Skiers with local ties made their mark on a national stage.
Scott Hill led the National Development Centre Thunder Bay to a sweep of the podium in the junior men’s 30 kilometre mass start at the National Ski Championships in Cornerbrook, Nfld. on Saturday.
Hill bested the field by nearly two minutes, and was joined in the top-three by teammates Evan Palmer-Charette and Ben Wilkinson-Zan.
In the senior men’s 50 kilometre mass start Andy Shields placed fourth, ahead of several national team members and Olympians. Lappe Nordic Club’s Michael Somppi was 9th, Bob Thompson placed 13th, Big Thunder’s Chris Hamilton came across in 17th, directly followed by Lakehead University’s Harry Seaton.
On the women’s side Erin Tribe placed sixth in the senior women’s race, five positions in front of teammate Alannah MacLean.
Jennifer Jackson came across the line sixth in the junior women’s event.
Big Thunder teammates Sadie White and Fergus Foster were the top local finishers in the junior girls’ and boys’ races respectively.
The Lakehead Thunderwolves claimed the women’s national university title and finished second in the men’s competition, narrowly trailing Laval.
