Local Ski Hills Create Conditions to Make Champions

La Peche residents are extremely fortunate to have the outdoor playground and infrastructure that we have here.  Raising children and growing up in an area like La Peche allows for great opportunities.  The residents are incredibly fortunate to have ski hills in every direction.  Camp Fortune is south in Chelsea, in the village of Wakefield is Vorlage, East of Wakefield is Sommet Edelweiss and north we have Mont Ste Marie that has a snowboard cross program.  Elementary kids even have an after-school ski program where they walk across the street to their local ski hill.  It is no wonder this area produces inspiration and world class athletes.    

These local fellas who learned to snowboard right here at home have just returned from representing Canada in Europe and Russia.  

Griffin Mason of Wakefield, Tristan Bell of Alymer, Will Scott of Val Des Mont, and Noah Royz of Ottawa and have returned from representing Canada in Europe and the World Junior Championships in Snowboard Cross. Two out of the four boys qualified to continue to the World Championships in Russia.  This is the highest level of competition for this age.  These boys certainly represented Canada well with Griffin Mason placing 8th in a Europa Cup and 19th at the World Junior Championships.The six weeks took these four fellas and their coaches to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Russia.  They speak on the covid protocols there, the courses they saw and their overall experience.  These fellas also talk about the highlights and the struggles over their past 6 weeks as well as offer their advice to upcoming aspiring athletes.  At a time when teens are struggling with mental health and addictions, the youth here in La Peche have an extensive outdoor playground to put their energy and focus into.

Quebec is clearly strong in snowboard cross since a fellow Quebec resident took gold at the Junior World Championships.  Quebec athletes and residents have been so fortunate to have their local ski hills open during this pandemic.  Have a listen to these well-spoken boys on their experiences of travelling and competing in snowboard cross in Europe and Russia.