Unterberger wraps up solid tech series with 5th and 7th place slalom finishes

by Kathy Stahr | Feb 26, 2014 | Member News

Bromont, QC February 22, 2014
FIS Race – Men's Slalom COMPLETE RESULTS

FLASH QUOTES:

Dominic Unterberger (BC Ski Team/Revelstoke Ski Club) – "Today my goal was just to have some fun! I had a great approach first run, but a few mistakes in the mid section of the course caused me to back off and ski tentatively. I took advantage of my second run start position, trusted my skiing, had fun and it all worked out. Pretty happy to have won the run and ended up in the top 5."

Nick Cooper (Men's BC Ski Team Coach) – "Another solid day for Dom in Bromount. I was really exited to see him fully attack second run and get the run win, earning himself a career best in Sl. All the boys attacked as hard as possible today which sometimes means DNFs, but I am still very happy with the whole team at these races and I like the direction we are moving in."

Bromont, QC February 23, 2014
FIS Race – Men's Slalom COMPLETE RESULTS

BC Winter Games Action Photos; Liam Applegath of Sun Peaks on Global TV

by Kathy Stahr | Feb 25, 2014 | Member News

Global BC provided broadcast coverage of the Games. Shanel Pratap, Global News, came to Hemlock to chat with Liam Applegath and his dad Daimion of the Sun Peaks Alpine Club. Check out the interview HERE

PHOTOS FROM HEMLOCK lots of action shots available for download by Games participants!

Flickr Download Instructions: click on the image, right click to ‘view all sizes’ OR click on the three dots on the bottom right of screen to ‘view all sizes’, download the size of image you require

Hemlock Ski Club, Hemlock Valley Resort host BC Winter Games Alpine Events

by Kathy Stahr | Feb 24, 2014 | Member News

Story and Images by Erich Eichhorn (ISN) ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

February 23, 2014 Hemlock Valley, BC (ISN) – Three weeks ago the hosts of the BC Winter Games Alpine events may have doubted a ski season let alone a ski competition, but as the winter gods snowed upon local coastal hills the last two weeks, Hemlock Ski Resort and their ski club was able to breath a sigh of relief as their year-long ambition to host the 2014 BC Winter Games Alpine Ski competition was off to the races this weekend.

Boys and girls from across the province descended on Hemlock Mountain, northwest of Abbotsford, in weekend long competition of four ski disciplines – Giant Slalom, Freestyle, Moguls, and Ski Cross. Featuring BC's youngest, nationally carded group of racers in Canada's racing system, competitors started or furthered what could aspirations of Olympic proportion.

Slopestyle competitor Seth Mcgregor give a wave to the fans as he goes for big air in new white out ski conditions during the BC Winter Games at Hemlock Mountain. – Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

After an impressive moguls competition under bright and sunny skies Friday, it was time for giant slalom and freestyle skiing to take the stage Saturday on the snow covered slopes. Ski organizers may have wanted to be careful for what they wished for a month earlier, as what was to otherwise be another fair-weather day turned into a heavy snow day for ski competitors and recreational snowboarders alike.

Hemlock Mountain's Nick Meitros takes a test run at the giant slalom course in day two action. The giant slalom event would be hampered throughout the weekend by heavy snowfall.- Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

The girls, with hopes of a gold medal for their efforts, opened the days racing in the Giant Slalom discipline. Those hopes would be put on hold, as the event would unexpectantly be canceled after girls opening runs when conditions on the mountain became too dangerous to continue due to the snow conditions.

Kayse Panke of Red Mountain Ski Club takes her first heat run. An abbreviated schedule would prove to be her only run and take a silver medal.- Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

Volunteers from the Hemlock Ski team braved -4 degree temperatures for five hours, doing their best to keep the run open, but would eventually give in to the otherwise considered seasonal weather. At days end organizers and Hemlock support staff were hopeful for resumption Sunday morning of both the girls and boys divisions.

Ella Renzoni clears a gate by inches on her way to the bottom of the giant slalom course and a gold medal – Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

In other games action, the weather wouldn't slow down the freestyle ski competition as fans were wowed by an afternoon of acrobatic twists, turns and jumps of daring young competitors as they find their way through the all-terrain park, vying for judges top marks. Mount Washinton's Erin Sketchley, and Whistler's Lucas Pelletier would strike gold for their respective teams in the youth female and male categories.

Sophie Schroeder, from Big White Ski Club, manages to survive the gate turn during a difficult day of racing. Racing would later be postponed to inclement weather and safety concerns.- Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

Sunday's action would prove much the same fate for the boys and girls Giant Slalom. Spectators were expecting some great high-speed competition, however, once again, mother nature would play spoiler for the boys side, forcing a final cancelation in the weekend alpine events with high wind gusts and near white out conditions that left the course crew unable to keep up with the accumulating snow.

