Under snowy skies, more than 480 skiers were up before dawn, out testing their wax and their mettle on the Larch Hills trails in the 32nd annual Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet.
The fresh snow created soft, beautiful and challenging conditions for the 362 competitive and 121 recreational participants racing from one-kilometre for the youngest, to 34 km.
Participants included 233 youth racers, attesting to the vitality of local ski programs.
Skiers came from B.C., Alberta, Yukon, Washington and from as far away as Australia. At this multi-generational event, there was a remarkable 79-year-span between the youngest skier, two-year-11-month-old Cassie Mai O’Connor and the eldest, 81-year-old Gullan Hansen, who has completed this event every year in its 32-year history.
The fastest male times were set by Jon Arne Enevoldsen in the 50-to-59-year age category. Originally from Norway but currently residing in Canmore, Enevoldsen was chased by Salmon Arm’s Alexander Corbett, just six seconds behind.
The fastest female time was set by local ski race team coach Abbigail May.
The winners of the 34-km race in the overall women category were: first – Abbigail May 2:05:03, second – Pat Pearce 2:12:38 and third – Randy Ostby 2:13:47.
In the overall male category Jon Arne Enevoldsen claimed the best time 1:53:15, second – Alexander Corbett 1:53:21 and third – Thomas Hardy 1:55:50.
The winners of the 18-km junior racers were: first – Rachel May 1:05:01, second – Julia Brown 1:06:08 and third – Natalie Wilkie 1:08:27 in the junior female category.
In the junior male category, first was Seth van Varseveld 58:05, second – James Hardy 58:05 third – Konrad van Varseveld 58:06.
The top local females were Abbigail May, Randy Ostby and Sheila Corbett. The top local males were Alexander Corbett, Thomas Hardy and Brian May.
Other top Junior category finishers included:
In the four-and-under category – Julia Couch, Grace Bushell, Emily Olineck, Kai Cadden, Kincade Tegart and Isaac Engel raced to the top positions.
Reese Major, Keira Cadden, Sarah Ewanyshyn, Kian Smith, Ben Bonthuys and Cole Maybee finished on the podium in the five-to-seven age category.
In the eight-to-10 age category Emily Carelse, Tessa Elliott, Hilary Vukadinovic, Mitchell Bond, Eric Moore and Eli Decker claimed the top spots.
Julianne Moore, Maggie Beckner, Lucy Elliott, Stephen Moore, Trond May and Torin Andrews staked the fastest times in the 11-to-13 age category.
More than $8,700 was raised for the Heart and Stroke Foundation this year bringing the total raised over the past 32 years to $398,000.
