Freestyle Ski Team Named for Canada Games

Four freestyle skiers plan to spin, flip and fly their way to the podium in Whitehorse, Yukon, as members of Nova Scotia's first full-complement freestyle ski team to attend a Canada Winter Games.

The athletes will participate in half-pipe, aerials, single and dual moguls events. The team is as follows:

• Nicholas Bagnall of Dartmouth
• Christian Hart of Dartmouth
• Stefan Strecko of Boutilier's Point
• Foster Verge of Dartmouth

The team, coached by John Emberly of Springhill and managed by Sharon MacIntosh of Bedford, trained on the Horseman Glacier in British Columbia during the summer. As well, they trained on water ramps in Quebec during the fall, and on snow in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta, in preparation for the team selection event at the Calgary Olympic Park in January.

Since 2004, the freestyle ski community in Nova Scotia has been working to provide safe, fun and exciting Canadian Freestyle Ski Association development programs and competitions, resulting in this Canada Games team.

The athletes will be participating in a half-pipe competition at Ski Martock on Feb. 10 and an aerial competition at Ski Wentworth on Feb. 11.

Team Nova Scotia 2007 has 290 members -- 213 athletes, 36 coaches, 23 managers, three artists and 15 mission staff. See the team's website at ns.canadagames.ca for the latest information on Team Nova Scotia.

The Canada Games is the country's largest amateur multi-sport event. More than 3,600 athletes, coaches and managers will gather in Whitehorse to compete for 1,122 medals in 22 sports. The event runs from Feb. 23 to March 10.