Valley youths strike gold

Youth athletes from around the Valley expanded their athletic horizons recently to compete against northern region countries from around the world in the 2002 Arctic Winter Games from March 17 to 23 in Iqaluit, Nunavut and Nuuk, Greenland.

The Valley sent 16 athletes as part of Team Alaska to compete in a variety of winter events. Team Alaska athletes earned 42 gold ulus, 49 silver ulus and 50 bronze ulus in the games.

The goal of the Arctic Winter Games was to provide an opportunity for developing athletes to meet in friendly competition while sharing cultural values from northern regions throughout the world.

"It was wonderful, a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Brianna Johnson. "I would do it again if I had the chance."

Johnson, a student at Palmer High School, along with Colony students Chelayne Dukart and Stephanie Deml, helped Team Alaska win the gold ulu in volleyball.

According to Johnson, Team Alaska's three games to one victory over Alberta, Canada, in the championship match marked the first time Team Alberta has not won gold in Arctic Winter Games history.

Johnson said the process to become a member of the Team Alaska volleyball squad began with the applications in April of last year. Coaches then evaluated the applicants during the high school volleyball season and made selections after the season ended.

"The high school season was basically our tryouts," Johnson said.

Jesse Belgarde of Big Lake struck gold in wrestling by winning the championship of the 62-kilogram weight class. Belgarde was one of seven Alaskan wrestlers to take home a gold ulu.

Colony sophomore Ross Wise competed in cross-country skiing in the juvenile male category, sweeping the competition to take gold ulus in the sprint, 5K classic-style race, 7.5K freestyle and as a member of the relay team.

"The most expectations I had coming into the games was to have fun," Wise said. "I was really just hoping to race well."

Wise said the trail conditions were better than what they raced on in the Valley this year, but the area was much windier.

"The wind was blowing so hard that you struggled if you weren't behind someone," Wise said. "Skiers drafted and got low to cut the wind resistance."

Colony senior Jeff Warner competed in cross-country skiing as a junior male, earning a bronze ulu in the sprint and as a member of the relay team. Warner took fifth in the 5K classic-style race and sixth in the 10K freestyle.

Loren Smith of Wasilla helped Team Alaska to a silver ulu for indoor soccer in the junior male category. Team Alaska advanced to the championship game, but lost to Team Greenland, 4-2.

Team Alaska hockey squads fared well in the games, taking home two silver ulus and two bronze ulus. Valley youths Alex Lund, Chase Allington and Cody Gabel helped the PeeWee team to earn a silver ulu in the games. Nicholas Leeper, Andrew Tumbleson, Dean Shultz and Austin Johnson were on Team Alaska's Bantam team which earned a bronze ulu.

Palmer's Cole Jacobson helped Team Alaska to a gold ulu in basketball in the junior male division. Team Alaska defeated the Northwest Territory team 78-70 in the championship game.

"It was fun to go there and play," Jacobson said. "It was cool meeting people from different countries."

Jacobson said the competition was tough because Team Alaska had younger players than all of the other teams.

Jacobson,14, was the youngest player on Team Alaska, which played other teams comprised of 17- to 19-year-olds.

Luke Billings of Wasilla represented Team Alaska in the snowboarding competition, taking seventh place in the giant slalom and 10th place in the slope style event.

"This was an incredible experience beyond anything I can describe," Wise said. "There were so many great aspects of the trip with the country, people and race."