Watch: Freestyle Skiers Teal Harle and Cassie Sharpe compete this weekend at the winter Olympics in South Korea, and some on the Island are excited to see local talent on the world stage. Dean Stoltz reports.
The beauty of Mount Washington might be a Vancouver Island secret but the Olympic success stories that began here could soon be known around the world.
“I had the privilege of coaching Teal when he was really young for a short time and even right then you could tell how talented he was.” said his former coach Stuart Robinson.
He was referring to 21 year-old slopestyle skier Teal Harle from Campbell River who started out on Mount Washington.
“It wasn?t right away that he was showing his physical skills and his amazing air awareness and all the things he has now.” added Robinson. “It came a bit later for him.”
“We grew up skiing together and he was just this little guy and we always used to shred around together and over the years he just progressively got better and better and kind of overtook us and now we’re looking up to him.” said Dean Robin.
Cassie Sharpe also go her start on Mount Washington.
“Cassie was a kid who came up doing both moguls and the park, slopestyle and half-pipe and obviously you?ve got to pick your target and her target ended up being the half pipe and hats off to Cassie because you know there were times when we all wondered where will she go,” said past Mount Washington Freestyle Club president Simon Stubbs. “And when she made the move to Whistler and left here she got her focus and found her sweet spot and she?s going on.”
“And again we knew from the get-go that she was a super talented athlete,” added Robinson. “We cannot wait to see how Cassie does on the half pipe, she’s such a strong skier and such a great ambassador for women’s sport.”
Spencer O?Brien and Carle Brenneman are also products of Mount Washington. Both are in PyeongChang.
O’Brien finished 22nd in Snowboard Slopestyle. Brenneman finished 18th is Snowboard Cross
Teal Harle competed Saturday evening (Comox time) and placed fifth in slopestyle.
Cassie Sharpe is heading to the finals on Tuesday morning (Monday evening local time).
Dean Stoltz
