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15-year-old Fernie skier to represent B.C. at the 2023 Canada Games in PEI

Maddox Johnson has been a member of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team since he was four years old
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Maddox Johnson (red) at the Western Ski Cross Championship on his way to a gold medal finish followed by his Fernie Alpine Ski Team teammate, Hugh MacDougal.

Fernie’s own Maddox Johnson will be representing B.C. at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in PEI.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Johnson, who is now 15 years old, spent the early years of his life in the Southwestern United States.

According to his mother, Glenys Johnson, Maddox’s first ski trip was at Big Bear Mountain Resort in California.

Early in Johnson’s childhood, the family moved from Yuma, Arizona to Fernie, specifically to make skiing a regular part of their lives.

“We moved to Fernie for the ski hill,” Glenys Johnson said. “We wanted a place for my husband to work and a place where we could ski.”

Their decision has turned out to be a great success. Johnson has been a member of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team which trains at the Fernie Alpine Resort since the age of four.

“It’s a really great crew,” Johnson said of his ski team. “It all started as our parents wanting us to ski with our families and we all fell in love with the sport.”

His racing history with the team includes a first-place finish at the Western Ski Cross Championships in 2022.

This year’s Canada Winter Games will be the highest level Johnson has competed at.

“I’m really stoked and grateful to have this opportunity,” he said.

The Johnson family will be travelling out to PEI from B.C., along with family from Alberta and the Maritimes.

Alpine skiing is not yet on the broadcast schedule but may be available to stream on the Canada Games’ website.

“I want him to feel the accomplishment and that it’s being celebrated at the local level,” Glenys said.

In addition to alpine skiing, Johnson is also an accomplished swimmer, cyclist, and runner.

Last year, he competed in the 2022 B.C. Summer Games and won medals in three out of the five triathlon events including one gold medal.

Johnson is also a member of the Elk Valley Dolphins swimming club where he holds several club records. He also competes in mountain biking races across Alberta and B.C.

Maddox’s mother attributes her son’s success not to any particular physical gift, but rather to his determination and work ethic.

“He’s not necessarily more talented than any other child,” she said. “He just works really hard.”