The 55-plus B.C. Games wrapped up on a stormy note on Saturday in North Vancouver.
The final day of competition was underway when the worst storm in recent history blew through the west coast causing power outages that affected over a half-million residences, wreaked general havoc on the infrastructure, and cancelled Games events.
But despite the foul weather, the Zone-6 West Kootenay-Boundary contingent of just over 100 competitors would win 60 medals (23 gold, 26 silver, and 11 bronze) over the four-day event.
The men’s 60-64 gold-medal hockey game was one such casualty of the storm. The Kootenay Glacier Kings advanced to the final after a 3-2 victory over Victoria, and were on the ice playing Vancouver for gold when the power went out and ended the game.
“We’re into the game 10-minutes and the power goes because of the storm,” said Glacier Kings forward Wayne Florko. “So the storm hit, the lights went and our game got cancelled, we couldn’t play.”
Florko is hoping the Game’s society headed by Nelson’s Wayne Naka will award both teams gold, although the early indication is that Vancouver may be awarded top spot by virtue of its win over the Glacier Kings in the round robin.
“They wanted to give the Vancouver team the gold medal and us the silver,” said Florko. “I said, ‘I don’t think so,’ because last year they beat us in the round robin and we beat them in the gold-medal game. Three years ago, they beat us in the round robin and we beat them in the gold medal game, so nobody’s lost anything, so I think it should be shared . . . and their guys were good with that.”
The 55-59 Glacier Kings also made the final, but were beaten by a tough Vancouver squad 6-3, and would settle for silver.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Florko. “The people were good, the people working there and the volunteers were great. So hats off to them for doing a good job.”
Rossland swimmer Barb Roberts took home six medals winning two gold in the 50-metre breaststroke and 25-m breaststroke, silver in the 100 breaststroke, and three bronze in the 25, 50, and 100-m back. Rino DeBiasio captured three silver medals in cycling, while Karen Lees won gold in the hill climb and bronze in cycling time trials.
Fruitvale curlers Paul and Marnie Devlin captured gold along with Castlegar’s Jim Swanson and Verna Chernoff in the 65+ mixed curling.
Salmo’s Terry Hearne was golden in men’s 75-79 golf carding low net, while Trail’s Dorothy Harrold captured gold in 33’ Horseshoes, and Jim Harrold took silver in 40’ horseshoes.
Close to 4,000 participants competed in 26 sports and activities at the 55-plus B.C. Games in North Vancouver last week.