On top of producing many of the top ski cross racers in the world (including X Games winners Brady Leman and Kelsey Serwa), Canada has one of the deepest prospect pools in the sport. Luckily for local ski fans, most are from the Bow Valley.
On top of producing many of the top ski cross racers in the world (including X Games winners Brady Leman and Kelsey Serwa), Canada has one of the deepest prospect pools in the sport.
Luckily for local ski fans, most are from the Bow Valley.
In what could emerge as a battle for a spot at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, local residents Tristan Tafel, Kris Mahler and Zach Belczyk all took their turns on the podium in a series of NorAm and FIS races at Nakiska last week.
The course was altered from the world cup races, as many of the features were toned down for the younger racers. Nevertheless, it still produced an excellent platform for Canada's next generation.
Tafel pulled out a victory on Wednesday's (Jan. 27) FIS race, rebounding from last week's world cup. Tafel defeated American Brant Crossman and teammates Matthieu Leduc and Matt Brady for the win.
“I was leading right from the start and (Leduc) tried to make a pass in turn two. But I closed the door on him and held my line. He ended up slowing the rest of the guys down and I increased my lead,” Tafel said.
The 25 year old is trying to get back to top form, and recognizes he has a lot of young athletes to contend with on the NorAm and Europa Cup circuit. This week, he showed the speed and racing skill he needs to get back to the top level.
“Right now, the Noram circuit is extremely competitive due to the depth of talent coming up through the Canadian development team. We train hard with each other and have been challenging the national team in training camps,” Tafel said.
Tafel also won the small final in Tuesday's NorAm, was 11th on Monday (Jan. 25), and is now off to Europe for the team's next tour.
Canmore's Mahler struck earlier in the week, winning the first NorAm three days after his world cup heats debut. The 20 year old defeated veterans Kevin Drury and Ian Deans for the win in a day full of racing, with race qualifiers and heats on the same day. He went on to finish fifth and sixth later in the week, and is widely considered a blue chip prospect on the team.
“(It was) a real mental and physical test with having to put everything I had into the world cup only days prior,” Mahler said. “The first day went really well. The physical demands of the course took a toll on me with regards to the start.”
Fatigued, Mahler rallied with a come from behind win in the heats, and relied on composure to reel in his competitors in the A final.
“I found myself fourth, but by the second bank I had made my first pass on an American. Between me and first place were two of my teammates (Drury and Deans). Setting up a pass that I had visualized in inspection earlier that morning, I knew I could make my move if I skied well up to the roller section halfway down.”
Backing off slightly before this section was key to gain speed and pass quickly because the window would be less than a second.
“I executed the pass perfectly,” he said, “and was able to hold the number one spot all the way down the rest of the course.”
After spending the first half of the year on the world cup, Mahler has also joined the Europa Cup tour to work on his racing, riding high from a successful week.
“All in all, an awesome week of racing for me. I'm really happy with my performance at the world cup and North American Cup, and am looking forward to the European Tour.”
Not to be forgotten was the youngest of the bunch, 19-year-old Belczyk of Banff, who managed a sixth, 11th and 44th-place finish over the week, and managed to land on the podium earlier in the month.
Tafel and Mahler will race the Ebbinger Europa Cup, Tegernsee World Cup and Grasgheran Europa Cup over the next month.
