Former Williams Lake man gets front row seat working for Team Canada at World Juniors
Published Jan. 5
A Williams Lake Minor Hockey product got a sweet work assignment and front row seat to the historic Team Canada bid for gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Halifax.
Gord Cochran served as one of two equipment managers for Team Canada, and was on the bench when the team won gold Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 in an exciting overtime match-up against Czechia.
“It was an experience of a lifetime,” Cochran told the Tribune of his work at the World Juniors, held annually over the holidays. “Something I’ll never forget.”
Cochran said the fans in Halifax were “awesome.”
“It was really loud in there.”
Cochran has more than a decade of junior hockey experience, starting his career with the Williams Lake Timberwolves in 2006 before moving onto the Vernon Vipers in 2008, and later winning a RBC Cup in 2010. He has also worked with Hockey Canada at U17 and U18 levels.
Cariboo biathlete heads to 2023 Canada Winter Games
Published Feb. 17
A young athlete will be representing the Cariboo on the B.C. Biathlon team at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in P.E.I. taking place Saturday, Feb. 18 to Sunday, March 5.
Jessabelle Trelenberg, 15, is one of eight members on the team made up of 15 to 18-year-olds.
There are four females and four males on the team.
“I’m really excited,” Jessabelle said during a lunch hour interview in the library at Lake City Secondary School where she is a Grade 10 student.
“It was one of my goals for the year and I’m happy to have got to this point. I really want to thank my support team - my parents, coaches and volunteers who spend time grooming at Bull Mountain.”
Jessabelle said she has been cross-country skiing for as long as she can remember, probably starting when she was two or three-years of age.
Biathlon, she explained, is a military drill that combines skate skiing and target shooting, where the athlete does a lap of skiing then shoots at a target with a .22 rifle.
“Depending on the type of race, you do a different number of laps, but you always start with skiing.”
Williams Lake plays host to successful U18 Female BC Hockey Championships
Published March 31
It wasn’t the result the Timberwolves were looking for, nevertheless the BC Hockey U18 Female Championships held in Williams Lake March 23 to 26 were by all accounts a resounding success.
Over the four days, more than 200 female hockey athletes gathered in the lakecity as nine teams representing Vancouver, Okanagan Central, Prince George, North West, Greater Trail, Capital Region (Victoria), Williams Lake, North East and Surrey vied for top spot in the province.
Williams Lake hosted a banquet for players and coaches Wednesday evening, as well as opening ceremonies Thursday evening which included an opening prayer and land acknowledgment by WLFN’s David Archie, who also spoke to the power of women before a group performance of the Women’s Warrior Song.
Competition kicked off Thursday morning with the Williams Lake Timberwolves losing their first match to Surrey before winning against Victoria team Thursday night before a packed crowd at Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. Friday night the home team tied North East, and Saturday evening the team lost in a 2-3 battle against Greater Trail, in a heartbreaking elimination round.
In the end Greater Trail Wildcats captured gold, Capital Region Victoria Reign took home silver and Vancouver won bronze.
Williams Lake curlers win with double mixed team at BC Winter Games
Published April 4
Two Williams Lake curlers came home with gold medals from their first-ever BC Winter Games, held in Vernon March 23-26, 2023.
Talana Brown-John, 14, and Kelsey Camille, 12, were teamed up with two players from Prince George, Liam O’Bryan and Jack Holmes, for a combined mixed doubles team where they won three games.
Prior to the doubles mixed team games, the Williams Lake athletes played three games with their Zone 8 team in the Girls Division where they lost 0-3.
After those losses, Talana said it felt really nice to win the mixed doubles.
“I had a lot of fun,” she said. “The people I was playing against were really nice and supportive.”
Talana and Kelsey had never met the boys they competed with, but Kelsey said they played really well right away and found a way to communicate with each other.
“I really liked the experience of going to the games,” Kelsey added.
While they are finished curling until next season, Talana said she is hopeful they will attend the BC Winter Games again next year.
Cariboo Disc Golf Club puts finishing touches on Boitanio Park Disc Golf Course
Published May 18
The Boitanio Park Disc Golf Course is getting some final touches this season, though it has already been well-used.
At any time of day, on any day of the week, on a walk through the park, a person will most likely see people playing some disc golf.
High school students sometimes spend time over lunch on the course and you can see solo golfers tossing discs or larger groups getting in a social round with friends.
The course, installed last fall, is the fourth in the Williams Lake area, with courses also at the rugby fields, Chimney Lake, and one being completed at the Esler Sports Complex area.
Colton Gerrior, Jaxson Dikur picked by Seattle Thunderbirds
Published May 31 and June 8
Colton Gerrior might not yet be old enough to drive, but he is the one in the driver’s seat in pursuing his future in hockey, according to his dad Jehd.
