Champions again! For the third time in four years the Larch Hills Nordics have brought the top honours in B.C. to Salmon Arm.
With 80 racers we had the largest contingent there, but the competition was fierce with Hollyburn, Burns Lake, Strathcona, Prince George, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Revelstoke, Vernon, Kelowna and Nelson all vying for top spot.
Points toward the championship went all the way out to fifth place, so nothing was in the bag until the final race was over on Sunday.
What was unusual about this B.C. Championships was the large number of American teams and teams from across Canada that were here for the meet: three clubs from Utah; Metthow Valley, Washington; teams from Wyoming and Montana. Also, skiers from Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. This made for a huge registration – 550 ski racers – and all went very smoothly.
Skiers not from a B.C. Club were not eligible to garner points towards the overall championship, but the inclusion of all racers made for a great meet, both for the visitors and B.C. skiers alike. And this was not only the young racers.
The Masters categories had good registration especially in the 40-49 year old category. One fellow in the 70-79 category, which made the age spread for this meet five-75 – speaks well for the future and longevity of cross-country skiing.
Congrats to the Larch Hills Nordic racers, their coaches and parents for such a fine showing. That sea of yellow LH race jerseys is so exciting and inspiring to watch!
Our skiers at the BC Winter Games showed terrific results. Well I remember the first BC Winter Games in Kamloops in 1978 where I was coach for this zone’s speed skating club, which included Gary Hucul and Shelley Hurlbert. We trained indoors at the old arena and outdoors on McGuire Lake. Great memories.
Snowshoers abound on the Larch Hills snowshoe trails. Last Saturday one of the great movers and shakers in the snowshoe LH trail world, the late John Coffey, was honoured in a ceremony up at Pentti’s Shelter at South Hub with the unveiling of a plaque naming the snowshoe trail from South Hub to Cec’s Cabin the “Coffey Climb.”
Phil McIntyre-Paul led the gathering in sharing stories of John, the quiet guy with the enormous friendly smile and boundless energy for trail building. It became very apparent that we’ve all been blessed with having John in our lives.
Things are winding down on the Larch Hills calendar. Last Saturday was the Jackrabbit Fun Day, signalling the end of Jackrabbit season. Great fun for all 120 Rabbits with games, contests, snacks and a marshmallow roast at the bonfire. What a wonderful program Jackrabbits is - it exposes young skiers to the joy of cross-country skiing and being out in nature.
Many friendships have been forged through Jackrabbits with many kids going on into the Junior Racers program or into the Challenge program, with emphasis on backcountry outings.
The Larch Hills Nordic Society annual general meeting is Tuesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. Room 1 of the SASCU Recreation Centre. Come see/hear how the year has gone for the LHNS, plans for next ski season, summer usage info, and celebrate a wonderful sport – with tea and Gullan’s fabulous Swedish coffee cake after the meeting.
With these dumps of snow recently the conditions in the Larch Hills are fantastic! Both backcountry and track-set trails are so inviting. Get out and enjoy the rest of the ski season! And check out the new igloo on the 200-m. bog.