Richmond is only a day's drive away.
Considering how often they travel that far during the course of their season, a trip that far is but a minor inconvenience for a group of 19 athletes from three Prince George-based clubs who have made the cut for the B.C. provincial team.
They won't mind making that trip to represent their home province on the mats at the national championships, July 4-7 in Richmond.
In the under-15 age category, six Prince George Judo Club members secured spots on the provincial team, including Brynne Deevy (under-48 kilograms), Taylor Schaus (-38 kg), Ryan Russell (-46 kg), Branden Edwards (-50 kg), Levi Price (-55 kg), and Kyle Wilkinson (-55 kg). Lorna-Jane Simmons (-52 kg) and Taylor Rowland, (-57kg) will represent the Hart Judo Academy in Richmond.
Six Hart club members made the under-18 team, including Grace Northrop (-52 kg), Melissa Nelson (-57 kg), Lavanna Laass (-63 kg), Nathanial Hirvi (-66 kg), Chris Grilz (-66 kg), and Brendan Bellavance (-90 kg). Prince George club members Lisa Russell (-52 kg) and Kristen Yawney (-70 kg), also qualified.
The B.C. under-21 team has three Prince George judoka, including Quinn Clemas of the Prince George club and Jonathan Bergstrom of the Hart Academy (both under -81 kg), and Elijah Zwiers (-90 kg) of the North Capital Judo Club.
To prepare for the national tournament, the Prince George athletes are competing in the Ontario Open in Etobicoke, Ont., May 18-19, and will attend an interprovincial training camp in Canmore, Alberta, May 30-June 1.
