Canmore's Philip Widmer (in white) finished first in the Open Men's 1.6km Sprint     250Sports photo

Prince George, BC – Spectacular conditions and sunshine greeted competitors gathered for day three of the Haywood NorAm Western Canadian Cross Country Ski Championships at Otway Nordic Ski Centre yesterday…

Qualifying rounds for the Men's and Women's Open Buff Sprint competitions started at 10am, with the races beginning at noon.  Philip Widmer of the Canmore Nordic Club took first place in the Open Men's 1.6km Sprint A Final.  Quebec's Sébastien Townsend narrowly edged Rossland's Julien Locke for second and third place, respectively.  Unfortunately, for the Caledonia Nordic Club, Willard Andal did not start the race.

In the Open Women's 1.25km Buff Sprint A Final, it was another win for the Canmore Club, with Maya Macisaac-Jones finishing first, eight seconds ahead of Edmonton's Ember Large in second, and Kirsty Bock of UBC in third.

BC is still in the lead in aggregate points, followed by Alberta and the Northwest Territories.  The championship is a test event for the 2015 Canada Winter Games

Photo at right shows Paul Freeze of the Kimberley Nordic Club enjoying the day's sunshine while waxing skis for athletes from his club.

The club's Colin Ferrie, shown in photo above wearing bib 9 on far left, finished the Open Men's Sprint in 5th place.

Today is the last day of competition with the Free Technique Mass Start Race at 9am.