Whitehorse Daily Star

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

UP AND OVER - Ryan Maclaren flips off the final jump of his slopestyle run Sunday at Mount Sima during the Yukon Freestyle Ski Association's Yukon Championships.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

DOWN THE SLOPE – Above, Mavik MacKinnon hits a jump during snowy conditions on Saturday.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Tammo Waldron grinds a rail.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Thierry St-Laurent rides a feature in the terrain park.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Dash Provan.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Kolya Grattali.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Tammo Waidran.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Kaleb Parry.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Louis Mouchet.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Sam Pearce.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Nevay MacKinnan.

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

Evan Lafrienier

Freestyle skiers go off the rails

The territory's freestyle skiers took over the slopes at Mount Sima on Saturday and Sunday to ride in the Yukon Freestyle Ski Association's Yukon Championships.

By John Tonin on March 30, 2021

The territory's freestyle skiers took over the slopes at Mount Sima on Saturday and Sunday to ride in the Yukon Freestyle Ski Association's Yukon Championships. The weekend featured both slopestyle and big air events.

Like all other sports organizations in the territory and beyond, the freestyle skiers had to adjust their season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We didn't travel at all this year," said association president Stephanie Robertson. "We decided it would be a training year where the athletes developed new skills and perfected their old skills."

The championships went well, even though there were cold temperatures Saturday that pushed some of the events to Sunday.

When the skiers were on the slopes, Robertson said they were crushing their runs.

"What they had been practising in training was on full display," said Robertson. "We saw some big tricks like cork-nines and even a double backflip."

To be on the slopes, in a competitive atmosphere made the athletes go for it harder, said Robertson.

"They were all happy to be able to compete and show off their tricks and what they have learned," she said.

Results:

Slopestyle is where athletes travel through a terrain park with rails and different features.

Alice Belanger took the top position in the U10 Female division followed by Nevay MacKinnon.

The Masters Female category was won by Rayna; Sam and Emily came in second and third respectively.

Henry Parker navigated the terrain park well to put himself atop the U8 Male class. Osker Luxemburger and Sam Pearce were the runners-up.

The U10 Male category was taken by Tammo Waldron. Thomas Sutton skied into second while Will Sutton grabbed third place.

Kieran Ritchie was the top U14 rider in slopestyle. Alex Wilson and Jacob Robertson earned the other podium positions.

The U16 category was won by Louis Mouchat with Jason McKay earning second. There were no other competitors in the division.

Zeb Blower earned the U18 title with Neil Mikkelsen and Alex Arsenault taking second and third.

Miguel Rodden was the master of the Masters category. Niko Rodden skied to second and Ryan Maclaren third.

Big Air:

Alice Belanger again found herself atop the U10 Female category in big air. Nevay MacKinnon was second. This was the only female class in the big air competition.

Parker was once again the U8 champ in big air. Eli nabbed third and Pearce was third.

Thomas Sutton, who was second in slopestyle in the U10 class, moved up the podium to win the big air. Will Sutton and Jack Belanger rounded out the top three.

The U12 division was won by Mavik MacKinnon. Kolya Grottoli and Henry Conners followed.

Alex Wilson took the U14 division. Ritchie was back on the podium but this time in second and Jacob Robertson took third.

McKay and Mouchat, the two U16 athletes, flipped positions in the big air when compared to the slopestyle results.

Mikkelsen grabbed first in the U18 class after winning silver in slopestyle. Arsenault was second and Blower was third.

Maclaren jumped up the podium to win the Masters division. Niko Rodden was second and Miguel Rodden was third.

Be the first to comment

Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar

In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.

Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.