Halfmoon Bay’s Evelyn Klassen has had another banner season with the Chatelech Eagles ski and snowboard team. At Blackcomb Whistler, she placed first in all six events as well as the zone finals to qualify for the high school provincial championships held at Panorama Mountain near Invermere, March 2 to 4.
A total of 283 ski and snowboard competitors from all over B.C. attended with Evelyn competing against 55 other female snowboarders. Chatelech Eagles is a small team and only Evelyn qualified to attend. She competed as an independent and, as luck would have it, she was the dreaded last boarder to start Tuesday’s giant slalom.
Under sunny skies, but slightly icy conditions, the course deteriorated after each competitor and by the time Evelyn took to the course, it was extremely icy. She powered through as best she could on her two runs. The second competition was the terrain GS Boardercross (Evelyn’s preferred competition: a fast, twisting, banked, bending course). The icy conditions continued and after all skiing competitors cut the course up, it was the snowboarders’ turn. With an earlier start time and only one timed run to count, Evelyn gave it her all and placed ninth overall out of her 55 competitors.
Happy with the results, Evelyn is looking forward to next season and hoping to qualify again as next year’s provincials are a little closer at Sun Peaks near Kamloops. The team encourages all Chatelech ski and snowboard enthusiasts to join the team and have fun at Blackcomb/Whistler the upcoming season and, who knows, maybe qualify for next year’s provincials.
Huge thanks to Chatelech for the support, Rob and Kirsten Deasey for starting the team and coach Ryan Franken for continuing these opportunities for these racers.
– Submitted
