16 THE FREE PRESS, Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sports Phone: 250-423-4666 Email: freepress@shawcable.com

Peak performance in Whistler

By Rebecca EdwardsFree Press Staff

Teamwork took high school students to the top at Whistler.

Fernie Secondary School participated in the B.C. High Schools Ski and Snowboard Provincial Championships held in Whistler last week.

Around 300 high school athletes competed from 15 different schools across the province for the title of Provincial champs.

For the second year in a row Fernie Secondary brought home the Blue banner for Combined Girls and Boys Skiing.

Skiers participated in the two-run slalom event March 4, snowboarders participated in a two-run Giant Slalom event March 5 and all skiers and snowboarders raced in a one-run Giant Slalom race on March 6.

Coach Patty Wortley said: “Our skiers girls had a difficult day for the slalom event, but came back strong on Friday winning the giant slalom event, placing them fifth overall.

“Our skier boys were consistently fast for both events and claimed bronze medals.

“When combined with the girls points, Fernie Secondary came out on top as overall girls and boys combined winner.

“Our snowboarder boys had two solid days of racing and placed 4th in the province.

“Jenna Lamothe was our lone snowboarder girl who attended the Provincials this year and came flying through the finish gates with great results both days placing her 4th overall as an individual.”

Wortley added: “Outstanding individual results from the Fernie Falcons were 1st place overall in skiing for Mackenzie Young and a 6th place over-all finish for Kris Wortley, and snowboarders Justin McArthur took 7th place overall and Jenna Lamothe 4th overall.

“Even our novice racers on the team this year had fantastic results and contributed to the team

standings by gaining much-needed points. Well done all athletes!”

Wortley said she and co-coach Dwight Gross are proud of the racers and thanked the stu-dents’ parents and community sponsors includ-ing the Summit Fund from FAR, the Emily Brydon Foundation RDEK Area A, the Fernie 3300 Club and the Lions Club, Kelseys, Top Shelf and Overwaitea.

Fernie Secondary School boys and girls ski and snowboard teams fly the banner at the Provincials

in Whistler. Submitted photo

A Whistler experience

By Will Faase, Grade 12Fernie Secondary School ski team

Skiing previously was an unavailable option for me, as I lived in a commun-

ity less renowned for hardcore shredding and sick pow runs. However, since my move to Fernie I have reached a reason-able level in barely two years.

As a first-year slalom racer I first found it difficult to conform to the rigorous methodology of proper stance and ski mainten-ance, along with my seemingly insurmountable tendency to hit each and every gate with my head. But once the concussions healed I gained a semblance of rhythm to my technique.

The East-Kootenay zone cham-pionships in Panorama was a chance to prove my mettle. I managed to place in both the top half and top third portion of giant slalom and slalom contest-ants.

The first morning in Whistler

we were up bright and excruciat-ingly early, doing our first slalom run, where despite several dis-qualifications due to accidents and icy conditions, we found ourselves in a relatively good position, largely thanks to our girl’s team member who placed first in slalom, and our boy’s team which performed magnifi-cently despite my presence.

The next day, while the snow-boarders were running their giant slalom race, we skiers were allowed to roam the hills in search of fantastic skiing.

After learning how not to land on step-up jumps (specifically, on my head) and being scared by a chairlift up a vertical, craggy cliff face, we retired to the village to the awards banquet where we found my ski team placed third overall.

A scant eight hours later we were up and on our way to the giant slalom race, where all per-formed wonderfully, and where I was considerate enough to the cameraman to slow down enough so his pictures wouldn’t turn out blurry.

After a brief three minutes I reached the bottom, where I was applauded by several onlookers. I joined my teammates for a few runs before the second awards ceremony.

The awards were given, with Fernie receiving first for boys/girls ski team combined and plenty of awards for individuals.Fernie Secondary School skier Montana

Andreola with coach Patty Wortley

Submitted photo

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Mackenzie Young

Fernie Secondary School ski racer Mackenzie Young took first place in the BC High Schools Ski and Snowboard Provincial Championships held in Whistler.