Mother Nature has dashed the BC Winter Games dreams of a number of North Okanagan athletes and officials.
The Games begin Thursday, Feb. 22, in Lhtako Quesnel, but earlier this monthtthree provincial sport organizations made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Games due to unfavourable snow conditions.
BC Alpine Ski, Freestyle BC, and BC Snowboard have withdrawn from the Games after extensive consultation with coaches and the BC Games Society.
A lack of snowpack on the mountain at Troll Ski Resort, between Quesnel and Barkerville, and the absence of heavy snowfall in the forecast influenced the final decision.
Mountain-based sports, already facing a difficult and shortened winter season, require significant snowpack and technical venue builds to run safe and meaningful competition.
The decisions affect freestyle skiers Ben Dooley, Sam Dooley, Todd Hayes and Neko Wong, snowboarders Lief Beckman, Eloise Joycie Nelson and Sarah Nelson (all of Coldstream), Lumby snowboarder Maddox Lishman, and alpine skiers Kolten Hornhardt and Kaden Liddy, and freestyle skiing’s Khrystian Catlin, Makenna Christensen, Roxton Dorward and Sierra Dorward, all from Vernon. All of the above had qualified for the Games as athletes, coaches or adult supervisors.
Biathlon BC and Cross Country BC will attend the Games regardless of snow conditions. Both are exploring modified scenarios for on-snow competition or dryland events. Cross-country events have been moved to Barkerville.
The North Okanagan will be well represented in the Cariboo. Here is a list of athletes, coaches, officials, and supervisors whose events will go as planned:
ARMSTRONG:
Curling (female): Kyara O’Shea, athlete;
COLDSTREAM:
Biathlon: Avalon Richter (assistant coach);
Judo: Brian Yakura (official);
ENDERBY
Cross-Country Skiing: Keiran Parker (athlete);
LUMBY
Cross-Country Skiing: Camille Yapps (athlete);
Ringette: Mati Glover (assistant coach);
VERNON
Biathlon: Alex Moss (athlete);
Cross-Country Skiing: Marta Green (adult supervisor); Linnaea Heidt (athlete); Emily Lane (athlete); Damian Pighin (head coach); Chase Pighin (athlete);
Figure Skating: Anna Beyer (athlete);
Judo: Aubrey Comley (official); Adam Mizuyabu (athlete);
Rhythmic Gymnastics: Kelsey Anderson (assistant coach); Zoe Heppner (athlete); Camille Martens (head coach); Madeline Sellars (assistant coach); Kelsey Switzer (official); Mikayla Thomas (athlete); Jennifer Thomas (official); Chelsea Wright (athlete); Amber Wright (athlete);
Ringette: Derrick Doige (official); Jennifer Fossum (assistant coach); Hailey Himelson (athlete); Kielee Ingram (athlete); Peyton Siedmann (athlete); Niko Siedmann (assistant coach); Erica Williamson (athlete).
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