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Students show focus in annual Elementary School Cross-country Ski races

Students age five to 12 competed at Hallis Lake on Feb. 17
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Beginner skiers age seven to 10 took off on a mass start on Saturday morning at Hallis Lake. Melanie Law photo

Elementary students from schools across Quesnel competed at Hallis Lake on Saturday Feb. 17 in the 36th annual Elementary School Cross-country Ski Races.

The competitors ranged in age from five to 12, and there were categories for beginner skiers as well as those with more experience, who have done Cariboo Ski Touring Club’s Jack Rabbit program.

Bouchie Lake Elementary, Carson Elementary, Dragon Lake Elementary, Kersley Elementary, Red Bluff Lhtako Elementary and Wells-Barkerville Elementary were all in attendance, as well as a group of elementary students from Williams Lake, who skied as a team.

Prior to their race, Red Bluff Lhtako students Noah Barry, nine, and Dion Leung, 10, said they were looking forward to having fun on the trails.

“I want to finish the race without falling,” said Noah.

“I’ve only ever skied about five times. I will probably get fourth or fifth place.”

Dion said he was also wary of falling, and has about the same experience as his friend.

“I was busy for a lot of the practices, so I have a disadvantage. But I’m just here for fun,” he explained.

“I enjoy it. I like going fast, but I don’t like to fall.”

Despite his misgivings, Noah placed first in the #3 Inexperienced Boys race and third in #3 Boys Double Cross.

Dion placed fourth in #3 Inexperienced Boys and eighth in #3 Boys Double Cross.

The races began with the inexperienced girls group, with students age seven to 10 heading off around the trail.

First to return was seven-year-old Alexa Martins from Red Bluff Lhtako Elementary, winning her #2 Inexperienced Girls category.

Following Alexa was 10-year-old Seren Trudeau, who won first place in her #3 Inexperienced Girls category.

When asked how her race went, Seren gave a breathless but enthusiastic, “Awesome!”

A Williams Lake team won the team relay event, with a Red Bluff Lhtako team coming second and Dragon Lake’s only team coming third.

Overall, Red Bluff Lhtako Elementary came first place. Dragon Lake Elementary placed second, Kersley third, Carson fourth, Wells-Barkerville fifth, and Bouchie Lake, which only had two competitors, came sixth.

The Williams Lake team won the top out-of-town-team award, taking home a gold pan and plaque. Red Bluff Lhtako, Dragon Lake and Kersley each took home trophies for their top-three finishes for School District #28.

Thirteen of the skiers who competed at the Quesnel Elementary races will compete as a Cariboo Ski Touring Club team in Williams Lake on Sunday, Feb. 25, including Carter and Keirstyn Bohme, Rome and Friday Borsato-Stobbe, Hunter Brown, Max and Elek Kovach, James and Taylor Escott, Ella Hyde, Elise Jonnason, and Memphis and Harley Connor. These students range in age and experience and will represent Quesnel at the Williams Lake Cross-Country Ski Club’s tournament.

For full race results, go to Quesnelobserver.com.

Inexperienced skier

#2 Girls (age 7-8)

1 – Alexa Martins, Red Bluff Lhtako

#3 Girls (age 9-10)

1 – Seren Trudeau, Red Bluff Lhtako

2 – Choloe Morneau, Wells-Barkerville

3 – Cassidy Wilwand, Kersley

4 – Paige Conlin, Kersley

5 – Maya Lemoine, Kersley

6 – Isabelle Syvertsen, Kersley

#4 Girls (age 11-12)

1 – Marley Conlin, Kersley

#3 Boys (age 9-10)

1 – Noah Barry, Red Bluff Lhtako

2 – Chase Bedard, Wells-Barkerville

3 – Jackson Richter, Carson

4 – Dion Leung, Red Bluff Lhtako

5 – Taylor Escott, Wells-Barkerville

#4 Boys (age 11-12)

1 – James Escott, Wells-Barkerville

Experienced skier

#1 Girls (age 5-6)

1 – Keirstyn Bohme, Dragon Lake

2 – Lilly Reedman, Williams Lake

#2 Girls (age 7-8)

