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Special Olympians challenge the province in SOBC Winter Games

Contingent travels to Kamloops to compete in provincial competition
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Campbell River’s Reise Collins (centre) competes in the snowshoeing competition at the Special Olympics BC Winter Games in Kamloops Feb. 2-4. Special Olympics BC photo

Campbell River Special Olympians took on the province at the Special Olympics B.C. Winter Games in Kamloops Feb. 2-4.

A contingent of 16 athletes as well as five coaches went to Kamloops and competed for Region 6 (Vancouver Island) in floor hockey, curling and snowshoeing. In the Campbell River contingent was Paul Aubuchon and Hazen Meade competing in snowshoeing. Aubuchon’s first provincial games appearance was in 1991, making this his 31st year of competing in provincial, national and world games. Meade, meanwhile, has competed at every provincial and national games in snowshoeing since 2002.

The games brought athletes from 40 communities from around B.C. and Yukon to compete in eight sports – 5-pin bowling, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, floor hockey, figure skating, snowshoeing and speed skating. These were Special Olympics BC’s first Provincial Games in four years, after a pause forced by the pandemic.

Campbell River results…

CURLING:

Campbell River Rocks (Curtis Rinhofer, Matt Basso, Mickie Hildebrandt, Andrew Caulfield, David Marsters) - Gold, Yellow Division.

Campbell River Curl Jam (Darrell Ludlow, Martina Vincent, Victoria Trerice, Izzy Castle) - Silver, Red Division.

Coaches: Cheryl Clay, Terry Kratzman, John LaPointe.

FLOOR HOCKEY:

Mathieu Dyck played on the Blue Division gold medal winning Comox Valley Vipers and Ryanne Leiman won Blue Division bronze playing with the Victoria Wolf Pack.

SNOWSHOEING

Isiah Dyck - Silver in 100 m.; 4th in Div. M3 200 m.; Gold in 4x100 relay.

Paul Aubuchon - Bronze in Div. M1 400 m.; Bronze in Div. M1 800 m., Gold in 4x100 relay.

Reise Collins - Gold in Div. M2 400 m.; Silver in Div. M1 800 m.; 4th in Div. M1 1600 m.

Hazen Meade - Silver in Div. M3 400 m.; Bronze Div. M2 800 m.; Bronze in Div. M1 1600 m.; Gold in 4x100 relay.

Ashley Adie - Gold in Div. F1 800 m; Gold in Div. F1 1600 m; Gold in Div. F1 5K, Gold in 4x100 relay.

Coaches: Burton Collins and David Ells.

Harvey and Maureen Hunter attended the games as Provincial Team members; Harvey as a starter and Maureen as Provincial Sport Tech Advisor and Chief of Course.

For B.C. and Yukon athletes, the 2023 SOBC Winter Games are the qualifier for the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, which will be hosted in Calgary.

It was announced at the Games closing ceremony that the next provincial games will be the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games and they will be hosted by the City of Prince George.

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Campbell River’s Ashley Adie (centre) celebrates one of her two gold medals at the Special Olympics BC Winter Games in Kamloops Feb. 4. Special Olympics BC photo