Jaffray snowboarder Katie Anderson took home two gold medals at the Sport Chek Speed Nation Snowboard Cross Nationals competition hosted at Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna on April 3 and 4.
The 19-year-old athlete finished on top of the podium beating out Rosina Mancari of the United States and fellow British Columbian Meryeta Odine of Prince George in the senior competition.
It was a close race for Anderson, and it resulted in a photo finish to determine the results.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking waiting all day up until the awards ceremony to find out if I had won but I was pretty sure I had done it,” said Anderson. “I was in second for pretty much the whole race but I had just pulled ahead at the finish line.”
Her double first place finish at the junior and senior levels of the competition continues Anderson’s string of wins over the last few months ending her season on a high note after beginning it with a concussion.
“It was pretty difficult battling through a concussion I got while competing on the NorAm circuit this past January,” said Anderson. “But I pulled through and after a few weeks I was back to competing.”
Anderson added, “It feels really great to finish out my season with these wins. I’m really happy with the results and winning every heat I competed in.”
In addition to it being her last competition of the season, it was also Anderson’s final junior competition. The boarder described leaving the junior level behind as “bittersweet” though the prospect of moving up into higher levels of competition excites her.
Just a few weeks prior to her competition at Big White, Anderson took home a bronze medal in the Junior World Championships in China. Last week she also celebrated a victory in Austria at the International Junior Race.
Her World Cup debut in Spain has left little room to doubt that she is a rider to watch for in the future, placing 18th in the international competition.
Anderson’s presence on a global scale grows stronger with each competition, having delivered a strong season on the NorAm Circuit, finishing out with top-10 results in her five races and scooping up a silver medal as well.
Anderson has expressed how fortunate she has been to be able to travel the world in order to compete in a sport that she loves and said she is thankful to the community that has supported her.
“The Emily Brydon Youth Foundation has been really great over the last few years by helping me out with registration fees so I’m really grateful to them,” said Anderson.
Anderson will spend her off-season training in Whistler to prepare her for the World Circuit when competition kicks back in again.