This year’s BC Winter Games in Fort St. John saw three athletes coming from Burns Lake, all under the age of 16.
The three young ladies—two of whom are sisters, coached by their own parents—ventured up north on the chartered bus that gathered all the athletes from the towns and cities along the way, then flew in on a chartered flight.
Over the course of four days from Feb. 20-23, they each competed in their respective sports.
Madison McDonald is a first-time cross-country skier, only 13 years old. She just started skiing last year, said her coach, Rachelle van Zanten.
“This will be her second race ever. She has three total coming up this weekend, and she is really fit and she’s really keen, and I think that’s going to be on her side,” said van Zanten, just before heading out on the long journey to the games Wednesday.
Madison was introduced to skiing through the Spirit North program at her school in the Lake Babine Nation community. Spirit North offers outdoor sports to Indigenous children. Last year was the first year it ran in Burns Lake, said van Zanten.
Madison was naturally gifted when it came to cross country skiing, and loved it right away, she added.
Madison herself said she’s excited and not nervous at all. But she also doesn’t necessarily hope she wins—it’s just about the love of the sport for her.
“I don’t hope that I win. I’ll just have fun. Going to those things aren’t just about winning,” she said Wednesday, just an hour before getting on the bus.
Both her parents and her grandmother are extremely proud, she said, too.
Van Zanten shared a live update on Madison’s progress during the second day of the games (she still had more races to go, over the weekend).
“She is rocking it. Didn’t place too high in the ranking, but that’s not what it’s about. She is improving every day… Gained nine minutes on the 3.5 km from her last race,” said van Zanten, in a text message.
“Most of these kids have been skiing their entire lives with full support. Maddy has been skiing for one year and is not that far behind the other girls,” she wrote.
Randy Hamp is the assistant coach, while his wife, Gabriela, is the lead coach, for their two daughters, Nicole, 14, and Julia, 13. Nicole and Julia compete in the biathlons. They’ve been training for about five years, said Hamp.
Hamp was already at the games when Black Press talked with him.
“Typically, when we go to a race, they’re very nervous,” he said, of Nicole and Julia. “They want to do well. But here I think they just want to have fun. And the results are important to them, but probably having fun is more important,” he said.
While it was minus 26 degrees the day before the games began, it warmed up to plus four the day it started, he said. And he felt the organizers and volunteers were doing a great job. He was told 24,000 meals would be prepared and served by the time the Games ended.
His daughters have also formed a friendship with Madison, he added.
First day of competition Nicole Hamp won silver and Julia Hamp won Bronze in the 4.5km Sprint out of 18 racers. Later the same day they won gold in the Relay - 18 teams entered. They were the only team of siblings.
Day two, Nicole tied for first with Payton Sinclair from Prince George. Julia won a Bronze. In the four person relay, the sisters were on the same team and they placed third.
Maddy MacDonald also from Burns Lake skied the 3.5 km classic race it was her second race of her career. The next day she skied the 400 metre sprint race which was new and exciting for a few of the zone 7 athletes. Both days MacDonald broke both of her best times.
The closing ceremonies happen on Feb. 24, and all scores are available online at https://www.bcgames.org/Games/BC-Winter-Games
