Black Jack Hosts Kootenay Cup #1, Dedicates Trailhead Cabin to Memory of Rich Thorpe
By Rossland Telegraph
Kootenay Cup # 1, held Sunday at Black Jack Cross Country Ski Club, was a rousing success. 90 racers (including 40 in the Atoms and Peewees division) turned out for a great day of racing. The youngest skiers were 3 years old and the Atoms and Peewees division gave an exciting finish as kids vied for 1st place. Some Atoms skiers had to be coaxed across the finish line and one boy was seen to be holding his ears because he thought it was too noisy at the finish line.
Atoms boys top three were Benjamin Scully, Andrew Sibblad and Kaleo Lampimaki. Atoms girls top three were Lily Hutteman, Natasha Robine and Hanna Scheppe. Pee wee boys top three were Kieran Marchand and PeeWee girls top three were Maija Lampimaki, Holly Rimmer and Hannah Klemmenson. Cross Country Skiing in the Kootenays is going strong as can be seen by the enthusiasm these skiers showed towards their sport.
Full official resluts for the race can be found at
http://zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=2066&cat=480
Black Jack’s volunteers pool who puts on these races one again outdid themselves and it appeared that everyone was having fun.
Ken MacKaskill honoured and dedicated the Trail head Cabin to the late past president Rich Thorpe who, along with others was instrumental in the functioning of the club and the successful building of the cabin. A plaque was hung which says the following: ‘Rich Thorpe Cabin – This cabin is dedicated to the memory of Rich Thorpe, 1956-2008’.
Thorpe was an engineer, active member of Black Jack, and club president in 1992-93. After the original tin trailer shelter burned down, he was very instrumental in the designing & building of this current structure, aided by Kim Hay, Hal Harrison, Reino Rasku, Gary Bolk, Steve Ash, the Selkirk College carpentry program and many other members of the club.
Join Black Jack on the 24th and 25th of January for the Haywood NorAm and Teck Sprint Series for some more great racing with the top cross country skiers around the continent. Sprints are on Saturday and start at 9 am and the individual classic race is on Sunday with a start time of 10 am. this event is sponsored boy Hosting BC. The Hosting BC program, funded by the province of BC and 2010 Legacies Now, would like to thank the organizing committee and the many volunteers who have contributed to the success of the 2009 Haywood NorAm and Teck Sprint Series.
–submitted by Susan van Asselt. Cabin photo by Iain Reid.
