Revelstoke sent 16 athletes to the eight day Nordic Skiing championships in Gatineau, Que., earlier this month.
Close to 900 nordic skiers from across Canada, the eastern U.S. and Norway were faced with a variety of weather conditions from cold, frozen tracks to warm slushy trails.
The weather did not dampen the spirits or the competitiveness of the athletes.
Head coach Matt Smider led the local skier contingent on the trip along with a group of other coaches, wax technicians and supporters.
Revelstoke’s distinctive, bright red race suits were a presence all week.
READ MORE: Revelstoke on the podium at Canada Winter Games
Based on individual results, the Revelstoke team scored sixth overall and third in the country in the junior category (ages 15-20) out of the 61 teams who participated in the event.
Skiers competed in four races to determine their aggregate placing amongst other racers of the same age.
Races included a short distance interval start classic race where skiers started at 15 second intervals, a pursuit skate race that saw skiers start according to their finish in their previous race, a skate sprint race where groups of six skiers raced against each other over a short technical course to determine who would advance to the finals, and finally a long distance mass start classic race that had large groups of racers starting together to determine a winner.
Revelstoke National Championships Aggregate Results:
• 1st Alexandra Luxmoore
• 1st Beth Granstrom
• 5th Elizabeth Elliott
• 6th Kolibri Drobish
• 6th Jacyln Elliott
• 8th Emily MacLeod
• 13th Rebecca Brosch
• 16th Erik Brosch
• 16th Nelson Luxmoore
• 16th Gina Cinelli
• 16th Francesco Morrone
• 23rd Elliot Wilson (participated in one race)
• 24th Zoe Larson
• 37th Arianna Morrone
Cedar Cameron-Harding, who participated in her first nationals, rounded out the Revelstoke contingent.
One of the most fun national championship races was the team relay where groups of two skiers took turns negotiating a technical one kilometre classic course.
Revelstoke competitors in that event were:
• 6th- 100 per cent Klister Coverage – Alexandra Luxmoore and Kolibri Drobish
• 13th- Chicks on Sticks – Emily MacLeod and Jacyln Elliott
• 19th- Young Fresh Fellows – Nelson Luxmoore and Erik Brosch
• 23rd- Scrambled Legs – Rebecca Brosch and Eden Thomas
• 32rd- Hazards on Skis – Zoe Larson and Arianna Morrone
• 17th Lost Columbians – Francesco Morrone and Cedar Cameron-Harding (Mixed Category)
Revelstoke has several athletes who will be arriving home wearing medals they received for top three finishes in their respective category races:
Alexandra Luxmoore
• Gold – Long distance mass start classic
• Silver – Skate pursuit
• Bronze – Short distance interval start classic
• Bronze – Mass start skate
Beth Granstom
• Silver -Skate pursuit
• Silver – Long distance mass start classic
Elizabeth Elliott
• Bronze – Skate sprint
Gina Cinelli
• Bronze – Long distance classic race
During their time in the nation’s capital the team had time to take in other meaningful activities besides skiing.
They participated in La Soiree, a reception and awards ceremony in the impressive National Museum of History.
They joined hundreds of other students in Ottawa at Parliament Hill (and to show solidarity with fellow students who were at City Hall in Revelstoke) in the Fridays for Future rally to demand more government action on climate change.
The skiers were also invited by local MP Wayne Stetski to watch Question Period in the House of Commons.
The National Championships brings an end to the racing season. The Revelstoke Nordic Race Team thanks the many people and local organizations that have contributed to making this another successful year.
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