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Nakiska, Alta.- Shona Rubens of Calgary completed a golden sweep of all four races at the Nakiska Mountain stop on the Pontiac GMC Cup circuit Tuesday with a victory in the women's giant slalom.
It was also big competition for Scott Hume of Whistler, B.C., who registered his third win in four days placing first in the men's GS.
Rubens won both runs clocking 2:08.85 to finish with seven victories in eight races on the western portion of the circuit. Carmel McElroy of Calgary was second in 2:10.43 and Lindsay Kraft of the Vernon Ski Club, third in 2:12.02.
''I'm feeling awesome,'' said Rubens, who places first overall in the western standings and earned $4,700 at the stops here and last month at Panorama Mountain in B.C. ''I had never won four races in a row before. I just skied strong and kept level headed about each race.''
In the men's GS, Hume won the first run and held on to the gold clocking 2:01.91. Robbie Dixon of Whistler was second in 2:02.57 and Gareth Sine of Calgary, who won the second run, was third in 2:02.75. Hume places first overall in the western portion of the circuit.
''I'm going to take all the confidence that I can from this week's competition,'' said Hume, 22, who heads overseas to compete on the Europa Cup. ''I think for the most part I skied pretty well. I was a lot more relaxed out there.''
Dixon's season started off slowly after suffering ankle and back injuries in training this fall. He was fourth after the first run on Tuesday.
''On the second run I just tried to be more aggressive and not hold anything back,'' he said. ''I had nothing to lose.''
Congratulations to Georgia Simmerling of Grouse Tyee Ski Club and J.D. MacLean of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club for winning Gold Medals in the J1 Category!
The Pontiac GMC Cup series features 32 races in four provinces before the national championships in March.
The series culminates with the 2005 Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships at Mont Ste-Anne and Le Massif, in Quebec, from March 17-22, 2005. The best young athletes from Canada compete head-to-head against athletes from the Canadian Alpine Ski Team in speed and technical events.
The next stop is Janaury 27-30 in Quebec at Mont-Orford and St-Sauveur.
Tuesday's leading giant slalom results at the Pontiac GMC Cup alpine skiing competition
Men: 1. Scott Hume, Whistler, B.C., 2:01.91; 2. Robbie Dixon, Whistler, 2:02.57; 3. Gareth Sine, Calgary, 2:02.75; 4. Jeff Crompton, Calgary, 2:02.04; 5. Dustin Fraser, Quadra Island, 2:03.27; 6. James Arnott, New Zealand, 2:03.95; 7. Graham Kraft, Vernon, B.C., 2:04.00; 8. Brady Leman, Calgary, 2:04.09; 9. James O'Neill, Toronto, 2:04.58; 10. Ben Chaddock, Richmond, B.C., 2:04.99.
Women: 1. Shona Rubens, Calgary, 2:08.85; 2. Carmel McElroy, Calgary, 2:10.43; 3. Lindsay Kraft, Vernon, B.C., 2:12.02; 4. Taryn O'Flynn, Beaumont, Alta., 2:12.88; 5. Georgia Simmerling, West Vancouver, 2:13.05; 6. Kelly McBroom, Canmore, Alta., 2:13.27; 7.Jamie Sanderson, Canmore, 2:14.98; 8. Katarina Feilhuber, Germany, 2:16.25; 9. Heidi Holmberg, Calgary, 2:17.10; 10. Cynthia Spurgeon, Invermere, B.C., 2:17.24.
Lindsay Kraft receives Bronze Medal in Giant Slalom
Lindsay Kraft Nakiska 2005
Georgia Simmerling, Grouse Tyee Ski Club, Top J1 in Giant Slalom
Photo credit: Daimion Applegath, Okanagan Ski Team