Navigating ups and downs is par for the course at a national event, but not quite like this.
Foothills County resident Megan Pelkey battled through equipment adversity to come away with two silver and two bronze medals in the Girls U14 division at the Water Ski National Championships from Aug. 7-11 at Club de Ski Nautique St-Donat, Québec.
“Her jump skis got damaged on the flight over to Québec,” said Sandra Pelkey, Megan’s mother. “What had happened was she was getting ready to familiarize for jump and she took her jump skis out and realized that they were broken.”
Megan got an assist from Alberta teammate Evan Kraus.
Though she had to miss out on the familiarization of the jump competition, Megan earned the bronze the next day.
“He offered to lend her his skis, but they were a different make. She was able to ride the jump skis, but the bindings were too big and she wasn’t able to go over the jump,” Sandra added. “The next day during the jump competition, she went out and that was pretty much her familiarization where she did a practice jump and then did her three-quarter.
“If it wasn’t for her teammate she would not have been able to jump or qualify for an overall medal.”
Megan took silver in the overall, silver in trick and bronze in slalom.
“It was more about having fun and trying my best than the medals,” she said.
Her score of 3,680 in the trick competition, which has the athletes pack as many twists and turns led by both the hands and toes, was a personal best.
“You have 20 seconds for each run,” Megan said. “The toe tricks are harder so they’re worth more.”
By virtue of Megan’s performance at Club de Ski Nautique, she jumped her way onto the Canadian team for the Can-Am Challenge later this month in Edmonton.
She’s one of just six members of the Canadian team in her age group as they take on American opposition in a team-based competition featuring slalom, trick and jump.
The prestigious event is held every two years.
“I’m pretty excited to represent Canada internationally,” Megan said. “It’s pretty exciting and I’m a bit nervous.”
Megan will continue her individual training at Dodd’s Pond near Olds prior to moving onto group training in the days leading up to the Can-Am Challenge, held Aug. 30- Sept. 1 at Shalom Park.
Another feather in the cap of the 13-year-old was a big award she brought home from Québec.
She earned the 2019 Canadian Air Force Award for her passion and dedication for the sport showcased in a one-minute video submission.
