It's no fluke Evan Bichon is about to make his Canadian national championship
snowboarding debut.
Bichon is headed to the 2012 Snowboard Speed Nationals in Nakiska, Alta., March 31 to April 3 after a first-place performance at the B.C. championship in snowboard cross in March placed him third in the province.
"It's pretty awesome," said the Grade 8 student at D.P. Todd secondary school.
"I could've been ranked first if I'd gone to more than one race."
The cost of travel kept Bichon close to home - in Mackenzie, where his family home is, and Prince George, where he and his sister go to school. On weekends, Bichon heads to Mackenzie where he's a snowboarding student of Bill Laing, coach of the Northern Edge Snowboard Club.
Bichon started training under Laing at age eight, after he and his sister Dana were taught the sport by their father.
"I just loved it and kept at it," said Bichon.
"I remember my dad would walk us up the hill at the Little Mac Ski Hill because we couldn't get up with the T-bar."
For Laing, going to the nationals with his pupil will be a learning experience.
"I never thought in my wildest dreams it would be that quick to take an athlete to nationals," said Laing, who ranked as high at 37th in Canada when he competed. "It's definitely a confidence-builder for myself as a coach that the kids are progressing that quick in my program."
He coaches regular three-day camps on weekends at Powder King to seven kids.
He also overseas a group of seven students from the Northwest Territories and coaches a girls-only group.
At the provincial championship, March 10 and 11 at Big White, Bichon competed in the men's under-14 group which had 21 competitors including Austin White of
Oyama, ranked No. 1 in the province.
"My wife watched the race and she said Bichon was way out ahead of the second-place guy, which wasn't Austin," said Laing.
The coach said Bichon has made great strides in snowboard cross in the last year.
"I did video analysis on him last year and I happened to do some video work with the kids at the beginning of this season and just happened to look back on last year's and he's made a huge improvement," said Laing.
"Evan's speed, which is a big factor in the success of snowboard cross, has improved quickly."
Bichon also took part in the Northern High School Finals at Tabor this year, competing against athletes in all age categories.
"It was interesting, different," said Bichon.
The high school competition also had the boarders go around flags rather than do jumps in a giant slalom format.
Other Prince George students in the event were Justin Harrison, of College Heights secondary and Maryete O'Dine of D.P. Todd.
Along with Bichon, the three advanced to compete at the provincial high school finals in Whistler. Bichon was fifth out of 90 boarders in the terrain giant slalom and 27th in the giant slalom.
"It's something I'd never done so I didn't do too well," said Bichon about the 27th place finish.
