Two Okanagan athletes will be representing Canada at the upcoming 2022 Olympic Winter Games in China next month.
On Wednesday, Canada Snowboard announced the 19 snowboarders who will wear red and white in Beijing. Kevin Hill of Vernon and Tess Critchlow of Big White made the list. Both will be competing in snowboard cross.
Canada Snowboard says 19 riders were selected based on their performances across the Olympic qualification window.
“The COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to the qualification series of World Cups and other major events,” said Canada Snowboard.
“Some disciplines were forced to extend their international qualification window due to a large number of event cancellations whereas other disciplines remained as per usual.”
Snowboard events will run Feb. 5-15 at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou and at Big Air Shougang in Beijing.
For Hill, 35, Beijing will be his third Olympic Games, having placed eighth in men’s snowboard cross in 2014 in Sochi, then 14th in 2018 in PyeongChang.
For Critchlow, 26, competing in Beijing will be her second Games appearance. In 2018 in PyeongChang, she placed ninth in women’s snowboard cross.
In a press release from Big White Ski Resort, Critchlow said “I’m so excited to be named to the Canadian Olympic team to represent Canada and Big White Ski Resort. I’m here with the team in Austria training and we all look forward to getting to Beijing.”
To view the 19 snowboarders, visit Canada Snowboard’s website.