Revelstoke Nordic skiers successful at B.C. Championships

By Matt Smider/ Revelstoke Nordic Ski Team

Revelstoke Nordic skiers continued a string of successful events at last weekend’s BC Championships in Kamloops. The three-day competition was attended by over 400 athletes from across the province, plus a strong team from Washington. Kamloops’ Overlander Nordic Ski Club played host to the event on the Stake Lake trail network. A team of 38 Revelstoke Nordic skiers dawned bibs and asserted their position as a top club with a best-ever 2nd place at the championships, trailing only the dominant Larch Hills team from Salmon Arm.

Elliot Wilson (23) and Tobin Gill (34) in the Relay mass start. Photo: Mike Thomas/Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club

The trails at Stake Lake are known for their short, steep climbs and sharp descents; a challenging departure from our more gradual (albeit lengthy) climbs and descents at Macpherson. Benign weather conditions made for simple waxing, with stable overcast skies, limited precipitation and temperatures hovering around 0C at race time. Skiers began the championships with a mass start classic race on Friday. Ruby Serrouya, Jaclyn Elliott, Kate Granstrom, Rory Luxmoore and Robyn Thomas led the way for Revelstoke earning BC Champion honours with first place finishes. Top Revelstoke results included:

Nicholas Gill – 3rd, Atom Boys 3, 1km
Tobin Gill – 3rd, Pee Wee Boys 2, 2km
Isobel Wilson – 2nd, Pee Wee Girls 2, 2km
Fiona Woodman – 4th, Pee Wee Girls 1, 2km
Ruby Serrouya – 1st, Bantam Girls 1, 2.5km
Maeve MacLeod – 3rd, Bantam Girls 1, 2.5km
Nyssa Thomas – 5th, Bantam Girls 2, 2.5km
Meya Musseau – 3rd, Bantam Girls 1, 2.5km
Jaclyn Elliott – 1st, Midget Girls 2, 3.5km
Emily MacLeod – 2nd, Midget Girls 2, 3.5km
Elliot Wilson – 2nd, Midget Boys 1, 5km
Erik Brosch – 2nd, Juvenile Boys 2, 7km
Kolibri Drobish – 4th, Juvenile Girls 1, 7km
Kate Granstrom – 1st, Junior Girls 1, 7km
Rory Luxmoore – 1st, Masters Men 50-59, 15km
Kip Drobish – 4th, Masters Men 50-59, 15km
Robyn Thomas – 1st, Masters Women 30-39, 10km
Sarah Newton – 3rd, Masters Women 40-49, 10km
Mandy Kellner – 4th, Masters Women 40-49, 10km
Ann Marie Gill – 5th, Masters Women 40-49, 10km
Tanya Wolgram – 3rd, Masters Women 30-39, 10km

On Saturday, skiers raced an individual start skate event on the same challenging trails. Once again, Robyn Thomas was crowned BC Champion, leading the way for Revelstoke skiers. Top Revelstoke results included:

Nicholas Gill – 4th, Atom Boys 3, 1km
Tobin Gill – 2nd, Pee Wee Boys 2, 2km
Isobel Wilson – 3rd, Pee Wee Girls 2, 2km
Fiona Woodman – 5th, Pee Wee Girls 1, 2km
Ruby Serrouya – 2nd, Bantam Girls 1, 2.5km
Nyssa Thomas – 4th, Bantam Girls 2, 2.5km
Maeve MacLeod – 5th, Bantam Girls 2, 2.5km
Meya Musseau – 5th, Bantam Girls 1, 2.5km
Jaclyn Elliott – 2nd, Midget Girls 2, 3.5km
Elliot Wilson – 3rd, Midget Boys 1, 5km
Erik Brosch – 5th, Juvenile Boys 2, 5km
Kolibri Drobish – 4th, Juvenile Girls 1, 5km
Kate Granstrom – 2nd, Junior Girls 1, 7km
Matthew Smider – 1st, Open Men 23+, 10km
Harry van Oort – 5th, Masters Men 40-49, 10km
Rory Luxmoore – 2nd, Masters Men 50-59, 10km
Robyn Thomas – 1st, Masters Women 30-39, 10km
Ann Marie Gill – 3rd, Masters Women 40-49, 10km
Mandy Kellner – 5th, Masters Women 40-49, 10km
Tanya Wolgram – 2nd, Masters Women 30-39, 10km

Francesco Morrone powering up the first hill in the skate interval start. Photo: Mike Thomas/Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club

On Saturday evening, a banquet was held to recognize accomplishments of skiers throughout this season’s BC Cup Series. Revelstoke Nordic skiers collected an impressive 14 aggregate medals:

Tobin Gill – 3rd, Pee Wee Boys 2
Natalia Morrone – 2nd, Pee Wee Girls 2
Ruby Serrouya – 1st, Bantam Girls 1
Meya Musseau – 3rd, Bantam Girls 1
Nyssa Thomas – 3rd, Bantam Girls 2
Elliot Wilson – 3rd, Midget Boys 1
Jaclyn Elliott – 2nd, Midget Girls 2
Kate Granstrom – 2nd, Junior Girls 1
Robyn Thomas – 1st, Masters Women 30-39
Tanya Wolgram – 2nd, Masters Women 30-39
Sarah Newton – 1st, Masters Women 40-49
Mandy Kellner – 2nd, Masters Women 40-49
Ann Marie Gill – 3rd, Masters Women 40-49
Rory Luxmoore – 1st, Masters Men 50-59

The Revelstoke masters women up front in the mass start. Photo: Mike Thomas/Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club

Sunday’s finale saw athletes compete in three-person classic relays with numerous local teams earning top five placings:

Natalia Morrone, Isobel Wilson and Breena Wolgram – 2nd, Pee Wee Girls, 3x1km
Elliot Wilson, Francesco Morrone and Nelson Luxmoore – 4th, Midget Boys 3×2.5km
Jaclyn Elliott, Alexandra Luxmoore and Emily MacLeod – 5th, Midget Girls 3×2.5km
Erik Brosch, Rory Luxmoore and Matthew Smider – 2nd, Open Men 3x5km
Sarah Newton, Mandy Kellner and Robyn Thomas – 2nd, Open Women 3x5km

Great job to all the athletes and a big thank you to the parent support team including coaches and wax technicians for their hard work. February’s marathon of Nordic events continues this weekend, with skiers aged 10-13 travelling to Kelowna for the BC Midget Championships. The rest of the team will enjoy some well-deserved recovery time prior to next month’s National Championships.