ALPINE:

Howell, Atkinson, Irvine rule Canada Post Freestyle Championships

March 9, 2011 — Alpine Canada  

COLDWATER, Ontario — While skiers around the world anxiously await news of Olympic acceptance for halfpipe and slopestyle skiing, Canada’s newest stars in the sport proved last weekend they are ready to shine at the Canada Post Freestyle Championships.

Ontario athletes dominated on their home course with 16-year-old Dara Howell of Hunstville, Ont., taking gold in both events with stylish spins and flips high in the air. Howell was proud to show off the previously little known Freestyle Ski Terrain Park at Mount Saint Louis Moonstone. “The other athletes from across the country have been totally stoked to find such an awesome park, and it has been amazing for us to get to win at home,” said Howell.

Howell’s Ontario teammate, Jamieson Irvine of Barrie, took top honors in slopestyle and showed off the innovative grabs and inverted tricks off rails that earned the young skiing phenomena a surprise spot to the FIS World Championships earlier this season.

Kris Atkinson from the powerhouse Alberta Halfpipe Ski program grabbed the men’s Canadian halfpipe title for the second year in a row.

Canada Post Halfpipe/Slopestyle National Championship Results
March 2011

Halfpipe
Women
Gold: Dara Howell, Ontario
Silver: Cassandra Sharpe, B.C.
Bronze: Jillian Gordon, Ontario

Men
Gold: Kris Atkinson, Alberta
Silver: Hunter Visser, B.C.
Bronze: Garett Northey, Alberta

Slopestyle
Women
Gold: Dara Howell, Ontario
Silver: Nicole Blackall, Ontario
Bronze: Megan Fiselier, Alberta

Men
Gold: Jamieson Irvine, Ontario
Silver: Reid Mceachran, Ontario
Bronze: Matthew Crawford, Ontario