For Jessabelle Trelenberg, cross-country ski racing isn’t all about winning.
To the Williams Lake-area skier, it’s about lifting up and encouraging her fellow racers.
“Once you get into the higher levels, a big part of what the provincial coaches say is you have to build each other up to get better,” Trelenberg, 15, said. “You can’t be completely competitive all the time, so being happy for each other’s successes and building each other up is important.”
Trelenberg came first in the U16 Girls division Saturday at the 100 Mile Nordics’ Teck Northern Cup Race #3. About 49 young skiers between the ages of five and 17 competed on 100 Mile House’s cross-country ski course, located on Ainsworth Road.
“It was a great race today. The kids were positive, we had lots of volunteers, lots of parents and lots of grandparents. It’s always great to see,” Nordics president Chris Keam said. “Conditions for the race were close to ideal and we enjoyed racing under blue skies.”
100 Mile Nordic Juliette Leclair, 6, said she had fun, notching her second win. Last year she came in first place in the U6 division and this year first in the U8 Girls.
“I like competition and going down hills,” she said. “When you go down hills you go really fast and I like going fast.”
Trelenberg attends local races such as the Teck Cup as well as provincial races including the B.C. Cup and the Canadian National games. This March, she’s heading to Vernon to compete in the BC Winter Games.
“I really like that skiing is a personal challenge and you’re constantly overcoming things and improving yourself. No matter how good you get, there’s always something you can improve,” she said.
Keam said the 100 Mile Nordics have had a strong history of racing dating back to the first Cariboo Marathons. In the coming years, he said the club is eager to build up its race program and attract new people to the club, especially volunteers.
“We have lots of members and volunteers but we’ve always got room for more. Volunteers are the core of our club and the more volunteers, the lighter the load and we can do more,” Keam said.
The winners of the Teck Northern Cup Race #3 included Oihanes Moliner Clark (U16 Boys), Carter Bohme (U14 Boys), Irene Hyde (U14 Girls), Roan Davison (U12 Boys), Anna Burkey (U12 Girls), Mica Wallin (U10 Boys), Violet Burkey (U10 Girls), Rhys Davison (U8 Boys) and Erik Lundsbye. (U6).
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter/p>