On May 22, 2023, Gerrior signed to the Seattle Thunderbirds, a Western Hockey League (WHL) team, with what is called a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
Gerrior was signed with the team after being drafted in the fourth round and 87th overall in the 2023 Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft.
His size and skating were what made him well-suited to the WHL, according to their advisor, said Jehd, with the WHL being one of the two main routes to a professional hockey career. At 14 years old, Gerrior is already over six feet tall and 175 pounds.
Jaxson Dikur is looking forward to the possibilities after he was one of three Williams Lake players drafted in the Western Hockey League (WHL) 2023 Prospects Draft.
Dikur is already six-feet, five-inches tall and weighs in at 190 pounds, so he’s been doing a good job of filling up the net for the U15 Northstars Hockey Academy.
While Dikur will not yet be eligible to play for Seattle in the fall because he is just turning 15 this year, he will be attending their training camp, and apparently the team already knows who he is.
Besides heading down for the Thunderbirds training camp, Jaxson plans on spending the winter honing his skills playing for the U18 Prince George Cougars, an AAA team.
Williams Lake strongman Tyson Delay preparing for provincials
Published July 3
Williams Lake strongman Tyson Delay will be competing at provincials in the Comox Valley on Sept. 2, 2023.
At recent competitions in Kelowna and Kamloops, Delay’s performances qualified him for provincials.
Under blistering hot conditions, Delay competed in five events in the Kelowna Strongman Competition.
He won the overhead medley, where contenders lift three different awkward heavy objects.
He won the yoke tower, where he ran a heavy yoke across a 50-foot course, stopped and threw two sandbags highland games style over the tower on the yoke, which was 15-feet tall.
His third event, which he won and was his favourite, was the deadlift. It involved a 405-pound axle bar deadlift for 12 reps.
Third place was his for the fourth event, which was carrying a giant wooden frame that had handles so he could pick it up and run with it.
Last man standing sandbag over bar was his fifth and final event.
Williams Lake waterskier takes third at Jr. Canadian Water Ski Open
Published July 14
Linden Pinette took third place in U17 Boys Tricks at the Jr. Canadian Water Ski Open in Edmonton, Alta. the weekend of July 8-9, 2023.
Linden scored 3,390 points in the competition, which brought together competitors from across Canada and around the world.
The lakecity water skier was among eight Canadian athletes celebrated by Water Ski Canada for podium spots at the event.
Water Ski Canada said the event showcased the “incredible talent and dedication to the sport” of all of the junior water skiers competing.
The organization said it “extends its warmest congratulations to all the winners and participants of the Jr. Canadian Water Ski Open. Their exceptional performances have showcased the depth of talent in Canadian water skiing and inspire the next generation of athletes.”
Pinette uses hometown advantage to win B.C. golf championship in Williams Lake
Published July 27
Andrew Pinette of Surrey was the winner of the 2023 BC Provincial Seniors Men’s Golf Championship held in his former hometown of Williams Lake July 25 through 27.
Pinette, who grew up in the lakecity, finished one under par with a three-day total score of 212. He won by four strokes over the second place finisher.
“The stars aligned for me,” said Pinette of competing in the 156-player, 55 and over championship. “This was my first year of eligibility and it happened to be on the golf course I played on growing up.”
Former Williams Lake blind man successfully swims Georgia Strait
July 25, 2023
Originally from Williams Lake, blind man Scott Rees successfully swam across the Georgia Strait in just under 11 hours on Sunday, July 23 to raise $125K-plus for Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.
When he arrived at the beach in Nanaimo there was a large gathering, which Rees said was uplifting.
“My wife Alex, my kids, my parents, my wife’s brother and his family, a lot of extended family, my in-laws and a lot of their friends. There were also a ton of people from Nanaimo that had heard about the swim that came down to the beach to see the finish.”
Kaleb, his dog for the blind, was there too for the finish line.
Pleased with the fundraising total, he said even during the swim another $10,000 was raised.
When he entered the frigid waters at Sechelt at 6 a.m. there was a small send-off party comprised of some friends, his captain and captain’s next door neighbours, and the owner of Tapworks Brewing Company in Gibsons, that did a beer for the charity.
“They saw me and my friend Joost Van Woerden accompanied us in his kayak for the first hour before we met up with our main support boat.”
While he swam, he listened through his headset for directions from Joost, who also kept him encouraged when he got tired.
“He was selectively reading me some of the posts that were coming in on social media that were really supportive and kind. He kind of cherry picked and read me some that were nice and gave me fuel in the fire to keep going.”
Williams Lake rugby players compete at Provincial Regional Championship
Published Aug. 2
Four Williams Lake rugby players competed in the Provincial Regional Championship (PRC) July 7 to 9 at UBC.
