Morning Star Staff
The Sovereign Lake Nordic Racing Team has started its season with impressive results.
Six members of the team excelled in Penticton at the recent Nickel Plate Nordic’s race with all six finishing in the top-5 of their age categories with Sierrra Munroe earning gold in the under 9 girls category,
Camille Henry struck gold and Sofie Steinruck bagged silver in the girls 10–15-year group, Eric Embleton took fourth in the men’s division and Sarah Purslow claimed second in women’s.
The Nordic Team enjoyed racing on home turf at the Haywood NorAm event that drew 400 racers from across North America.
A total of 14 Sovereign Lake skiers participated in two days of stiff competition with Hannah Mehain earning gold in the junior women’s classic sprint on the Saturday and fourth in the interval start free Technique battle Sunday.
Top-10 finishers in Saturday’s mass startcclassic included Paige Latta (7th), Ian Oliphant (10th) and Lucas Sadesky (4th).
Sunday’s free technique pitted skiers against the clock as individuals left the start gate in 15-second intervals. Top-10 results were posted by Latta (10th), Oliphant (4th), Torin Andrews (2nd) and Lucas Sadesky (4th).
Last weekend saw six brave very chilly temperatures in Rossland for a second NorAm with Mehain and Oliphant pocketing silver medals in Friday’s free technique tnterval start.
Top-10 finishes were also earned by Latta (9th), Clara Hardy (9th) and Andrews (4th). Mehain, racing up in the senior women’s category, and Latta competing in the junior girls, both moved through the heats to finish in the B final of Saturday’s free technique sprint.
Oliphant nabbed gold in his 2.8 km while Hardy was 9th and Andrews 4th. Mehain finished the classic technique sixth for third place amongst U23 skiers. Latta, Oliphant and Andrews all claimed fifth place. Hardy was 7th.
The Sovereign Lake racers will now enjoy a few days break with training on local trails before traveling down the road to Larch Hills on Jan. 7-8 for the first Provincial Cup event of the season.