Junior Skiers Impress at Canadian Open Freeskiing Championships
By Andrew Zwicker
Remember back when you were seven years old and it was a thrill just bombing semi-snowplow, poles tucked up under your armpits points to the sky down the steepest blue trail you could find, impressed in your own ‘Look mom, I didn’t fall!’ style? OK maybe that was just me in my pre-Western days on the small hills of Nova Scotia where I first learned how to ski, but I was extremely impressed with what these kids were pulling off.
This past Saturday watching the junior categories of the Canadian Open Freeskiing Championships from the lofty birds-eye view heights of the Motherlode Chair as kids as young as seven years rocked their way down Links Line, I found myself wishing I had grown up with such core terrain in my backyard as these kids surely out-skied many folks three, four and five times their age.
Mother Nature cooperated with the event this year as the fog remained in the valley all day allowing the judges including Freeskiing legend Jeff Holden a clear view of the entire course from the power line nole at the base of Links Line. Airing over rock ledges, frozen waterfalls and various car sized boulders to the beat of the pumping sound system after exiting the start gate into immediately hairy terrain on Captain Jacks go, spectators at the bottom of the course an on the chair above saw a great show of fresh young talent.
Next weekend see’s the Seniors take to Links Line on Saturday for their first run, and moving over to one of the most feared and fabled courses on the freeskiing tour on the face of Mount Roberts. There are still a few spots open in the senior category so if you’ve got the guts to huck your meat down some hairy terrain sign up now at Red Mountains Guest Service desk or online at www.canadianopenfreeskiing.com.
View the results from the Juniors comp in the attached file.
