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Big day for Big Thunder at Ski Nationals

Led by short sprint gold medalist Malcolm Thompson, local team claims three podium spots in Thursday's second-to-last day of competition at Lappe Nordic Ski Centre.
Malcolm Thompson
Parry Sound, Ont.'s Malcolm Thompson of Big Thunder Nordic Ski Club skis to victory on Thursday, March 15, 2018 at Lappe Nordic Ski Centre during the 2018 Ski National junior boy's short sprint A final. (Leith Dunick tbnewswatch.com)+

LAPPE, Ont. – Malcolm Thompson’s had his eyes on the junior boys short sprint race at Ski Nationals since last summer.

His hard work paid off.

The Parry Sound, Ont. native, who skis under the Big Thunder Nordic Ski Club banner, cruised to gold on Thursday in the 1.2-kilometre event, edging Thunder Bay’s Kai Meekis – a two-time gold medalist already this week – for top spot.

Thompson crossed the line in 2:27.41, 1.46 seconds better than Meekis and eight seconds faster than third-place finisher Ian Williams of British Columbia.

“This race is what I’ve been focusing on all year,” Thompson said. “I’ve been targeting this race in all of my training. It just feels awesome.”

And tiring too.

By any means, it's not an easy championship to win. Skiers in all categories post an initial time, the top 25 advancing to the quarterfinals. Two more races, mere minutes apart, whittle it down to the final six going for gold.

An exhausted Thompson said the plan in the final was to stay calm in the early going and open a quick lead on the first downhill.

“Then as soon as we hit the big hill, pretty much I just wanted to put in a little attack, try to gap the field a little bit and just go from there,” Thompson said.

Having the hometown crowd cheering him at Lappe Nordic Ski Centre gave the high-schooler added pep on the course.

“On that uphill, the whole Thunder Bay community out there lining the sides, it was just awesome to see,” said Thompson, adding the win is motivation enough to propel him into the junior men’s category in 2018-19.

For Meekis, second came as no real surprise, saying earlier in the week that Thompson was the better sprinter.

Three medals in three races is nothing to scoff at, the Hammarskjold High School senior said.

“I was trying to stay with (Malcolm) and be right behind him in the end in the A final,” Meekis said. “That was my goal. We’ve been talking about this race, going 1-2, since training in the summer, so it was really nice to get that today.

“It feels amazing.”

Big Thunder’s Eric Schlyter took fifth in the A final, while teammate Nicolas Randall crossed second in the B-Final.

It was another podium finish for Hammarskjold in the junior girl’s race.

Heidi Stewart, who barely made it into the championship race, with less than half-a second cushion, skied her way from back in the pack a third of the way through the A final to claim silver, her first medal of the competition.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been watching Kai win every day and I just wanted to be there,” said a still panting Stewart, who turned 18 two days ago.

“Finally I got pretty close to there, but I’ve got what I wanted today.”

The Thunder Bay teen had to make up for some early lost ground. Home-course advantage definitely helped.

“I tripped up on the first hill over there, but then I thought about racing at an O-Cup here the other year and I started in the back and I made my way to the first position after the hill, because there’s a corner where you can cut in front of people. As long as you just keep your head in the game, you’re good.”

Quebec’s Roxane Vermette easily took gold, winning in 2:59.15, more than four seconds faster than Stewart. B.C’s Molly Miller took bronze.

In the juvenile girl’s race, Quebec’s Liliane Gagnon took top spot, while in juvenile boy’s event Alberta’s Thomas Stephen claimed gold.

Racing wraps up on Saturday. 



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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