Team BC capped off a brilliant week with another seven medals won at alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, and speed skating.
At Otway Nordic centre, another gold medal in the female 3x6km relay race finished a great week for the female racers.
Teammates Emily Dickson (Burns Lake), Claire LaPointe (Prince George), Tekarra Banser (West Kelowna) and Jennah Smailes (West Kelowna) were out on the course under blue skies and in front of a large hometown crowd. After falling behind early, strong skiing and shooting by LaPointe brought the team in to medal contention and then three time Canada Winter Games medalist, Dickson brought it home and crossed the line in first place to capture the gold.
“It has been an amazing feeling to be in my hometown and our home province for these Games,” said LaPointe. “The atmosphere is incredible with everyone behind us cheering us along,” said Banser.
The teammates have known each other for years having competed at events like the BC Winter Games together. “We are like sisters and we have been incredibly close all week so it is amazing to be able to share it all together,” said LaPointe.
The team of Robert Kreitz (Prince George), Arthur Roots (Prince George) and Peter Algra (Abbtosford) skied in the 3x10km relay for men in the afternoon and had a strong performance with a fourth place finish.
BC alpine skiers showed their speed in ski cross today earning four medals at Tabor Mountain. Katie Fleckenstein (West Vancouver) and Nicole Mah (Vancouver) earned gold and silver in the women’s race.
“Yesterday I won the timed run so I had a bit of confidence going into it today,” she said. “And as I was going through my heats today I was winning so I was getting more and more into it. To win the gold was amazing, it was just so much fun.”
In the men’s ski cross, Devin Mittertreiner and Ryan Finley earned silver and bronze. Mittertreiner and Finley live in Calgary but train and compete in Fernie so qualify for Team BC.
Sara Spence (Kamloops) finished off a week that started in Prince George at the outdoor oval with a silver medal and ended in Fort St. John today with a gold in the 3000m. Her sister Tori, won the gold in the same event at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
Spence's total medal count for the week was six – two gold (500m and 3000m), two silver (1500m and team pursuit), and two bronze (1000m and mass start).
At short track speed skating the men's 3000m relay team make the final and finished fourth.
After a tough loss in the semi final against Manitoba, the Team BC curling team rebounded to a solid 11-2 win over Saskatchewan in eight ends to win the bronze medal.
“We were focused and calm this morning and everyone was ready to go,” said skip Tyler Tardi (Surrey). Lead Tim Henderson (Victoria) added, “We had a perfect first end to get two and then kept the pressure on from there.
Team BC wheelchair basketball squared off against New Brunswick with the game going down to the final play and New Brunswick taking the game by one point 66-65.
In their final game of the tournament, Team BC ringette lost to Alberta and finished sixth. The female hockey team lost to Manitoba and also finished sixth.
Team BC and BC Games Alumni pins
One pin worth keeping extra safe is the special pin given to all BC Games alumni, who are part of Team BC this year in Prince George. This pin will be presented with a special recognition card and pin at the Canada Games to symbolize their significant achievement and acknowledgement of their contribution to Team BC’s ongoing sporting legacy.
“The BC Games Society is incredibly proud to have played a role in the development of these athletes,” said Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society. “The depth of Team BC speaks to the strength and coordination of the British Columbia sport system. We look forward to seeing the results of our BC Games alumni in Prince George.”
It’s important to remember that once a Team BC alumni, always a Team BC alumni. This is definitely the case for our Honourary Team BC Captain, Kelsey Serwa, reflects on her Canada Games experience as a part of Team BC. She is reliving her Team BC experience through the eyes of our current athletes and couldn’t be happier to be involved and cheering them on here in Prince George. “The Canada Winter Games hold a special place in my heart and I am no only proud to have the opportunity to participate in the Games once again, but also proud to have the opportunity to participate in the Games once again in a different capacity.”
A tip of the (Team BC) hat
As some of you depart Prince George after week 1, we welcome the next wave of Team BC athletes to Prince George this Sunday. For the new arrivals, we’d like to help you prepare for your time here so we’ve asked a number of the extended Team BC team for some tips to share with you. We encourage all athletes, coaches, parents and mission staff to continue to post their athlete tips on Twitter, tagging #TBCathletetips. Read more tips on our website...
Mission Staff MVP
Nominate your Mission Staff for the SAGE Most Valuable Supporter Award. 14 days, 14 winners. Nominate your Team BC Mission Staff as a Most Valuable Supporter of the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Here is how:
1. SUBMIT ONLINE: Nominate someone each day at: www.sageMVSawards.ca
2. TWEET: Tweet out your nomination: “I nominated @goteamBC #TBCMissionStaff today for the @sageNAmerica Most Valuable Supporter for #2015CanGames”
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Unofficial results. Click here for official medal standings
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Canada Games TV: TODAY
EPISODE 5 is now live.
Don’t forget to watch it live in Games Plaza Mondays-Fridays at 5pm PST.
Watch the shows here.
TSN Coverage
As the official broadcaster TSN is providing live coverage and behind the scenes stories from the Games. See the schedule and video clips here.
Global BC Coverage
Global BC and Jay Janower have been on site in Prince George throughout the Games. See their interviews and stories here.
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