Freestyle snowboarders thrive as their season continues

As freestyle competitions ramp up across the province, Sun Peaks Freestyle Club (SPFC) snowboarders have continued to bring home the hardware over the past couple of weeks.

On Jan. 22 and 23, eight SPFC snowboarders headed to Big White Resort to show off their slopestyle for the second B.C. provincial series event.

“We had great conditions at Big White Resort,” Janna Brown, SPFC’s snowboard director, told SPIN in an email. “For a couple of our athletes it was their first competition.”

In this event, results were determined by age category as well as overall ranking, Brown explained. Here are the results:

January 22

Katie Brayer: Second overall, first in age category.

Nayte Brown: Third overall, third in age category.

Colton McHatten: Sixth overall, first in age category.

Blake Morris: Second in age category.

Markus Malinksky-Triska: Third in age category.

January 23

Katie Brayer: Second overall, first in age category.

Nayte Brown: Second overall, first in age category.

Colton McHatten: Third overall, second in age category.

Blake Morris: Third in age category.

Markus Malinsky-Triska: Second in age category.

Brayer, Nayte Brown and McHatten also competed in Air Nation Sun Peaks from Jan. 19 to 21. Although they did not place in the top spots, Brown said it was inspiring to watch them perform.

“The Air Nation Tour is a hefty contest with riders from all over the USA and Canada,” she said. “Our three athletes that competed had so much fun competing at home. They completed their runs smoothly and safely and look forward to progressing with their tricks throughout the remainder of the season.”

Seven snowboarders from SPFC are currently in Calgary competing in the freestyle nationals, representing Sun Peaks in both the junior and senior divisions.