Snowboarding competition goes ahead despite 'tough year' for winter sports

Young snowboarders from across Alberta were at the Edmonton Ski Club Saturday for the Alberta Winter Games and Arctic Winter Games qualifiers. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)

Despite being on the brink of cancellation, the Alberta Winter Games qualifiers were able to go ahead Saturday at the Edmonton Ski Club.

The two-day event, organized by the Alberta Snowboarding Association (ASA), will test young snowboarders on their speed, jumping and rail skills.

Mo Walker, ASA executive director, said she was thankful to see the competition take shape despite the poor winter sport conditions this season.

"To see kids on snow – oh my gosh," she said. "It's been a little bit of a dicey season for us just with no snow, but the Edmonton Ski Club was able to pull this off and we are so thankful to them.

"It's just been a tough year."

Competitors between 11 and 15 years old came from all over Alberta to compete for spots at the Alberta Winter Games and the Arctic Winter Games.

For 15-year-old Hayden Berard, the competition was more about meeting other boarders and enjoying the hill.

"I'm not here to win a competition," Berard said. "I'm just here to have a good time and see other people smile, see other people have a good time, see some cool stuff."

"I think it's an awesome experience for everyone involved," Berard added. "Everyone here is super supportive, no one's putting other people down, so it's a really open environment."

The 2024 Alberta Winter Games will be held in February in Grande Prairie, and the 2024 Arctic Winter Games will be held in Mat-Su Valley in Alaska in March.

Snowboarders will compete again at the Edmonton Ski Club on Sunday.