Special Olympics BC Trail hosted the Snow Sports Winter Festival in Rossland for the first time over the weekend.
Athletes competed in alpine skiing events at Red Mountain Resort and snowshoeing races at the Black Jack Ski area on Saturday, and had lots of fun.
“I’m proud I got two second places,” said Jake Miller, who got second in the Male o1 200m and the Male o1 400m snowshoe races.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done,” said Kayleigh Postmus, another snowshoer who got first place in both the Female 01 50m and the Female 02 100m, and second place in the Female o2 400m, an event she only decided to participate in at the last minute.
“It was hard work and I want to thank my coaches — Luke, Jarod, Debbie and especially Ben — for training me … to get this far,” she said.
“And Rhonda,” added Miller.
“Thanks to Kurt and Darrel and all the other coaches from skiing for coaching us,” said skier Tim McTeer who participated in both the Giant Slalom and Slalom events.
“[And] Ben,” added Serena Lapointe, who participated in the Female Novice category of the alpine skiing events and placed second in the Giant Slalom and third in the Slalom.
Miller, Postmus, McTeer and Lapointe were all looking forward to competing again next and were sure they would do even better in their respective events. They were also looking forward to spending the rest of Saturday evening dancing and having a good time with the visiting athletes from other communities.
Overall the festival went very well.
“We had great support,” said Ben Postmus, coach and event organizer. “Both courses were excellent; the weather, couldn’t ask for anything better. Red Mountain Resort did a fabulous job of supporting us, letting us run races on their hill, same with Black Jack Ski Club.”
Results for the Trail Special Olympics athletes were as follows:
Showshoe races
Female 01 50m
First: Kayleigh Postmus, 17.81
Second: Patricia Soto, 24.53
Female 02 100m
First: Kayleigh Postmus, 38.09
Fourth: Patricia Soto, 53.22
Male 01 100m
Second: William Thatcher, 20.56
Fourth: Jake Miller, 22.44
Fifth: Eugene LaRoque, 25.35
Male 02 100m
Third: Jordan McPhee, 30
Female 02 200m
Third: Patricia Soto, 2:07.06
Male 01 200m
Second: Jake Miller, 51.06
Third: Willam Thatcher, 56.25
Fourth: Eugene LaRoque, 1:02.41
Male 02 200m
Fourth: Jordan McPhee, 1:11.10
Female 02 400m
Second: Kayleigh Postmus, 3:43.75
Male 01 400m
Second: Jake Miller, 2:03.37
Male 02 400m
First: William Thatcher, 2:14.30
Fifth: Eugene LaRoque, 2:48.69
Male 01 800m
Second: William Thatcher, 3:41.81
Giant Slalom
Female Novice
Second: Serena Lapointe
Third: Sophia Santano
Male Novice
Second: Stewart Babakaiff
Male Intermediate
Sixth: Tim McTeer, 1:04.40
Seventh: Stuart Hawton, 1:11:84
Slalom
Female Novice
Second: Sophia Santano, 2:22.41
Third: Serena Lapointe, 2:28.20
Male Novice
First: Stewart Babakaiff, 1:21.60
Male Intermediate
Fifth: Tim McTeer, 1:14.02
Sixth: Stuart Hawton, 1:15.80