Morning Star Staff
Minus 30-degree temperatures did not dampen the spirits or results for the Vernon Ski Club’s Free Ski Team at Kicking Horse Resort in Golden last weekend.
The International Free Ski Association’s (IFSA) regional event took place under sunny skies on very steep terrain.
Jackson Stewart posted his best finish of the season with a 14th overall and Jessica Brown earned a fourth in the 15-18-year-old male and female categories respectively.
The boys category had 40 participants and the skiing calibre in this age range is phenomenal.
“Jackson skied technically well and was very controlled in the air,” said coach Tom Stewart. “Jessica skied two solid runs in just her second competition ever. Their racing background was a definite asset on the steep and hard terrain.”
Mallory Stewart and Jacob Tooke competed in the 12-14-year-old category with Stewart, 12, landing on the podium with a third.
“There were 15 in the female category and Mallory did well considering the range of size and strength of these girls,” said coach Stewart. “She held strong to land some good air and controlled her speed on the steep.”
Tooke also put in his best finish of the season with a strong sixth in a large field.
“Jacob has been doing the majority of the IFSA tour throughout the province and has just competed in the Lake Louise competition with a 14th place after the qualifying run,” said Stewart.
The finals ended up being cancelled due to an avalanche emergency elsewhere on the mountain so the qualifying run was counted as the final.
Said program director John Armstrong: “The Vernon Ski Club’s all-mountain free ski program is in its fifth year and is really starting to take off as some of the younger kids are coming up through the introduction to skiing and racing programs and looking for a fun alternative to the well established race programs.”
