Anton Youngberg of the Vernon Ski Club placed 10th in the K1 male Kombi event at the 20th annual Whistler Cup last weekend.
In a field of 100 male racers from all over the world, the K1 rookie laid down a blistering run of 44.77 seconds. The Kombi event is only one run, instead of a combined time two-run format used in slalom and giant slalom.
“There is only one chance, and you have to nail it the first time,” said Vernon head coach Ian Chernencoff.
Youngberg was joined by teammates Langdon Kersey, Jaden Parsons and Gavin Donald (16th place in slalom).
The Whistler Cup, presented by Rio Tinto Alcan, is an international event for ski racers generally aged 13 and 14 in the K2 category and aged 11 and 12 in the K1.
It features 350 skiers from 18 countries. World Cup skiers who have participated in years past include Canada’s Erik Guay and Mielzynski, plus international stars including Slovenia’s Tina Maze, Sweden’s Anja Pärson and Benjamin Raich of Austria.
The 2012 Whistler Cup was awarded to the best nation’s team – Switzerland. Canada placed second and Italy third.
Meanwhile, Silver Star Freestyle Club athletes soared at the B.C. Freestyle Ski Championships last weekend at Mt. Washington Resort near Comox.
Elena Gaskell, in the 8-9-year-old girls category, wrapped up a fantastic season with gold in slopestyle. She won all three previous slopestyle events in the B.C. Series.
After crashing in her first run, Gaskell laid down a solid second run with the biggest air points on the day to secure silver.
Jamie Rykuiter, in the 10-11 girls, continued her success in moguls with her second bronze (and fourth podium) of the season.
On the boys side, Tanner Gordon and Jake Ondrik, racing in a stacked 14-15 boys division, struck silver and bronze respectively in slopestyle.
In the 10-11 age bracket, Declan Stevenson and Josiah Gaskell, coached by Gavin Henry, executed solid runs to take gold and bronze respectively. It was Stevenson’s second gold this year. After being hampered by injuries much of the season, Josiah Gaskell returned to top form just in time to reach the podium.
Thomas Pool, a Silver Star Freestyle graduate now with Team B.C., racked up the highest slopestyle score of the contest to secure gold in the men’s 16-17 division.
