Mission athletes are gearing up for the BC Winter Games, with a handful of locals making the trip to Kamloops next week.
Speed skating will have a lot of Mission representation, with four athletes and one coach representing the Fraser Valley team at the Games.
Asher Barnsdale, Jared Bolland, Annabelle Green and Samuel Green will all be hitting the ice, with head coach Julian Green offering help from the sidelines.
The Greens are hoping to follow in their sister Janie Green’s footsteps, after she won gold in the 500 metres, 1,500m and 3000m speed skating events at the 2016 BC Winter Games.
Bolland, Barnsdale and Annabelle Green all recently excelled at the 2017 BC Short Track Speed Skating Championships.
Mission’s Ethan Ikeda is also set to compete in gymnastics.
He qualified for the Games at the trials at the Langley Invitational in December, posting top scores in his division for both the pommel horse and all-around. He also placed second in the parallel bars.
All athletes will be competing as part of the Fraser Valley zone team, with participants from Langley, Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, Pitt Meadows, Agassiz, Hope and Aldergrove.
Other athletes heading to the Games include: Reece Leroux (judo), Destynee Sloat (ringette), Elliot Rebele (skiing-alpine) and Caleb McKinnon (snowboarding).
Mission coaches at the Games include: Danielle Westwick (diving) and Layton Keely (judo).
Archery official Darcy Falk will also help out with the Games.
The event runs from Feb. 22 to 25 in Kamloops.
For more information on the event, visit bcgames.org.