The Jasper Alpine and Freestyle ski teams came back from the Alberta Games with a handful of medals last weekend in Cold Lake/Bonnyville.

Melissa Hiron led Jasper’s way with two gold medals in the slopestyle and moguls, while Sam Ruttiman and Jaymes Schmidt brought home a gold in slopestyle and moguls respectively.

In Alpine skiing Mattie Smith finished in second in the female dual giant slalom, with third place finishes from Sam Wall in male dual giant slalom and Emerson Ostrander, who had two third place finishes in male giant slalom and male dual giant slalom.

Freestyle coach Randy Timmins said the team placed well, especially in the slopestyle.

“We actually did decent, since we don’t do as much slopestyle, we’ve always been a stronger mogul team, and for us to come out and show up in the slopestyle was a good sign, and we are living up to our name with our strength in moguls. I was happy with how all the guys and girls skied,” said Timmins.

The team’s youngest competitor, Julian Kapronczai of Hinton, just missed making the cut to the podium, finishing fourth in his 10-11 age category.

“Four gold medals. We were just gold and a couple people come fourth. Winning or just missing the podium. It was very good for the kids, the kids had a blast, it was a big event for them,” Timmins said of the freestyle skiers.

The freestyle team is gearing up for the Junior Nationals, which will be held in Quebec at the end of the month, where the top teams will be Alberta, Quebec and BC, with a typical strong team coming from Ontario.

“They are going to have to compete against the other provincial team members, so, they stand a chance of doing really well. A medal would be (possible) if they really skied excellent. I’m not expecting medals, that’s more for the provincial team guys, but we’re hoping to put in a good show,” said Timmins.

Seven freestyle skiers will be going to the Junior Nationals, and are for the most part not the same skiers that were at the Alberta Games. Those skiers, Timmins said, are our next up and coming top skiers.

Other results posted by Jasper skiers included a sixth place finish in the male slalom from Sam Wall and two 12th place finishes by Mattie Smith in the female giant slalom and female slalom.

In freestyle, Sebastien Henke had a fourth place finish in male moguls, as well as a fourth and fifth place finish from Hannah Stainton in female slopestyle and female moguls. Adding to his gold medal, Sam Ruttiman also had a sixth place finish in male moguls.