Apex Freestyle Club members returned from the Junior Nationals at Le Relais Ski Centre in Lac Beauport, Que. last weekend with 12 medals while representing B.C.
The national championship hosted 176 athletes from seven provinces and one territory.
Winning medals from AFC were Brayden Kuroda, Madison Parker, Joe Durham, Kassidy and Max Todd and Matt Finlayson. Brayden took gold in moguls, dual moguls, aerials as well as combined aerials and moguls. Parker earned bronze in moguls and dual moguls, while Todd won the aerials and combined aerials and moguls event. Durham took bronze in the combined aerials and moguls for M3. Todd also took second in combined aerials and moguls and Finlayson earned silver in big air and combined slopestyle/big air.
“The B.C. athletes really did well. Apex really showed mogul skiing as their favourite event,” said Kenni.
Brayden said it was awesome to win gold as the competition was hard and added his success was due to his ability to stay calm and contain his nerves.
“Don’t freak out. Do your best,” said Brayden, who felt he was pushed by the other athletes. “I knew that I had to perform to my best. Really good kids there.”
Brayden was also impressed with his aerials against some tough competition.
Durham said competing was a lot of fun.
“It’s cool to be against everyone in the whole country,” he said. “That’s pretty sweet. I felt I put down the best runs of my ability.”
Durham also said it was just a good experience to see the calibre of athletes he was up against.
“It really gives you a perspective of everyone out there,” he said.
Koleton Phipps, who finished 15th in moguls and eighth in aerials, was happy with his performances. Phipps was pleased to advance to the second round of dual moguls. In aerials, he made mistakes on his jumps affecting his results.
“It was a really good experience,” said Phipps. “I was super happy to just be there. Put down good runs in my single moguls. It was really good for me.”
In slope style, Brayden finished fourth, while Finlayson was 12th and Cam Kapusty 21st. In big air, Brayden was sixth and Kapusty 16th. In moguls, Todd was fifth, while Mackenzie Schwinghamer was eighth, Max Todd eighth and Durham 14th. In aerials, Max Todd was fourth and Durham seventh.
AFC alumni Jordan Kober took gold, while Mason Barzilay was 10th and second in dual moguls.