It wasn't quite a clean sweep for Sea to Sky athletes at the 2024 Downhill Nationals in Sun Peaks, B.C., but it was pretty darn close.
A bevy of medals across varying age divisions on Sunday launched Instinct Development and its 22 riders to the honour of Best Team. Summer storms rolled through and made things interesting, but everyone pressed forth after the necessary hail and lightning holds were lifted.
Jakob Jewett backed up his thrilling Crankworx DH win with another pro men's gold (4:41.72) to cement himself as Canada's fastest rider. Kasper Woolley earned silver (4:43.93) and Johnathan Helly secured bronze medal position (4:46.57).
Gracey Hemstreet (5:32.65) and Andréane Lanthier Nadeau (5:44.22) finished second and third behind Emmy Lan (5:29.95) in the pro women's category.
Killer instincts
Now onto the Instinct Development results, and there are quite a few of them.
U17 Cami Bragg kept her hot season going with a decisive performance (5:39.11), nearly 16 seconds faster than runner-up Éliane Blais (5:54.92). Luella Jones managed to join her victorious teammate on the podium in third (5:56.55) as the only other girl to break the six-minute mark.
Mack Manietta led a Pembertonian sweep of U15 boys hardware (5:11.18) as the class of his field. Silver medallist Sebastien Harrisson acquitted himself well (5:21.31), as did Xavier Harrisson with bronze (5:31.40).
In the U15 girls' event, it was Ruby Wells (5:39.52) getting the better of Arleigh Kemp (5:47.12) and Addison Rutherfurd (6:06.97).
Zach Eaton stuck his nose in for second among expert elite men (5:27.38) between victor Jamie Glass (5:19.18) and third-placer Luke Patterson (5:41.90).
Honourable mentions go to pro female Sophi Lawrence and UCI junior Rebecca Beaton, who ended up fourth in their respective races.
Results roundup
Not every local athlete who medalled in Sun Peaks represented Instinct Development.
Whistlerites Taylor Boehm (5:17.46), Liam Jackson (5:19.24) and David Peatfield (5:19.42) filled up the sport elite men's podium in that order.
Another Sea to Sky domination took place in the junior sport men division courtesy of Cameron Keuling who struck gold (5:08.96), Jordan Evans with silver (5:13.44) and bronze medallist Grayson Barth (5:15.87).
Dane Jewett (4:55.80) occupied the second step on the UCI junior expert men's podium, sandwiched between a triumphant Jon Mozell (4:52.00) and Michael Delesalle (4:56.52).
Megan Bedard (5:57.28) came within five seconds of upending UCI junior ladies' champ Geza Rodgers (5:52.81) as Natasha Miller, fresh off a landmark Red Bull Joyride runner-up, clocked in third (5:58.55).
Rafe Hudson prevailed in the U17 sport men's contest, while Rob Davis and Jason Lorenz triumphed among masters men aged 35-44 and 45-54 respectively.
Find full results here.
