Adam Kates headed to Quebec City this week looking for a little more than a bit of fun on the area’s ski trails.
He’s managing a little more than that.
The 27-year-old Sault native came into the Canadian Cross-Country Skiing Championships as the defending men’s champion. Though out of competitive shape and short on training, he still managed a 16th place finish in Tuesday’s 10-kilometre men’s freestyle event.
“It was a decent race, I guess,” said Kates, who now lives in Thunder Bay but represents Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club at the event.
“I’m essentially retired, not training much at all.”
While working as a server at the Keg Steakhouse and taking courses to supplement his bachelor of education, the affable Kates finds less time to hit the trails than he once did.
“This is just a way to get to see old friends,” said Kates.
The relative lack of snow in Northwestern Ontario also made the Plains of Abraham a welcome venue for the sport Kates loves.
“It went from icy conditions to ankle-deep powder,” Kates said. “It’s nice weather.”
Four other Sault skiers are racing at the week-long event, which began with Sunday’s two-person relay and continued Tuesday with a series of freestyle races.
Hilary and Erin Mallinger finished 12th Sunday in the girls relay, making a time of 15:22.7 over a pair of 800-metre legs.
On Tuesday Erin Mallinger placed 40th in a field of 62 skiers in the junior girls five-kilometre freestyle race, while Hilary Mallinger was 40th in the juvenile five-kilometre event.
Matthew Cuddy, the son of Soo Finnish Nordic coach Doug Cuddy, was 34th in the junior men’s 10-kilometre race.
Today all four will compete in the medium-distance classic race, with sprint events following on Friday. Sunday’s 50-kilometre race is Kates’ specialty.
“That should be my best shot,” Kates said. “But no matter what, I’m having a good time.”
