A Millarville youth will be spending a large part of his summer on a trampoline and jumping into the water in one of the most scenic parts of British Columbia.
However, it’s not a holiday for Davis Clement, it’s preparation for representing Team Alberta in the 2012-13 free-style ski season.
The 14-year-old was named to the 10-man Team Alberta freestyle mogul ski team earlier this month.
“I made it because I made the top three overall in the 18-and-under (division) in Alberta,” said Clement, a Grade 8 student at Millarville School. “It was one of my goals to make the team at the start of the year.” Highlights of his season include winning the dual mogul events at the provincial championship at Sunshine Village in Banff March 31. Davis said he felt the highlight of his year was finishing second overall in a provincial single mogul event in Red Deer earlier this year.
The competition has the skiers going down the steep course over moguls as fast and with as many turns as possible. There are two jumps on the course. They are judged on their performance.
“Everything just seemed to come together on that run,” Clement said. “In singles you are trying to get air, speed and turns.”
On his two jumps he did a back flip and a Cork 7. A Cork 7 had Clement leaving the jump at an angle and then completing two revolutions — 720 degrees.
Clement found out that things don’t always go smoothly when taking off for a jump. At the provincial championship as Sunshine in March he lost a ski on the second jump. While he was able to walk away with nothing hurt he didn’t get to place in the championship.
“I took off early and my ski popped off,” Clement said. “It was disappointing, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.” However, he didn’t leave Sunshine empty handed.
He was second in the dual moguls, a competition in which he goes head to head against another skier. He won all of four of his runs in the dual competition to claim the gold.
“All I’m trying to do is focus on my run,” Clement said. “I try not to look at the guy next to me.” However, his biggest accomplishment came a few weeks ago.
He received word he made the Alberta team two weeks when he received a phone call from coach Dave Stevenson.
“I was kind of surprised, but kind of expecting it because I knew there was a high chance of getting it,” Clement said. “What it will mean is I will be competing against a much higher level of competition and practicing more.” He has not ever trained at Whistler, the site of the alpine-skiing events for the 2010 Olympics.
“I will be training twice as much as I have before,” Clement said, who will be training with the Alberta team. Clement competes for Castle Mountain Resorts out of Pincher Creek. He’s coach is Stevenson.
“Davis is a hard worker and a leader in our club, ” Stevenson said. “It is great to see him move on to the Alberta team.”
Clement also finished second in Big Air (aerials only) at the Junior Nationals in Quebec City season.
Clement plans to attend National Sport School at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. The school is designed for students wanting to pursue excellence in both their academic and athletic careers.
