Revelstoke Nordic is top B.C. club at Ski Nationals

By Matt Smider/Revelstoke Nordic Head Coach

Over 650 of the country’s top skiers attended the 2017 Ski Nationals in Canmore from March 18—25. Revelstoke’s 13 athletes competing at the event contributed to our best-ever performances. Revelstoke Nordic finished the week-long championships ranked 11th overall; 6th among junior teams and the top B.C. club. Beth Granstrom led the way for our local team, capturing the 2000 Girls Aggregate Award and two individual medals; while Alana Brittin claimed an individual medal and paired up with Elizabeth Elliott to claim silver in the relay. Kate Granstrom continued her superb season with two top 10 placings, while Erik Brosch consistently finished in the top 30, with a 9th place in his final race. In her first Ski Nationals, Kolibri Drobish snuck inside the top 10 on two occasions, leading the way for other Revelstoke Nordic first-time competitors, Eden Thomas, Rebecca Brosch, Elliot Wilson, Jaclyn Elliott and Nelson and Alexandra Luxmoore. Finally, Megan Evans represented her hometown club, while competing as a senior athlete with Carleton University.

Alana Brittin claimed an individual medal and paired up with Elizabeth Elliott to claim silver in the relay. Photo: Jeff Wilson

Ski Nationals began on Saturday with a relay cross event, where athletes each skate skied their way around one lap of a technical 2.5 km loop complete slalom, drops and rollers. On Saturday, racers strapped on their skate skis again for the short distance individual start skate event. Tuesday’s race was the medium distance classic individual start events, followed by two days of classic sprinting; the longer 1.3 km course was raced by senior athletes on Wednesday and the shorter 1.1 km course was tested by the junior athletes on Thursday. Finally, the championships closed out with the long distance skate mass start races on Saturday.

Elizabeth Elliott. Photo: Jeff Wilson

The 2017 event was the largest-ever ski nationals, with over 400 skiers registered in the juvenile and junior categories. Revelstoke highlights included:

Saturday, March 18

Relay Cross
2nd – Alana Brittin and Elizabeth Elliott, Challenge Girls

Sunday, March 19

Skate Interval Start
8th – Beth Granstrom, Junior Girls 5km
9th – Kolibri Drobish, Juvenile Girls 5km
15th – Alana Brittin, Junior Girls 5km
17th – Elizabeth Elliott, Junior Girls 5km
22nd – Megan Evans, Senior Women 5km
23rd – Kate Granstrom, Junior Girls 5km
24th – Erik Brosch, Juvenile Boys 5km

Tuesday, March 21

Classic Interval Start
1st – Beth Granstrom, Junior Girls 10km
3rd – Alana Brittin, Junior Girls 10km
9th – Kate Granstrom, Junior Girls 10km
17th – Erik Brosch, Juvenile Boys 7.5km
18th – Kolibri Drobish, Juvenile Girls 5km
18th – Elizabeth Elliott, Junior Girls 10km
30th – Megan Evans, Senior Women 10km

Wednesday, March 22

Classic Sprint
28th – Megan Evans, Senior Women 1.3km

Thursday, March 23

Classic Sprint
3rd – Beth Granstrom, Junior Girls 1.1km
9th – Alana Brittin, Junior Girls 1.1km
15th – Kate Granstrom, Junior Girls 1.1km
18th – Elizabeth Elliott, Junior Girls 1.1km
19th – Kolibri Drobish, Juvenile Girls 1.1km
28th – Erik Brosch, Juvenile Boys 1.1km

Saturday, March 25

Skate Mass Start
7th – Kate Granstrom, Junior Girls 7.5km
9th – Erik Brosch, Juvenile Boys 10km
10th – Kolibri Drobish, Juvenile Girls 7.5km
15th – Beth Granstrom, Junior Girls 7.5km
16th – Elizabeth Elliott, Junior Girls 7.5km
20th – Alana Brittin, Junior Girls 7.5km
20th – Megan Evans, Senior Women 30km

Overall Year of Birth Aggregate Awards
1st – Beth Granstrom, 2000 Girls
5th – Alana Brittin, 2000 Girls
6th – Kolibri Drobish, 2002 Girls
8th – Kate Granstrom, 2000 Girls
9th – Erik Brosch, 2001 Boys
9th – Megan Evans, U23 Women

The 2017 Ski Nationals marks the end of the competitive season. Thanks to our parental support team for their ongoing efforts, in particular, Penny Page-Brittin for her services as Lead Wax Technician throughout the championships. Local athletes will now enjoy a much deserved rest, before they began their dryland training later in the spring. See you on the roller skis!