Locals compete at Red Mountain, B.C.

Three local skiers, White-fish Mountain Resort Freestyle Team members Parkin and Ladd Costain and national competitor Mitch Gilman, battled the elements to make it to the Canadian Open Freeskiing Championships in Red Mountain, B.C. this past weekend.

Avalanches, road closures and black ice turned the journey into an epic. Nine-year-old Parkin made the podium with a third-place finish in the 7-11 age category.

Ladd, 7, and Mitch, 12, both the youngest competitors in their respective categories, skied aggressive qualifying lines but failed to make the finals.

Ninety-five kids competed in the Junior Freeskiing Championships, in which skiers pick their own line down a 1,000 vertical feet of steep and rocky terrain. Competitors are judged on five criteria — line choice, control, fluidity, technique and aggressiveness.

Parkin plans to travel to Fernie and Lake  Louise for their Junior Freeskiing competitions in February and March.

For video highlights of the Red Mountain event, visit online at www.biglines.com.