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Golden skiers to compete at Canada Winter Games

Roxy Coatesworth and Madison Sherriff are alpine skiers
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Alpine skiers Roxy Coatesworth and Madison Sherriff celebrate skiing their way onto Team with BC with Alpine VP Johnny Crichton. The girls will compete in the 2023 Canada Winter Games to be held from Feb.18 to March 5 in Prince Edward Island. (Photo contributed)

Roxy Coatesworth and Madison Sherriff are proud representing B.C. at this month’s Canada Winter Games.

The talented alpine skiers and fast friends were at Sun Peaks recently where they qualified in the top seven and will participate in the Games to be held in PEI from Feb. 18 to March 5.

Roxy and Madison have been skiing since they could walk, says Roxy’s mom Kat.

They are in same grade, are homeschooled and train together, something they have done with the Lake Louise Black Dogs for the past two years.

“It’s just amazing that they went to nationals last year and now have the opportunity to go to the Winter Games,” said Kat, noting the girls represented Team BC at the U16 Nationals.

“It is amazing that I get to have the experience and I’m really excited to go there and compete with all the other athletes and my friends in B.C.,” said Roxy, who is thrilled to be sharing the experience with Madison.

“I’m friends with everyone. We’re all competing for awards but we all congratulate each other. It’s a really good environment.”

Roxy says while the sport and training become more difficult after the U12 level, with steeper and faster pitches, the skiing provides a rhythm she loves, particularly in slalom.

“It’s all very fun and this is a gateway of opportunity with this experience,” she said of the upcoming Canada Game.

“After the Games there’s another qualifier and then the next step is the Whistler Cup, an international race.”

Like Madison, Roxy wants to keep training and building skills that will take her across the world of competition.

“It’s fun and I like the excitement,” Madison said, noting she concentrates on pushing herself on every run.

“I like going fast and I’d like to take it as far as possible.”

Like Roxy, Madison trains for about 20 hours per week.

She says the main thing to focus on for her now is developing a strong body position.

She and Roxy do a lot of physical training before they get to the mountain.

“Hard work paid off, didn’t it,” said Roxy’s father, Paul, who coaches the girls and will be one of three Team BC coaches accompanying the skiers to the Games.

“They work very hard and although they were nervous at the qualifier, they did very well.”

Paul says both girls are lucky to be the ages they are as the Games occur every four years and only those born in specific years qualify.

This year, the alpine skiing is open to youths who were born in 2007 and 2008 and who will compete in the U16 category.

“It’s an amazing opportunity because its federally run and fully subsidized,” said Paul.

“It really is a big deal and it’s fantastic.”

“This is a big honour and a thrill for them to travel and take the next step in their competitive development,” added Kat, pointing out the team will travel to PEI on Feb. 26 and will remain there for one week. “It’s super exciting!”