Sports in Brief: Spencer named to national youth luge team

With a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s (Nov. 6) Junior Canadian Luge Championship women’s race, Pemberton’s Jenna Spencer has earned a place on the national youth team for the upcoming sliding season.

With a combined, two-run time of one minute, 37.032 seconds on the track at Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park, the 15-year-old Spencer finished less than two seconds back of winner Kim McRae, 19.

All five finishers ahead of Spencer were at least 18 years old and all had previous experience competing at the Junior World Cup level. Some like Jordyn Carss, who finished one position ahead of Spencer by less than four-tenths of a second, have entered senior World Cup races in the past as well.

As a member of the Canadian Youth team, Spencer will be eligible to race in Junior World Cup events this season. The first two are scheduled for Park City, Utah on Nov. 19 and 22, followed by a return to the Calgary track on Dec. 1. The remainder of the Junior World Cup schedule takes place in Europe after Christmas.

Spencer also competed in the senior national championships on Saturday (Nov. 5) and finished eighth, 3.227 seconds back of winner and world championship bronze-medalist Alex Gough. Sam Edney claimed the senior men’s race.

Free skiing for students returns

The SnowPass is back for a 15th year, offering free skiing for Grade 4 and 5 students thanks to the Canadian Ski Council.

The pass is open to any youth skiers and snowboarders born in 2001 or 2002 attending a Canadian school, and it provides up to three free lift tickets at alpine and cross-country ski areas. More than 150 ski areas are participating in the program this year, including 35 locations in British Columbia alone.

In Whistler, the pass is accepted by Whistler Blackcomb when pass-holders are in the presence of a paying adult, while Whistler Olympic Park has no restrictions on SnowPass use.

The pass is good from Dec. 1 until the end of the ski season. Grade 4 students applying for the SnowPass will receive one that is eligible during the 2012-’13 season as well.

For more information or to apply for a SnowPass, visit www.snowpass.ca.

Tough week for Broncos, Saints

The Sea to Sky Broncos peewee football team struggled to a second-consecutive loss on Sunday (Nov. 6) at North Vancouver’s Norgate Park, falling 26-6 to the Colts.

Jack Forsyth returned from a head injury that kept him out of the Broncos’ Week 8 contest and scored the lone Sea to Sky touchdown, his 15th of the campaign.

On defence, the Broncos were led by a strong game from Nolan Robinson-Nault, who racked up nine tackles and three quarterback sacks in the loss.

The Broncos fell to 5-4 on the year and are winless since assembling a five-game win streak midway through the North Shore Football League season.

In the league’s flag division, the Whistler Saints also suffered a setback in their meeting with the North Vancouver Packers, dropping Sunday’s game 16-8. Matt Seamans’s touchdown put Whistler on the board.

The Saints sit at 4-4-1 for the season.

Both teams wrap up the regular season with games this Sunday (Nov. 13) at Squamish Elementary School. The Broncos and Saints will both be in the playoff mix starting Nov. 20.

Ski club names coaching staff

The Whistler Mountain Ski Club recently unveiled its coaching staff for the upcoming season, with few changes to report.

Ryan Jazic will return for a fouth year as the club’s FIS-level coach and will be helped out by assistants Jordan Williams and Kayla Benbow.

Jeff MacLennan takes over as K2 head coach, replacing Rob Boyd, who continues as the club’s sport development manager. Christine Kohls and Hal Gunby will be part of the K2 staff alongside more coaches yet to be named.

Raul Anguita will be back to head up the K1 program for a fourth season, assisted by Andrzej Lawnik, Jess Nicol, Jim Parsons and Jenni Graham. The E2s will receive instruction from head coach Mark Anderson while Akira Kojima and former national ski cross team member Aleisha Cline.

Drew Hetherington will once again head up the Ski Cross program and will be joined by assistant Sammy Kent. Tomio Fukumura is also back to coach the Masters skiers.

Hoops help needed

Whistler Secondary School is seeking coaches and officials to help with the upcoming high school basketball season. Anyone interested in participating can contact Georgina Titus at 604-905-2581 or by email at gtitus@sd48.bc.ca.

Call to Hall for Woolstencroft

Para-alpine skier Lauren Woolstencroft was officially inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony held in Calgary on Tuesday evening (Nov. 8).

The North Vancouver native is the most-decorated Canadian in Winter Paralympic competition and was the star of events held in Whistler during the 2010 Games, winning gold in all five para-alpine disciplines.

In total, Woolstencroft finished her career with 10 Paralympic medals, 50 World Cup medals and eight world championship titles. Among those joining her in this year’s induction class were Lions great Lui Passaglia and legendary NHL defenceman Ray Bourque.