Five Apex Ski Club (ASC) members will face Canada’s best after qualifying for nationals.
Agatka Koczij and Isaac Athans had already qualified for the U16 national championship in Thunder Bay. They will be joined by Tamatea Westby and Devin Blaser. Kristen Anderson has qualified for the U18 championship. Twenty-eight kids will compete in nationals. ASC coach Jorgen Anderson said only one other club had more than five qualify and that is Whistler.
“For us to put in that percentage, shows nice depth in the team,” said Anderson, whose daughter Kristen surprised with her performances in the slalom and giant slalom.
Anderson’s daughter wasn’t in the mix.
“Kristen had the best results she ever had in her short skiing career,” said Anderson, as she was 10th, 11th and eighth. “Tamatea had a couple of really good results (sixth in giant slalom and fifth in slalom). Isaac Athans was pretty solid (third in giant slalom twice). Blaser was really consistent (seventh and ninth in GS and seventh in SL).”
On the opening day, Feb. 2 Noa Borg placed 10th in GS, while in the mens slalom, Koczij was sixth and Anderson was 13th. On the second day, Athans, Westby, Borg, Koczij and Anderson cracked the top 12. On the final two days, Anderson, Westby and Blaser cracked the top 10 in slalom and giant slalom.
Anderson said the field was strong, adding that B.C. skiers are pretty good. They also had to deal with tough conditions as it snowed a lot creating different variables.
“That’s why ski racing is kind of tough, it’s never the same,” said Anderson, adding the skiers performed really well and can take that experience home and go back to work.