It was a day for pushing limits on the last day of the Subaru Velocity Challenge as athletes in each category competed for prestige and cash prizes.
The Velocity Challenge is awarded to the fastest racer in each category during the entire four days of competition.
Italian speed skier Ivan Origone took the cake in the Men’s Speed 1 category with a blistering speed of 174.72 km/h while Sanna Tidstrand from Sweden won the Speed Ladies division with 170.65 km/h.
With her three wins, Tidstrand is very satisfied with the race results this year.
“It’s great,” said Tidstrand with a smile on her face. “Two years ago, I won the two World Cups and not the Velocity, but now I got all three.”
“The track has been beautiful everyday,” she said. “We had a little bit of bad weather in the first day but then it has been great.”
Sweden’s Sebastian Lindblom clocked in with 161.12 km/h for the Downhill Men’s category. In the Downhill Junior’s division, Sun Peaks 15-year-old speed skier Joss Advocaat registered 152.46 km/h on the speed trap.
“It’s amazing. It was so close though,” said Advocaat who was just ahead of Cruize Cleaver by 0.12ths of a kilometre.
“In the 22-year history of this event, it was probably one of the best events ever in one of the most adverse conditions ever,” said organizer Adam Earle. “We had high wind, powder snow, fog and we still managed to execute two World cup races and the Velocity Challenge over the four days.”
“We had 44 racers from 10 countries, which makes it a true international event at Sun Peaks Resort. It’s the only place in North America with an amazing start of the season for all the World Cup athletes?we’re the first race.”
“We had racers up to 174 km/h which is only 3 km/h shy of the course record by local Kenny Dale, so he’s happy; his record’s intact. And we did 350 speed skiing runs and one crash with minimal injury.”
“Our amazing group of volunteers that have been with the event for some 20 years along with the local sponsors like Subaru Autosport and Subaru Canada and lots of local sponsors and suppliers. Without their assistance this huge event couldn’t happen.”
For complete results, visit www.velocitychallenge.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@subaruvelocity). For photos and videos, search for subaruvelocity on Flickr or YouTube.
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