Skiers show off their skills at the annual Tawatinaw event

WESTLOCK – Skiers from across Alberta competed in the annual Tawatinaw Valley Freeriders Club Competition March 4-6 on the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill.

A total of 85 athletes, including 22 girls and 63 boys aged up to 16, took part in the two-day competition. The freeriders won 29 medals in slopestyle and mogul events over the weekend.

“It’s beautiful (today). When the sun is shining, everyone feels more like being outside. At our last competition (2018) it was -35 to -40 degrees so that is to be welcomed,” said Tara Jardine, Vice President of the Club and organizer of the event.

The competition, sanctioned by Freestyle Canada and organized by the Freeriders in partnership with Freestyle Alberta, has not been held for the past two years due to the pandemic. The freeriders rotate every two years with the Edmonton Freestyle Club hosting the event. Medals will be awarded to participants in the U10, U12, U14 and U16 age categories.

“We are very pleased to be able to hold a competition this year. It was great,” said Jardine, noting the awards for first, second and third place in each age category, male and female, presented for the mogul race during the Saturday night banquet at Westlock Memorial Hall and for the slopestyle on Sunday afternoon Event.

One of the Tawatinaw Valley Freeriders skiers was 14-year-old Sage Korth, who has been with the club for several years and competes in the annual event.

“I like meeting new people, the competitive aspect of it, testing my skills and seeing what I can do,” Korth said, noting what she’s learned over the years from the club and from competing in the annual competition. “It’s a really good group of people and we push each other to do our best.”

Clubmate and competitor, 14-year-old Brenden Miller, also mentioned some of the best aspects of skiing with the Freeriders and taking part in the annual event.

“I like to ski with my friends and have fun doing some cool tricks,” said Miller, noting the positive influence of both the club and the competition on his ski development. “Definitely the coaches. How crazy they are, how much I looked up to them and how much I wanted to be a good skier like them,” he said.

Jardine said there are several reasons youngsters compete, including the confidence boost there is when they land a trick and the many friendships that have been formed among the contestants.

“We have kids from Athabasca, Westlock, Stony Plain, Slave Lake in our club, so they meet kids from different areas (across Alberta),” Jardine said, noting the support attendees receive from fans and families at the event . “It’s a very community-oriented sport. You can do your biggest trick, you can do your smallest trick and everyone gets credit for what they do. There is a lot of encouragement to keep going.”

Results

Mogul Event – Saturday, March 5th

Women’s category U10

1 – Anja Allen – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Cedar Timmins – Jasper Freestyle

3 – Aubrey Heavin – Central Alberta Freestyle

U12 female

1 – Haeley Hammerstrom – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Abigayle Coupland – Jasper Freestyle

U14 female

1 – Natalie Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Harper Turnbull – Freestyle from central Alberta

3 – Emilie Bisaillon – Jasper Freestyle

U14 female

1 – Sage Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Jenna Erdely – Freerider in the Tawatinaw Valley

Overall female

1 – Sage Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Natalie Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Jenna Erdely – Freerider in the Tawatinaw Valley

Male U10

1 – Nolan Schauenberg – Edmonton Freestyle

2 – Hunter Osepchuk – Edmonton Freestyle

3 – James Handerek – Jasper Freestyle

Male U12

1 – Seth Schauenberg – Edmonton Freestyle

2 – William Allen – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Tanner Macyk – Calgary Freeriderz

Male U14

1 – Brendan Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Marshall Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Hayden Matthews – Freestyle from central Alberta

Male U16

1 – Owen Chorney – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Ian Vandervelde – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Ethan Burton – Edmonton Freestyle

male overall

1 – Brendan Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Owen Chorney – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Marshall Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

Slopestyle Event – ​​Sunday 6th March

U10 female

1 – Anja Allen – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Hattie Mitchell Edmonton Freestyle

3 – Clara Gurney Optimus Freestyle

U12 female

1 – Natalie Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Isla Mitchell – Edmonton Freestyle

3 – Madilynn Phillips – Freestyle from central Alberta

U14 female

1 – Haeley Hammerstrom – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Abigayle Coupland – Jasper Freestyle

U16 female

1- Sage Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Jenna Erdely – Freerider in the Tawatinaw Valley

Overall female

1 – Sage Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Natalie Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Jenna Erdely – Freerider in the Tawatinaw Valley

Male U10

1 – Nolan Schauenberg Edmonton Freestyle

2 – James Handerek Jasper Freestyle

3 – Brody Pilip Edmonton Freestyle

Male U12

1 – Gerber Macyk Calgary Freeriderz

2 – Forrest Cruickshank – Freerider in the Tawatinaw Valley

3 – Seth Schauenberg – Edmonton Freestyle

Male U14

1 – Brendan Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Oliver Olstad – Central Alberta Freestyle

3 – Marshall Korth – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

Male U16

1 – Julian Miller – Northern Extreme

2 – Owen Chorney – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

3 – Cohen Deck – Northern Extreme

male overall

1 – Brendan Miller – Tawatinaw Valley Freerider

2 – Julian Miller – Northern Extreme

3 – Oliver Olstad – Central Alberta Freestyle

Kristine Jean, TownandCountryToday.com