Nephew Tamo (flying through the air with the greatest of ease in the photo below) was picked to be one of two BC snowboarders to compete in the halfpipe event at the Canada Winter Games, which started today in sunny Whitehorse.
Tamo was a last-minute addition to the Games, getting bumped up from first alternate when the top BC snowboarder qualified for a World Cup event just last Friday. A huge scramble getting ticket name and registration changed, get a uniform etc. ensued, but he’s now north of 60!
Halfpipe is a demonstration event at the Games, so it doesn’t count in his ranking, alas. Tamo will be competing against the other BC kid (who’s neck-and-neck with Tamo in the standings) and the Alberta team, all known quantities. But he’ll also be competing with kids from Ontario and Quebec for the first time, which will be a good experience for him. Though he seems to be doing his share of press as an up-and-coming world-class “rider”.
The boarders will be bunking in the athlete’s village with the biathletes, of all people. Fevered visions of Ross Rebagliati duking it out with Myriam Bédard flash through my brainpan…
The halfpipe competition happens next Wednesday. Goooo, Tamo!
Tamo’s final standing was 7th out of 23 competitors. Pretty good, considering he was one of the younger ones there. Way to go Tamo!
Just got an email from Tamiko. To sum up Tamo’s experience:
Minuses: Whitehorse weather was absolutely brutal (-40°, -70° with windchill); poorly-made pipe; onerous rules, regs and chaperoning; not much entertainment (cancelled due to the cold); stress and nerves from his first Big Multi-Sport Event taking their toll; incipient strep throat just before leaving for Whitehorse.
Pluses: 24/7 all-you-can-eat buffet; bunking with freestyle skiers (not biathletes); seeing Troy; friendly Yukoners.