The Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club brought a larger contingent of racers to Nationals in Gatineau, Quebec than ever before. Sixteen racers between the ages of 14-21, along with coach Matt Smider and several parents who worked as ski waxing technicians, cooks and drivers, represented Revelstoke.
The event was yet another chance for the Nordic Ski Club to shine; it was the top performance the team has ever achieved at Nationals.
“A lot of racers reached season long objectives,” says Smider. “There were some big moments for our racers. I would say one of the biggest was in the final days of racing with the long distance mass start classic races, particularly in the women’s where we had racers podium in every category, which is pretty impressive.”
“Our senior racer, Gina Cinelli, realized Revelstoke’s first ever senior National podium finish,” says Smider.
Smider notes that while medals are the icing on the cake, he is incredibly pleased with his team’s efforts, ability to set goals and their determination to achieve their personal goals.
“I’m very proud of their performances,” explains Smider. “As a coach of mostly junior racers, it’s about the process of reaching your goals. I think we really achieved that as a team. I’m proud to see the athletes perform so well.”
Smider notes that the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club was the sixth top team overall and the third in the juniors for overall aggregate results.
“It’s impressive,” he says. “The clubs who placed higher than us have significantly larger populations.”
The team competed in conditions they were fairly used to. “There was a lot of variety, from very icy melt-freeze conditions in the morning to soft in the afternoon, so nothing too different than what we are used to here,” he say.
However, the duration and size of the competition was new to the team. “Normally our competitions might be about three days, whereas at Nationals it was eight days, as well as a couple of days of travel,” says Smider. “Nationals is a larger event than many of skiers had ever experienced. Revelstoke racers are used to competing against other athletes in Western Canada, and they get to know the other racers fairly well. At Nationals, they were in categories with over 100 skiers. When you go to an event on the other side of the country, it can be a little awe inspiring to see how many people are keen and passionate about the sport. It creates a heightened sense of focus.”
Revelstoke National Championships Aggregate Results:
1st Alexandra Luxmoore
1st Beth Granstrom
5th Elizabeth Elliott
6th Kolibri Drobish
6th Jacyln Elliott
8th Emily MacLeod
13th Rebecca Brosch
16th Erik Brosch
16th Nelson Luxmoore
16th Gina Cinelli
16th Francesco Morrone
23rd Elliot Wilson (participated in one race)
24th Zoe Larson
37th Arianna Morrone
Team Relay Revelstoke placings:
6th- 100 per cent Klister Coverage – Alexandra Luxmoore and Kolibri Drobish
13th- Chicks on Sticks – Emily MacLeod and Jacyln Elliott
19th- Young Fresh Fellows – Nelson Luxmoore and Erik Brosch
23rd- Scrambled Legs – Rebecca Brosch and Eden Thomas
32rd- Hazards on Skis – Zoe Larson and Arianna Morrone
17th Lost Columbians – Francesco Morrone and Cedar Cameron-Harding (Mixed Category)
Category Races
Alexandra Luxmoore
– Gold – Long distance mass start classic
– Silver – Skate pursuit
– Bronze – Short distance interval start classic
– Bronze – Mass start skate
Beth Granstom
– Silver -Skate pursuit
– Silver – Long distance mass start classic
Elizabeth Elliott
– Bronze – Skate sprint
Gina Cinelli
-Bronze – Long distance classic race
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