Joelle Thurow, Gabrielle Knox, Maya Nowotny and Ane Fine played for the Thompson Okanagan Rugby Alliance, and all four Williams Lake girls earned player of the game for the first four games of the tournament. They all had to wear a pink, cowboy hat that they signed. This hat started in 2018 and the girls did see other Williams Lake girls’ signatures such as Emma Feldinger and Madison Blusson.
The five regions that compete at the championships are North Vancouver Island Tsunami, Vancouver Island Tide, Vancouver Wave, Thompson/Okanagan Rugby Alliance (TORA) and Fraser Valley. Championships are held for Boys and Girls at U14, U16 and U18 levels.
Williams Lake bowlers to compete in virtual Canada-wide pro league
Published Sept. 21
Eight Williams Lake bowlers are competing in a Canada-wide pro league in the comfort of their community bowling alley.
“You bowl in your own lane, playing live, against another team somewhere in Canada,” said Kevin McAlpine who is captain of the team alongside fellow bowler Tyler McLean.
This is made possible by livestreaming the games through an iPhone and an iPad, he explained, noting their first game will be Sunday, Sept. 24 at 8 a.m.
Teams are from B.C. to Newfoundland.
For the matches, five players will compete in five-pin bowling. There are 24 teams in the pro league and each team will play 11 matches.
At the end there will be a playoff round for the top four teams in each division.
‘Dream come true’: Williams Lake First Nation chief to dance at Canucks game
Published Sept. 30
Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) Chief Willie Sellars is bringing truth and reconciliation to centre ice at Rogers Arena in Vancouver Sept. 30.
Sellars, a hockey goalie himself for the Williams Lake Stampeders and avid Canucks fan, said he and William Lulua, an Indigenous actor and youth also from the Cariboo Chilcotin, have travelled to Vancouver to do a traditional dance at intermission when the Canucks take on the Edmonton Oilers Saturday night.
“It’s wild. Like seriously a dream come true,” Sellars told the Efteen of being a part of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremonies with the Canucks.
Sellars and Lulua will be dancing to a song called ‘Hip Hop,’ a traditional crow hop beat given to them by the Cree Confederation.
Sellars said he’s so excited to partake in the ceremonies he couldn’t hardly sleep Friday night.
“I’m about as nervous as I’ve ever been for anything,” said Sellars, who has hosted several high-ranking officials over the years, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as part of WLFN’s connection the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School located with WLFN territory.
More than 300 B.C. barrel racers compete at finals in Williams Lake
Published Oct. 2
The Williams Lake Stampede Grounds was the place to be on the weekend as more than 300 barrel racers gathered to compete in the B.C. Barrel Racers Association (BCBRA) finals.
Competition took place over three days on Sept. 15, 16 and 17 at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds, with racing getting underway at 8 a.m. each day.
Racers saw unseasonably hot weather Friday, followed by smoky skies Saturday.
Race divisions included open, junior, senior, lead line (10 and under where leading is allowed), and pee wee (10 and under) categories.
Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club to host grand opening of new lodge
Published Oct. 10
The Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club will be hosting the Grand Opening of its new Nordic Ski Lodge and facility upgrades on Oct. 15, 2023.
The cross-country ski facility is located just north of Williams Lake at Bull Mountain.
“It is with great anticipation and pleasure that we come to a point of readiness to present our new lodge and facility upgrades to the public,” said Robin Dawes, chair of the Williams Lake Cross Country Ski Club. The club is inviting the community to celebrate the grand opening on Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. of the new daylodge.
She said the facility has been a long sought-after dream, and will help to establish a vibrant destination tourism corridor which will cater to the growing interest in accessible cross country skiing.
“Our new lodge complements our extensive trail network, high-quality programming and supports the growing demand and interest in Nordic skiing in the Cariboo,” stated a release from the club.
Former Williams Lake resident officially Canada’s Strongest Woman
Published Nov. 3
Anne Butters is officially the Strongest Woman in Canada in her weight class.
Butters won the top spot in the U73 kg amateur category at the Strongman National Championships held at the Minto Armoury in Winnipeg on Oct. 20.
“It’s pretty cool,” Butters said when asked what it feels like to be a national champion in the niche sport.
“To be first at nationals was my goal from the beginning.”
Butters had been focused on cross-fit training for eight years when the opportunity presented itself to give strongman a try in 2020. Strongman is a weightlifting-based sport where athletes compete in several events to prove their strength, speed and endurance.
Since Butters discovered the sport, she just did this one thing: she worked out three hours a day, four days a week for three years.
“I just do what I’m told,” Butters said of her training sessions, which are created for her by her trainer/coach, Dorell Petties. “He’s the mastermind behind it all.”
