Collingwood, ON (March 26, 2010) – The 2010 President’s Choice® Canadian K2 Championships wrapped up on Friday with girls’ and boys’ slalom races at Craigleith Ski Resort (ON). Roni Remme from Ontario’s National Ski Academy concluded a quasi-perfect week, adding a third gold medal to her racing resumé with a win in today’s slalom – complemented by previous wins in the Super G and the Super Combined events held earlier this week. Team Ontario teammate, Karl Kuus, also rounded out a terrific week of competitions with a win in the men’s slalom.
Alix Wells from the Prince George Ski Club finished in third place with a time of 1:36.93. Earlier this week, Wells won the girls’ giant slalom.
“I’m sad it’s over!” exclaimed Wells who was 5th after the first run. “I had trouble on the pitch in my first run, in the back seat so I just went all out in the second run. It’s my last run at Nationals after all so I had to go for it. Lucky for me I had a smooth, clean run,” added Wells who plans on dedicating her summer to playing soccer.
Friday’s slalom race marked the end of a complete week of racing for Canada’s rising 13 and 14 year old skiing stars. In addition to the 170 athletes competing, the event was supported by several hundred coaches, volunteers, and fans.
OFFICIAL RESULTS (scroll to bottom of page)
A Québec parent commented on how incredibly efficient and well run this event had been: “As a parent it has been so well run. If it said that the start would be at 9 a.m., well then that is exactly when it started. We drove in wondering how the event would go off with so little snow but you would never know it by the race hills at these clubs. We had perfect racing conditions every day.”
The 2010 President’s Choice Canadian K2 Championships will conclude on a high note later on Friday as post race ceremonies will feature a special visit by local ski racing hero – Larisa Yurkiw – a member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team.
Yurkiw, who won the super G title at the 2003 K2 national championships, has gone on to a successful career at the international level – achieving a career best 9th place finish in downhill at the Tarvisio, ITA World Cup just over a year ago. Yurkiw will be on site on Friday evening to cheer on the athletes as they compete in the highly anticipated East vs West dual starting at 6 p.m. and being held under the lights at Craigleith Ski Resort. The 170 athletes will then mark the conclusion of the event with a banquet followed by fireworks – all sponsored by President’s Choice.
Keeping the Skiing Tradition Alive
These 2010 President’s Choice Canadian K2 Championships will have been the stage to many great performances by Canada’s top 13 and 14 year old rising stars. Of the young racers who competed in Collingwood this week, some of them have been engaged in the sport well before their birth… through their parents!
Here is a list of some of the racers whose families have a long tradition of skiing:
• Martin Grasic (BC): Dad (Dusan Grasic) is the head coach for Canada’s men’s technical world cup ski team and his mom was a racer on the Slovenian National team.
• Stephanie Gartner (BC): Mom (Kerrin Lee-Gartner) was Canada’s golden girl in downhill at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville.
• Mikaela TommY (QC): Dad (Mike Tommy) and mom (Gabi Balau) were both members of Canada’s national team and Mike participated in two Olympics.
• Logan & Dalton Pehota (BC): Dad (Eric Pehota) is an extreme skier and a lead in Warren Miller Films
• Alex Kruetz: Dad (Norm Kruetz) is a long time CSIA Level 4 coach, well known in Western Canada by all in the ski industry
• Zachary Belczyk: Dad (Felix Belczyk) was a member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team
Photo Gallery
Visit the following site for more great pictures from today’s race: http://www.alpineontario.ca/Home/PhotoGallery/tabid/135/Default.aspx
Marie-Hélène Thibeault
President’s Choice® K2 Championships
Media and Communications
Alpine Canada Alpin
Tel.: (403) 678-4806
info@k2championships.com