Staff
With her charges fast asleep after a hard morning’s work, Ilka Milne was glad to sing their praises.
The co-coach of the Muskie Nordic skiing team watched as Tori Toriseva and Angie Redford each earned personal best times at the OFSAA Nordic skiing championships yesterday in Timmins.
Toriseva finished 121st out of 140 starters in the junior girls’ 4K freestyle category with a time of 18:20.6.
Redford wound up 133rd (19:19.2).
“I think they handled the pressure well,” said Milne.
“There were some nerves on their part,” she admitted. “But once they warmed up, they seemed ready to go.”
Milne said the weather and quality of snow played a part in both Toriseva and Redford setting new personal standards.
“It was minus-five and didn’t warm up until later on,” she noted.
“[Timmins] also just had some fresh snow a few days ago so there were very good conditions.”
Milne said the pair already was fired up for next season shortly after the event.
“They’re already talking about what they can do to come back here again next year,” she remarked.
Toriseva and Redford qualified for the all-Ontarios based on their top-six individual finishes at the NWOSSAA championships in Atikokan earlier this month.
Fellow Muskie Caleb Dueck also qualified for OFSAA in the senior boys’ division but opted not to attend.
