exciting. "The mental preparation (for the games) makes it more exciting," she said.

Andrew Nash of the Okanagan was the fastest Midget male finishing in a time of 11:55.1 while Austin Reith of Vancouver Squamish took first place in Juvenile Male with a time of 16:06.7

Nash, who is from Larch Hills said that he felt really good in his race today. Good conditions and lot's of fun. In preparation for tomorrow's race he is 'going to try to get lots of rest and stay focused.'

Annika Richardson of Vancouver-Squamish was first in the Midget Female 3.5 classic race in a time of 13:08.7.

Eliza-Jane Kitchen of the Okanagan finished first in Juvenile Female with a time of 18:03.5

Richardson of Hollyburn (zone 5) fell on the steepest part of the uphill. She told herself  "It's not going to affect your race if you don't let it," and then finished in first place.

Pat Pearce, Chair of Sovereign Lake is pleased with the days events. "I understand we have 50 volunteers helping with the Winter Games and 78 competitors. It's an indication of how many community members support big events when they come into our area and how important the community of skiers are to ensuring success to things like the Winter Games."