Twenty-three medals were won by the Apex Freestyle Club in the first Timber Tour and Super Youth event of the season.
The club hosted the event at Apex Mountain and came away with 13 gold medals from both events. AFC moguls coach Kenni Kuroda was impressed by the performance on the big air and slope style side because the course for those wasn’t ready until the day of training.
“Really it gave no advantage to our slope style and big air athletes,” said Kuroda. “We held our own.”
AFC had a few skiers pick up medals in multi disciplines and among those who stood out was Kassidy Todd, capturing gold in the slope style, big air and moguls. Kuroda also said Shaina Finlayson had a strong weekend, earning bronze in slope style, finishing fourth in big air and sixth in moguls. Matt Finlayson and Cam Kapusty, the club’s big hope in slope style, were unable to have strong finishes after getting injured. Finlayson was sixth. He did capture gold in big air, while Kapusty took bronze. Among the Super Youth group, Ryha Covert is an up-and-comer and had strong performances in all three events.
“Of all our athletes, she skied the moguls fantastic in the super youth,” said Kuroda.
The competition among the clubs was great, said Kuroda, who added that “everybody is stepping it up.”
“We set kind of a standard in the moguls. Everyone else sets the standard in big air and slope style,” he said. “We’re holding our own as far as all the events go.
“Slopestyle and moguls are coming on with our younger kids,” continued Kuroda. “Hopefully we can keep on top of things right through when they move to competition.”
Kuroda credited the work coach Jessica Warll has done with the kids in slope style. Earning these results to start the season is important as well.
“It’s a confidence builder for the kids. Then we can go on to Whistler next month and really bring it on there,” he said.
AFC top three
Slopestyle
Gold-U14B-Brayden Kuroda, U18G-Kassidy Todd, U20G-Mason Barzilay.
Bronze-U16G-Shaina Finlayson.
Big Air
Gold-U18G-Kassidy Todd, U18B-Matt Finlayson.
Silver-U16G-Chloe Kober.
Bronze-U18B-Cameron Kapusty.
Moguls
Gold-U14B– Brayden Kuroda, U16G Madison Parker, U18-Kassidy Todd.
Silver-U16-Mackenzie Schwinghamer, U18G-Sophia Diamond, U18B–Noah Spence.
Bronze-U18B-Koleton Phipps, U16G-Anna Spence.
Super Youth
Slopestyle
Gold-U10G–Rhya Covert, U13B–Cole Patterson.
Silver-U13B-Nate Parsons.
Big Air
Gold-U12B-Alec Henderson.
Silver-U10G–Rhya Covert.
Moguls
Gold-U12B-Alec Henderson, U13B Cole Patterson.
Silver-U10G-Rhya Covert, U12B-Chad Collyer, U13B-Nate Parsons.
