Adam Persson took top honours in the open category while Rachel Bruskoff was best among the women at this weekend鈥檚 Britannia Classic.
The longboarding competition is in its ninth year, and despite some questionable weather on the weekend, the course down Britannia Beach鈥檚 Copper Road was dry enough when it came time to hold the competition Sunday afternoon.
The event attracts competitors from all over, including Sweden鈥檚 Persson, who also won the open category two years ago.
The Classic started on Friday and continued Saturday with free ride opportunities for participants to skateboard outside of competition. Sunday was race day, which ended with the finals in various categories after the skies had cleared.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really stoked nobody got seriously hurt today, and we hope everybody had a good time,鈥� organizer Lee Cation said prior to handing out the awards.
The longboarders found the course a little slippery prior to the competition on Sunday afternoon.
鈥淚t was one of the slipperier courses,鈥� Persson said, comparing the rain-soaked surface to ice. 鈥淚 brought my ice skates.鈥�
Bruskoff had a similar reaction. 鈥淚 was really worried it was going to rain,鈥� she said, having tried a practice run when the course was still a bit damp that did not go well. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a fan.鈥�
Under normal conditions, she said, she enjoys competing on the course and loves the technical challenges that Copper Road provides, so she was relieved the weather dried up in time for the race.
Both she and Persson were quick to credit the organizers for putting together a successful event.
Before the race, Persson said he only pressures himself to perform at his best.
鈥淚 never really expect anything,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淚 expect a lot of myself.鈥�
Bruskoff had not been sure of her chances against people like Victoria Waddington, a previous winner, and Paloma Acha. They all started together before she was able to break free on her way to the finish line.
鈥淰ictoria, Paloma and I were super close in the first corner,鈥� she said.
Britannia also held two special races: the new short-wheel base race and the no-hands race, in which riders cannot touch the pavement 鈥撀犫�渙ne of the hardest races to win,鈥� Cation said.
For the short-wheel, Brian Choi won, Adam Little took second and Ryan Villa was third. In the no-hands, it was Reese Boyko first, Devlyn Dor in second and Aaron Walker in third.
In the finale of the open category won by Persson, Curt Watts finished second, while Adam Little was third.
For the women鈥檚, Acha won silver to Bruskoff鈥檚 gold while Waddington took third.
Martin DePass was tops in the juniors, Keenan MacCartney second and Warner Endert was the bronze finisher.
For the master鈥檚 champion category, the race is set for those 30 and older, compared with some races that start the age bracket at 40. 鈥淭his is a pretty challenging course, so we do 30-plus,鈥� Cation said.
Scott Lembach won, while Niko Desmarais took second and Cation placed third.
Organizers will now turn their attention to events in Sun Peaks and Whistler over the next four weeks.
