A Foothills area alpine skier is hoping for a second straight podium finish on the national stage.
Rebecca Pelkey charges into the 2023 Canada Winter Games with four opportunities to compete for a medal in alpine skiing events when they kick off next week in the Maritimes.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Pelkey. “I’m hoping to get top-three in almost every event, I’m not sure about ski cross, but I’m hoping to get top-three in slalom, super-G and (giant slalom).
“Last year I went to nationals and got second in slalom so I’m hoping to do something like that again.”
Needing a top-seven placement in the province to book a ticket to P.E.I., Pelkey left no room for doubt with a first-place finish at qualifying events at Mt. Norquay and Panorama.
At the Games, the 15-year-old will be competing in the traditional alpine disciplines of slalom, giant slalom and Super-G as well as in ski cross.
Giant slalom, a hybrid of the most technical slalom and lighting quick Super-G, is her preferred event.
“You’re not going too fast and it’s not too technical,” she said. “I just really enjoy it.”
To the surprise of no one who has ventured on picturesque Prince Edward Island, the host site of the Games, the alpine skiing events will be taking place off site at Crabbe Mountain, near Fredericton, New Brunswick.
“I don’t know what the run looks like so far, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be too steep,” she said.
The ski cross, a spectator friendly event featuring a combination of terrain and artificial features with competitors racing side-by-side and competing for limited space on the track, will be held on the island.
“When I was in U12, I did, but I don’t regularly train ski cross at all, so it will be really fun,” Pelkey said. “I like ski cross, but just don’t like the fact that you are skiing with three other people on the track because a lot can happen and can push you off the track.”
Pelkey will have familiarity on her side in the Maritimes as six of the seven girls on Alberta’s alpine skiing team train together with the Calgary Alpine Ski Club.
Weekly training for Pelkey consists of five days of ski work, primarily at Nakiska, along with dryland sessions in the form of CrossFit.
The Foothills area will also be represented in the ice hockey competition.
A pair of Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers forwards, Bragg Creek’s Lochlan Tetarenko and Langdon’s Kyle McDonough, are on the Team Alberta hockey squad. The team has a 2-0 record as of Feb. 21.
As a whole, the 2023 Canada Winter Games features 20 sports and 150 events and runs from Feb. 18 to March 3.
For more information on the event, visit 2023canadagames.ca.
