The jet lag of cross continental travel didn't seem to negatively impact Canmore's Brian McKeever.
Just days after competing in a Paralympic test event in Sochi, McKeever blasted through the 10 kilometre cross country course at Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) in 21:18 to win the gold in the Open Men's division on Sunday (March 24).
McKeever said the interval start short distance race is one in which you're really racing with yourself.
I had a pretty quick start and as the race went along I knew I was going pretty good, he said. My speed was good and it was a matter of maintaining it. On the second lap I survived a few small deaths and when I needed to be strong I was.
After completing the race, McKeever was left to the mercy of the clock, as he waited for competitors results to roll in.
I was pretty pumped when I had the top time, he said. But waiting there is really the catharsis of the event, you want everyone to do well but not too well.
In this case, McKeever edged out Graham Nishikawa from Whitehorse by 11 seconds and Graeme Killick by 23 seconds. WOP has been good for McKeever he won three gold medals in visually impaired cross country skiing races at the 2010 Paralympic Games and he said Sunday was no different.
It was nice and fast out there, he said. Really awesome conditions and even though it was warm out the snow wasn't too soft.
In the Women's Open, it was American Caitlin Gregg beating out Eliska Harkova from the Czech Republic and Alana Thomas from Ontario. Other winners included: Russell Kennedy (U23 Men), Ricardo Izquiero-Bernier (Junior Boys), Fergus Foster (Juvenile Boys), Chris Klebl (Para Sit Ski), Louis Fortin (Para Stand Ski), Heidi Widmer (U23 Women), Emily Suchy (Para Sit Ski), Margarita Gorbounova, Jennifer Jackson (Junior Girls) and Lauren Turcot (Juvenile Girls).
Squamish's Hunter Sones was the lone local competing on Sunday, placing 60th in the Juvenile Boys race.
WOP was also packed for the Team Sprint races, with a total of 173 squads hitting the trails on Saturday (March 23).
Winners were: Jess Cockney and Brett McMurty (Open Men), Marlis Kromm and Heidi Widmer (Open Women), Alannah Maclean and Andrea Lee (University Women) and Victor Hopper and Harry Seaton (University Men).
For full details from Saturday and Sunday, visit www.zone4.ca. Cross country action continues during the week, check out www.skinational.com for more details.