Medalists from day two of competition pose with the spoils of victory for ISN- Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

The resumption of girls Giant Slalom was canceled to give way to allow the boys an opportunity to race one heat. That modification would give Ella Renzoni , of the Whistler Ski Club, the gold medal with a time of 44.63 second. A full second faster than her second place competitor, Kayse Panke.

Hemlock Mountain and the Hemlock Mountain Ski Club hosted the BC Winter Games Alpine events for the first time. By the smiles on the competitors faces, it was a job well done ! – Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

Higher on the mountain, the girls team ski cross was miraculously able to get underway as ski racers went head to head in a downhill battle through high-banking turns and straight-aways looking to unsteady their opponent just enough to cross the finish line with the best time. In a hotly contested event, the top three girls teams would place by only a .01 sec time differential between each medal.

Flags flew in the competitors village over the three day weekend as BC's youth converged at Hemlock Mountain vying for a medal as one of the best in the province in their event class – Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

Top honors would be shared by Meg Swaffield of the Whistler Ski Club and Sophie Schroeder of the Big White Ski Club with a time of 18.09 seconds. Swaffield would also take home the bronze medal in the abbreviated Giant Slalom.

On the final day of competition, six of the best female youth ski cross athelets shared shared two medals in each placing as mulitple tie finish times prevailed. Erich Eichhorn image ( www.allsportmedia.ca )

Congratulations to all competitors. BC's Winter athletes are certainly worthy of representing the province of BC. with the effort demonstrated by all under difficult conditions.

Results on www.bcalpine.com

RACES (RESULTS)

For more BC Games results go to www.bcgames.org

BC’s Thompson, Swette named to Alpine Junior World Championships Team

by Kathy Stahr | Feb 24, 2014 | Member News

Canada unveils team for Alpine Junior World Ski Championships (Alpine Canada Alpin News)

JANSA, SLO. (Feb. 24, 2014) — Thirteen athletes have been named to the team that will represent Canada at the 2014 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Jansa, Slovenia, from February 26 to March 6.
 
The championships feature top young ski talent from around the world, with athletes born between 1993 and 1997 competing for the podium in downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and a team event.
 
Seven male and six female athletes from Ontario, B.C., Alberta and Quebec will fly the flag for Canada, competing against hundreds of the world’s best. Of the 13 selected athletes, 10 are members of Alpine Canada’s development team, including up-and-comers Mikaela Tommy, of Wakefield, Que., Julia Roth, from Waterloo,Ont., Morgan Megarry, of Collingwood, Ont., and North Vancouver, B.C.’s Ford Swette, who have each had at least one World Cup start this season.
 
“We have a very strong team, particularly in giant slalom and the speed disciplines,” said Kip Harrington, head coach of the men’s development team. “The competition will be tough. This is an unusually strong year, where there are several juniors from different nations who have scored World Cup points, won Europa Cup races and have been on the podium in a World Cup."
 
“But we have well-ranked racers, and I believe we have a legitimate shot at podiums. If the boys can maintain composure and ski to their potential, they can do it.”
 
In addition to Megarry and Swette, the men’s team will include Broderick Thompson, of Whistler, B.C., William Schuessler-Bédard, from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Vincent Lajoie, of Sherbrooke, Que., Chris Steinke, from Chelsea, Que., andCalgary, Alta.’s Jeffrey Bell.
 
The women’s team consists of Tommy, Roth, Toronto, Ont.’s Candace Crawford, Roni Remme, of Collingwood, Ont., Valerie Grenier, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Jocelyn McCarthy, from Spruce Grove, Alta.
 
“In selecting this team, our aim was to choose athletes who have the potential to win a medal or be competitive against the best athletes,” said Peter Rybarik, head coach of the women’s development team. “Our athletes are not the favourites, but at every big event like the world junior championships, it’s all about going for the win and with some luck anything is possible.
 
“We have a good mix of athletes who we strongly believe in.”
 
For more information about the 2014 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Jansa, Slovenia, go to http://www.jasna.sk/uploads/media/Brozura_MSJ_A4_nahlad_03.pdf
 
 

2014 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships men’s team:

2014 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships women’s team:

COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Feb. 26 – Men’s super-G
Feb. 27 – Men’s downhill training, women’s slalom
Feb. 28 – Men’s downhill training, women’s giant slalom
March 1 – Men’s downhill
March 2 – Team event
March 3 – Women’s super-G
March 4 – Men’s slalom, women’s downhill training
March 5 – Men’s giant slalom, women’s downhill training
March 6 – Women’s downhill

Thompson wins Olympic Ski Cross Gold, Serwa takes the Silver in Sochi

by Kathy Stahr | Feb 22, 2014 | Member News

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