BURSTA lack of snow down south pushed the 2026 Ski & Snowboard Provincial Championships further north, giving Smithers the opportunity to host March 2-4.
The races were slated to be held at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island but poor conditions ruled out the location.
It was then a bit of a rollercoaster for Hudson Bay Mountain to secure the spot but in the end, Smithers Ski and Snowboard Club president Jeanne MacNeil said it all worked out.
“When Mount Washington established they didn’t have snow on February 1, they presented to BC High School Sport that Smithers would take it and that we had snow,” she said.
“Then BC High School Sport actually came back and said, ‘no, we’re not going north’. Then they went back to the schools, and the schools were like, send us somewhere. So we were told on the Feb. 5th or 6th, that we would indeed be granted high school provincials.”
It meant a hectic three weeks of planning to host more than 200 athletes plus 60 support staff and volunteers.
Because of the time crunch, they were not able to put together a proper course for the last day so the Steelhead Slalom Society let them use theirs.
“You’re supposed to have a ski cross course or some terrain Gs on the final event day. Steelhead Slalom Society offered up their course for us to use,” MacNeil explained.
“For the first time, skiers ever raced down that course that is handmade by that society, so they were generously willing to let us use it. And so we put all 220 athletes down there on Wednesday, and the athletes had great time. They loved it.”
MacNeil also noted Hudson Bay Mountain was very accommodating and opened the hill on Monday and Tuesday, days normally closed this time of year, and operated the chair for those staying in the lower cabin colony.
“Hudson Bay Mountain was an amazing partner in all of it, and super supportive,” she added.
Results:
Boys Snowboard GS Individual results
1. Dylan Stewart – Lakes District
2. Tristan Wainwright – Lakes District
3. Terry Zhao – West Point Grey
Girls Snowboard GS Individual results
1. Melia Page, Correlieu (Quesnel)
2. Lola Wilson, Lakes District
3. Sophie Longe, Oak Bay
Girls Ski GS individual results
1. Sarah Keogh – York House
2. Anna Marie Kadenbach – Correlieu (Quesnel)
3. Davynn Hicks-Lundy – Smithers Secondary School
Boys Ski GS individual results
1. Angus Brown – St. George’s (Vancouver)
2. Jonathan Yeung – Rockridge (West Vancouver)
3. Ryan Tang – Vancouver College
Girls Snowboard Banked Slalom individual results
1. Lola Wilson – Lakes District Secondary
2. Ivy Fielding – Smithers Secondary School
3. Paige Stokes – Smithers Secondary School
Boys Snowboard Banked Slalom individual results
1. Dylan Stewart – Lakes District
2. Colton Fielding – Shas Ti Kelly Road (Prince George)
3. Levi Lewis – Lakes District
Girls Ski Banked Slalom individual results
1. Petra Peter – Correlieu (Quesnel)
2. Alexa Ferguson – York House
3. Anna Marie Kadenbach – Correlieu (Quesnel)
Boys Ski Banked Slalom Individual results
1. Declan Kirker – St.George’s
2. Gregor Symth – St. George’s
3. Maxime Bonneau – Mark R. Isfeld (Courtney)
Girls Snowboard Team (Awarded the blue banner)
1. Smithers
2. Lakes District
3. Oak Bay
Boys Snowboard Team (Awarded the blue banner)
1. Lakes District
2. Smithers
3. St. George’s
Boys Team Ski (Awarded the blue banner)
1 St. George’s
2. West Point Grey
3. Vancouver College
Girls Team Ski (Awarded the blue banner)
1. Correlieu (Quesnel)
2. York House
3. Smithers
Boys & Girls Ski Provincial Champions (Awarded the blue banner)
1. Smithers Secondary School
2. West Point Grey
3. Burnaby North
Boys & Girls Snowboard Team Provincial Champion (Awarded the blue banner)
1. Lakes District
2. Smithers
3. Oak Bay