Kaia Andal was strong on her skis Saturday at the Haywood Ski national cross-country championships in Corner Brook. Nfld., one of four B.C. skiers to post top-10 finishes in the juvenile girls 7.5-kilometre classic mass start race.
Andal, a 1998-born athlete who skis for the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club of Prince George, finished sixth in a time of 27:29.2, 35.8 seconds behind gold medalist Molly Miller of Kimberley, who won in 26:53.4.
Hannah Mehain of Vernon was fourth (27:05.5) and Annnika Richardson of Vancouver (27:52.1) was eighth. B.C. ski team member Sage Bialuski of Prince George (31:30.2) was 44th out of 58 skiers who started the race.
In other final-day results from Caledonia club members, Sarah Beaudry was eighth in the junior girls 20 km mass start race. Beaudry clocked 1:11.12, four minutes behind race winner Daria Beatty of Whitehorse (1:08.12).
In the junior girls 7.5 km race, Erica Kreitz of Prince George was ninth (27:20.5), one minute behind winner Ingrid Tveten of Norway (26:20.5). Zo Williams of Quebec won silver (26:21.8) and Kathleen Wood of Smithers claimed bronze (26:40.6). Prince George skiers Emily Dickson (29:09.3) and Pippa Roots (31:19.1) were 27th and 40th respectively.
In the junior men's 30 km race, Will Andal of Prince George placed 26th in 1:42.49.1. He was 19:38 behind the gold-medal pace of Scott Hill of Thunder Bay., Ont. (1:23.10.7).
