Fernie’s own Caoimhe Heavey is making headlines after her recent success at the Canada Freestyle Junior Nationals, where she placed second in slopestyle.
In 2017, Heavey stepped onto the national podium for the first time, taking bronze in U14 Halfpipe. The now 13-year-old has three national medals around her neck.
Heavey credits Fernie Freestyle head coach Ben Ogilvie for being very supportive throughout the season and instrumental in teaching her the 270 to rail grind.
Heavey started off the competition season with a huge win at the Timber Tour at Panorama. She took first with a winning run of 85 points, 24.2 points ahead of second place.
On January 28, disaster struck. After launching off a 50-foot jump at the Canadian Open Tour competition in Calgary, Heavey broke her wrist in three places.
“I was really bummed because I really wanted to go to Junior Nationals,” she said. Heavey was forced to skip a competition in Whistler the following week, and to focus on recovering.
Nineteen days later she strapped on her skis and took slopestyle silver at the Canadian Junior Nationals Competition in Barrie, Ont., complete with a pink cast.
In Big Air, she scored bronze.
Heavey scored slopestyle silver by a slim margin, just 0.4 points ahead of Alberta’s Emma Morozumi.
“It felt great, I was a little surprised actually,” said Heavey.
“My plan was to just go and do the best I can, and try and get on the podium.”
Miraculously, she didn’t reinjure her wrist before her cast was ready to come off on March 26.
Heavey now approaches a month of training in Whistler, where she will practice a list of new tricks.
Looking to next season, she plans on cleaning up her runs in order to prepare for more competitions on the Canadian Open Tour, while still competing at Junior Nationals.
