The competitors are called to the mat, but only one person walks on. They face the empty space across from them, bow, step forward bow again. The ref raises their hand, awarding the match, and the person again bows, and leaves.

The winds were blowing at Bear Mountain Ski Hill, just outside of Dawson Creek, as the BC Winter Games alpine skiing kicked off. Sunny skies and good snow condition more than made up for the gusting winds. None of the athletes seemed too bothered by the gales, including 12-year-old Ewan Hawes from Prince George, B.C.

Trent Read is a teacher at Dr. Kearney Middle School in Fort St. John. When he’s not in the classroom, he is fulfilling his other passion - basketball. He has a coaching history of 20 years, working with three different schools, and at times working with athletes ranging from grades 4 to grade 10. This week, with the 2020 Fort St. John BC Winter Games, Read found a way to get involved with the sport he loves and is taking on a new role as a scorekeeper for Wheelchair Basketball. 

On Friday, February 21, Kaden Baum, the only Para Nordic skier at the 2020 Fort St John BC Winter Games, raced a 2.5km loop at Beatton Provincial Park in his sit-ski.

The Northern Environmental Action Committee (NEAT) is working hard to keep the environmental impacts of the BC Winter Games as low as possible. Since Wednesday, approximately 5,000 meals have been served to athletes, coaches and officials and it has created only one bag of garbage. 

As special guests arrived at the provincial reception last night, we caught up with past BC Winter Games medal winner, Bryan Harman. Harman won bronze in the 1m and silver in the 3m springboard diving events at the 1984 Winter Games, hosted right here in Fort St. John.