In addition to hosting the 2024 Teck BC Championships, Larch Hills Junior Race Team skiers also racked up impressive results.
The final event in the Teck BC Cup series, the championships took place at Larch Hills March 1-3.
It included a classic technique Kings Court/elimination sprint event on Friday, an interval start free technique event on Saturday, and a classic technique relay event on Sunday.
Distances varied from one kilometre for the youngest athletes, up to 11 km (3 x 3.75 km) for masters competitors in the free technique event.
Larch Hills Junior Race Team coach Brad Calkins explained the six-race, three-event Teck BC Cup series culminates in the championship.
British Columbia athletes accumulate points for aggregate trophies as well as an overall team trophy.
Eighty-five Larch Hills athletes and coaches were registered for the event, from the U8 category up to the 60+ Masters Men and Women.
Larch Hills placed second overall, with Vancouver’s Hollyburn Ski Club winning the overall trophy by two points.
Larch Hills athletes winning individual aggregate trophies this year included: Kaden Baum (1st, Para Sit-Ski Men), Lily Brook (1st, Para Sit-Ski Women), Henry Bollans (1st, U10 Boys 1), Gideon Breugem (2nd, U14 Boys 2), Madeleine Wilkie (tied for 1st U18 Girls 1), Glenn Bond (1st, Masters Men 50-59), Alan Corbett (1st, Masters Men 60+), Dirk Breugem (2nd, Masters Men 60+), Megan Brooke (Masters Women 40-49) and Sheila Corbett (Masters Women 50-59).
Calkins said Larch Hills had many top three finishes over the three days: Clara Foster (2nd), Sierra Widmer (2nd), Anders Madison (1st), Killian Foster (2nd), Dominic Reid (2x3rd), Logan Marjoribanks Aguirre (3rd), Henry Bollans (2x1st), Gideon Bucher (3rd), Zion Bucher (3rd & 1st), Gideon Breugem (1st), Konrad Van Vareseveld (3rd), Rachel Bates (2x2nd), Emily Osmond (1st), Glenn Bond (2x1st), Jeff Orchard (3rd), Dirk Breugem (3rd), Abbi May (2x1st), Sheila Corbett (2x2nd), Alan Corbett (3rd), Kim Johnston (3rd), Marcia Bechner (1st), Kaden Baum (1st) and Lily Brook (1st).
The final day of the Championships is a much anticipated and fun day for athletes, coaches and parents alike, said Calkins, noting costumes and fun team names are a must, and “Larch Hills gets out as many coaches and parents as possible for the kids to cheer on with a total of 24 teams of three!”
Teams that placed top three included the “Laughing Leprechauns,” made up of Kelsey Klapstein, Juliet Green and Sierra Widmer taking third in the U10 Girls category; the “Eyes on the Prize” with Konrad Van Varseveld, Glenn Bond and Thomas Hardy winning 1st in the Open Men category; and “The Young and the Restless” taking 3rd in the Open Women category with Rachel Bates, Abbigail May and Sheila Corbett.
The Larch Hills Junior Race Team will be sending six athletes to the Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals in Nakkertok from March 9-16.
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