DEH CHO
Team NWT fell shy of bringing home a medal in the 3,000 metre female relay at the Canada Winter Games last week.
The relay team had topped a territorial record going into the final on Feb. 20.
"Everything went fantastic," said Team NWT speedskating coach Shane Clark, adding that making it to the medal final and setting a record was an amazing experience the girls. "It went as good as or better than expected."
The territorial team was up against teams from New Brunswick, Quebec and Alberta.
Team Quebec ended up finishing with a time of four minutes, 26.24 seconds to take home the gold medal. New Brunswick came second at four minutes, 35.74 seconds. Alberta finished at four minutes 45.17 seconds to take bronze. Team NWT finished in fourth overall with a time of five minutes, 3.71 seconds.
Madison Pilling, a Fort Simpson native on the team, said she'd be satisfied no matter the outcome of the final given the good performance of the team in early competition.
She wasn't able to skate with her teammates in the relay final because the day before the race she crashed and she sustained a concussion.
"I was just there cheering. I'm still happy with the team," said Pilling.
Pilling said the team did its best and that she was proud of its achievement.
Having the chance to compete in an event that brings people together from coast to coast in a community where she now attends university was a great experience, she said.
Clark said Pilling did well with the races she was able to compete in before getting injured.
Badminton players soldier on
Two badminton players from Fort Providence are among those from the territory competing this week.
Christina Bonnetrouge, 17, played Feb. 23 in the first round of the badminton female doubles with Hay River's Novie Bordey.
They earned four and six points versus 21 points for a team from B.C. Bonnetrouge also played in the mixed doubles with her 18-year-old nephew Spencer Bonnetrouge on Monday. In the first round they scored seven and six points against a team from Manitoba that scored 21.
Spencer went up against a Nunavut's Saumik Darehshoripour in the male singles on Feb. 23, scoring 10 points in two games against Darehshoripour 21 points,
He plays again Thursday in mixed competition.
By the afternoon on Feb. 24, Quebec was leading the medal count with 87 while Team NWT had zero.