1 – Alyna Obexer, Williams Lake

2 – Friday Borsato-Stobbe, Red Bluff Lhtako

3 – Abbey McKay, Dragon Lake

4 – Elise Jonasson, Carson

5 – Pascale Sturt, Red Bluff Lhtako

6 – Lily Davison, Red Bluff Lhtako

7 – Irene Hyde, Dragon Lake

#3 Girls (age 9-10)

1 – Jessabelle Atkinson-Trelenberg, Williams Lake

2 – Rome Borsato-Stobbe, Red Bluff Lhtako

3 – Ella Hyde, Dragon Lake

4 – Shyanna Felushko, Red Bluff Lhtako

5 – Kyra Duckworth, Carson

6 – Aubrey Williams, Red Bluff Lhtako

#4 Girls

1 – Ciara Reed, Williams Lake

2 – Nevaeh McHone, Red Bluff Lhtako

#1 Boys (age 5-6)

1 – Max Kovach, Carson

2 – Roan Davidson, Red Bluff Lhtako

3 – Zinny Jukic, Williams Lake

#2 Boys (age 7-8)

1 – Carter Bohme, Dragon Lake

2 – Luke Stefan, Dragon Lake

3 – Elek Kovach, Carson

4 – Gavin Reedman, Williams Lake

5 – Hayden Booth, Dragon Lake

6 – Hunter Brown, Bouchie Lake

#3 Boys (age 9-10)

1 – Oi Moliner-Clarke, Williams Lake

2 – Nikolai Benson, Bouchie Lake

#4 Boys (age 11-12)

1 – Jeff Obexer, Williams Lake

Double Cross

#1 Girls

1 – Keirstyn Bohme, Dragon Lake

2 – Lilly Reedman, Williams Lake

#2 Girls

1 – Friday Borsato-Stobbe, Red Bluff Lhtako

2 – Abbey McKay, Dragon Lake

3 – Lily Davidson, Red Bluff Lhtako

4 – Alyna Obexer, Williams Lake

5 – Irene Hyde, Dragon Lake

6 – Alexa Martins, Red Bluff Lhtako

7 – Pascale Sturt, Red Bluff Lhtako

8 – Elise Jonasson, Carson

#3 Girls

1 – Jessabelle Atkonson-Trelenberg, Williams Lake

2 – Ella Hyde, Dragon Lake

3 – Rome Borsato-Stobbe, Red Bluff Lhtako

4 – Aubrey Williams, Red Bluff Lhtako

5 – Kyra Duckworth, Carson

6 – Isabelle Syvertsen, Kersley

7 – Cassidy Wilwand, Kersley

8 – Maya Lemoine, Kersley

9 – Paige Conlin, Kersley

10 – Shyanna Felushko, Red Bluff Lhtako

11 – Seren Trudeau, Red Bluff Lhtako

12 – Chloe Morneau, Wells-Barkerville

#4 Girls

1 – Ciara Reid, Williams Lake

2 – Nevaeh McHone, Red Bluff Lhtako

3 – Marley Conlin, Kersley

#1 Boys

1 – Zinny Jukic, Williams Lake

2 – Max Kovach, Carson

3 – Roan Davidson, Red Bluff Lhtako

#2 Boys

1 – Carter Bohme, Dragon Lake

2 – Elek Kovach, Carson

3 – Gavin Reedman, Williams Lake

4 – Hayden Booth, Dragon Lake

5 – Luke Stefan, Dragon Lake

6 – Hunter Benson, Bouchie Lake

7 – Jack Scallion, Red Bluff-Lhtako

#3 Boys

1 – Oi Moliner-Clark, Williams Lake

2 – Nikolai Benson, Bouchie Lake

3 – Noah Barry, Red Bluff-Lhtako

4 – Chase Bedard, Wells-Barkerville

5 – Jackson Richter, Carson

6 – Taylor Escott, Wells-Barkerville

7 – Jackson Richter, Carson

8 – Dion Leung, Red Bluff-Lhtako

#4 Boys

1 – Jeff Obexer, Williams Lake

2 – James Escott, Wells-Barkerville

#5 Boys

1 – Ethan Reid, Williams Lake