Smithers Ski and Snowboard team members attended the U14 Provincial Ski Championships at Purden Mountain Resort in Prince George March 15-17. The five Smithers female athletes were up against the top 86 best girls from across the province and showed some exceptional grit and determination through the three-day event.
In the slalom March 15, two Smithers girls punched into the top 30 with Chloe Collingwood 26th and Bridie Hikisch 27th. Amelia D’andrea finished 50th and Amelia Mosumgaard 63rd, respectable showings with later bib numbers and deteriorating course conditions.
The giant slalom March 16 was a breakout race for the Smithers team, with three athletes in the top 16 (Ava MacDougall 11th, Bridie Hikisch 13th, Chloe Collingwood 16th), a feat not achieved in decades for the northern club.
Amelia D’andrea and Amelia Mosumgaard again ran great tactical races from the back of the field, moving up to 51st and 56th respectively after their second runs.
The third and final day was a mixed team dual slalom event, with 32 teams made up of athletes from across the province, racing in head-to-head format through elimination rounds. Plenty of fun and excitement through the day.
Smithers coaches Dick Eastmure and Cormac Hikisch managed to get their teams into the final eight before facing each other in the quarter-finals. Team ‘Kelsey Serwa’ eventually took the bronze, which included Smithers athlete Amelia D’Andrea on the podium to cap off a great weekend of alpine ski racing.
Final events for these athletes are the Schussboomer on March 30, North Zone Finals April 5-7, and then off to the international Whistler Cup with the top U14s in the world April 14-17.
—Submitted story
