Local Sports

When the nightmarish images of smoke and fire began to billow out of Fort McMurray, the sting was particularly acute for one local athlete.

Cross Country Canada is still without a head coach, but that didn’t stop it from naming its national teams with an eye on the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.

Several of the Bow Valley’s best climbers are riding high after a successful provincial championships, and are now poised to take on the nation as Canmore will host the 2016 CEC Youth and Open National Difficulty Climbing Championships, May 28-29 at

Budding Bow Valley alpine superstars Trevor Philp and Erik Read spent the week working on slalom turns at Sunshine Village, and were also on hand at Mount Norquay as part of a new run announcement.

There’s no rest for Alpine Canada athletes. For the past three weeks, Canadian ski cross, technical and speed racers have transformed Sunshine Village into a high performance training centre for top world cup and development team athletes.

What have you done by age 50? If your name is David Ford, you have dominated your sport nationally for nearly three decades. You have become a world champion in a brutal sport which marries cardio, finesse and brute strength.

An offensive surge skyrocketed the CCHS Crusaders boys soccer club to a convincing season opening victory this week. The defending champs slashed through league rival Holy Trinity Academy, 7-2, Monday (May 2) in Okotoks.

Sauna suits aren’t typical attire in Havana, Cuba, especially when the temperature climbs to 35 C. But for Canmore judoka Erin Morgan, it was necessary couture during her daily runs to prepare for the Pan American Championships, April 28-30.

Canmore Illusions gymnasts Ivy Tupper and Victoria Greene shone brightly with a series of standout performances at the Alberta Gymnastics Provincial Championships in Fort McMurray, April 16-17.

The team may have a new coach, a new captain and 10 new faces in the lineup, but the Banff Bears Men’s Rugby Club is entering the 2016 season with its undying commitment to smash mouth, high tempo rugby intact.