Local Sports

For two years, Banff’s Louis-Pierre Helie has pushed the physical limits of his body in striving to be the best ski cross athlete in the world.

Banff Alpine Racers alumnus Trevor Philp and Erik Read continue to shine for Canada at the Alpine Ski World Championships in Vail, Colorado as locally cultivated skiers.

The Canmore Eagles pumped three first period goals into the back of the Drumheller net, then held on through a rocky second period to defeat the Dragons 5-3 in a family day afternoon AJHL match on Monday (Feb. 16).

Canmore’s Rosanna Crawford fought her way back into the top 15 and the Canadian biathlon men’s relay team posted a momentous fifth-place finish in Oslo, Norway last weekend as results continue to roll in the lead-up to biathlon world championships.

“Because it's the highest mountain on the planet.” That was Nancy Hansen's reply when asked why she wanted to climb Mount Everest. “It's a mountain I've always wanted to climb,” Hansen said.

“I’m going to move the team to Florida.

Already looking ahead to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, Canmore ParaNordic skiers have travelled to Japan to get accustomed to racing on the other side of the world.

The lean, mean Canadian cross-country ski world champion team surprised some by its lack of size, but for many in the ski world, the addition of Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt was a pleasant surprise.

Athletes chasing Olympic glory received a boost on Feb. 11 after the federal government gave a million dollar commitment to Own the Podium in 2015, and could commit another two million over the next two years, depending on corporate sponsorship.

Notes: In what promises to be a gritty, hard hitting, take no prisoners playoff series, the Banff Hockey Academy Bears face off against the Okotoks Bison in the first round of the HJHL playoffs at the Fenlands on Friday (Feb. 14) at 7 p.m. for game two of a best-of-five series.