March 22, 2012 (Mont Ste-Anne, QC) – On Wednesday the Para Nordic athletes contested the 0.8km sprints for national titles. Here’s a brief recap of the sit ski and standing competitions held at Mont Ste-Anne during the Haywood Ski Nationals.

Men’s Sit Ski
Quebec’s amazing athlete, Yves Bourque of Mauriski, took yet another gold in the 0.8km sprint in a time of 0:02:56:0 – Bourque is three for three coming off the Para World Cup circuit this season after less than five years in the sport. Next up was Wostawea’s Shane Dunnett at 1:19.2 minutes back.

“The sprint was challenging. There was a final hill before you got into the the stadium that was banked incorrectly… meaning that coming down the hill no matter which track (inside or out) or even if you stayed in the middle skate ski area once you got near the bottom, when you needed to turn left, it shot you straight out towards woods. So caution was needed,” commented Dunnett after the race. Bourque had been nice enough to warn him about it.  “Last thing I wanted to do was crash on the hill or go off course into the woods.

“Yve has great technique, coaching and the time he has under his belt makes him an exceptional racer. I can see that his level jumped up a notch since the 2011 Canada Games in Halifax,” added Dunnett.  “For myself I need more races, more time on the snow training along with coaching.

“I’ve been skiing competitively for just over a year now; doing the Canada Games in Halifax 2011 and this past Nationals. I’m also still trying to find my sweet zone in the sit ski I have – meaning I’m still making adjustments to it so it fits better and I feel at one with the sit ski.”

The bronze went to Highland Trailblazer’s Adrianua Geeve at 1:59.2 behind with Marc Leblanc of Bathurst, New Brunswick in fourth at 2:09.6 behind the winner.

Women’s Sit Ski
Skibec’s Christine Gauthier won gold in 4:29.2 followed by Walden’s Tanya Quesnel at 2.5 seconds back. Christy Campbell of Waterloo Region took the bronze at 26.8 seconds back while Jamie Triskie of Kenora, Manitoba, was the fourth skier across the line in at 1:31 behind Gauthier.

Men’s Standing
Temiskaming’s Gabriel Denis was the gold medalist in 2:42.3 followed by Highland Trailblazer’s Jerry King who was a mere 0.2 seconds faster, but when the disability handicap was factored in he ended up with the silver medal. Athletes with a less severe disability are given a time handicap to allow for a level playing field so races are as fair as possible.

Women’s Standing
Kanata’s Margarita Gorbounova took gold in 2:37.8 followed by Lappe Nordic’s Robbie Weldon who actually skied faster with a 2:31.4 but was awarded the silver medal when her disability handicap factored in. The bronze went to Whaleback, Newfoundland’s Erica Noonan who crossed the line in 2:45.7, only 0.50 seconds faster than Walden’s Christine Henry who had to settle for fourth. Caroline Bisson of Kanata actually had the third fastest time in 2:42.8 but was placed fifth, because like Weldon, her time was increased by the disability handicap factor.