Wrapping up his first year as the head coach for Yukon Freestyle, Graham Pollock enjoyed the sun, slush and tricks at the club’s annual season wrap-up Yukon Freestyle Championships at Mount Sima.

“It was awesome,” he said. “All the kids had a really good time.”

Greeted by bluebird conditions, the skiers tackled the slopestyle competition Friday afternoon, with the under-12s showing off their tricks in Pokey Park, a 300-metre long beginner park.

Then the older kids took over the show, performing their tricks in the main part of the terrain park.

Pollock was “super proud” of his athletes and saw new tricks and some perfecting of old tricks during the weekend.

“They progressed throughout the season,” he said.

Saturday saw the running of the big air competition, during which athletes hit one jump and perform their best trick.

This season is the first time Yukon Freestyle has employed a full-time coach year-round.

The opportunity to have a coach working with the athletes at their numerous facilities is “incredible,” said Lynda Harlow, Yukon Freestyle president. “It’s been a really good season.”

Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon, who has been competing on the North American circuit returned home to spend some time at the Sima hill and compete over the two days.

“It was good to come home for the weekend,” he said.

He skied the competition for fun, a way to relax and unwind after a busy season trying to gain international ranking points.

Skiing the competition was also a way for him to help support and encourage the younger athletes.

“The younger kids did well,” he said. “There’s definitely a lot of young talent.”

While the Yukon Freestyle Championships mark the final local competition for the athletes on snow, they won’t get much of a break before starting up dryland training.

With the Canada Winter Games rapidly approaching, a few of the team members are also being eyed to represent the territory in 2019 in Red Deer, Alta.

“Training is going to ramp up a bit,” said Harlow.

With the team’s recent success at the B.C. Championships in moguls, the program is also planning to build a moguls course at the hill in the new season.

“The kids really liked it,” said Harlow. “It would be great to have that for the kids.”

Yukon Freestyle Championships results

U12

1st - Lous Mouchet
2nd(tie) - Kieran Ritchie, Baylian Oettli
3rd - Logan Collon

U12 Girls

1st - Anwyn Tillett
2nd - Sapphira Oettli

U16

1st - Neil Mikkelsen
2nd - Nathan Scully
3rd - Max Logan

U18

1st - Evy Dinn
2nd - Austin Shaw

Masters:

1st - Miguel Rodden
2nd - Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon
3rd - Dylan Reed

Slopestyle

U10

1st - Kieran Ritchie
2nd - Jacob Robertson

U12

1st - Baylain Oettli
2nd - Jacob Tipton
3rd - Brendan Nash
4th - Logan Collon

U12 Girls

1st - Anwyn Tillett
2nd - Sapphira Oettli

U14

1st - Max Logan
2nd - Emmett Ross

U16

1st - Austin Shaw
2nd - Evyn Dinn
3rd - Keegan Hopkins
4th - Neil Mikkelsen

Masters:

1st - Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon
2nd - Miguel Rodden
3rd - Dylan Reed