Prince George skiers Tanner McConkey and Natalie Hoehn earned a share of the medal spotlight over the weekend at the Teck BC Cup cross-country championships in Salmon Arm.
Representing the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, McConkey won silver in the U-18 boys 7.5-kilometre freestyle race, while Hoehn was the silver medalist in the U-16 girls skate race.
McConkey was a constant medal threat in BC Cup events this season and placed third in the U-18 aggregate standing, while Hoehn posted a fourth-place season finish.
Her sister Maisie Hoehn placed second overall in the U-14 girls aggregate list.
Meanwhile, at the Odlum Brown B.C. biathlon championships at Whistler, Caledonia athletes coached by Ali Cadell captured 11 medals.
Oscar Nelson dominated the junior boys category, winning gold in mass start race Saturday and in Sunday’s sprint, while Maisie Hoehn won silver in each of the junior girls races.
Gabby Hoehn and Ewan Hawes each earned two trips to the podium. Hoehn was a double-silver medalist in senior girls while Hawes finished second in the senior boys mass start and third in the sprint.
Nathaneal Dean earned silver in the senior boys sprint, Alaiah Turner sprinted to silver in the youth women’s race and Sky Cadell was the bronze medalist in the junior girls mass start event.
The Caledonia club will be sending five athletes this week to Nakkertok, Ont. (near Ottawa) for the national cross-country ski championships. Races start Saturday and the event goes for nine days.
McConkey Natalie Hoehn, Odin Witso, Garnet Ditto and Aidan Cotter will represent the Caledonia club.
“There’s not a lot of snow so it could be very interesting,” said Caledonia cross-country coach Tuppy Hoehn. ”They’ve got really warm temperatures in the forecast and not a lot of snow to work with – the story of our winter.
“I’m so sad we’re leaving here when skiing (at Otway Nordic Centre) is so good.”
