Growing up near the Island’s main ski hill afforded Teal Harle of Campbell River, Cassie Sharpe of Comox and Spencer O’Brien of Courtenay certain advantages.
All those countless hours spent on Mount Washington did not go to waste. The Island trio is headed to the 2018 Winter Olympics next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The Canadian freestyle team was officially finalized and named Monday.
O’Brien is going in snowboarding slopestyle, Sharpe in skiing half-pipe and Harle in skiing slopestyle.
The former world champion O’Brien is the veteran of the group and will be making her second Olympic appearance following her tearful 12th place finish at Sochi in 2014 after being hampered in the lead up year by severe early-onset arthritis, a condition with which she has learned to live and board.
Sharpe, a three-time World Cup circuit champion this season, and Harle will be Olympic rookies.
Darcy Sharpe, Cassie’s younger brother, was named Olympic freestyle team alternate to add to the Mount Washington vibe.
“It’s upwards and onwards for me now,” said Harle, in a statement.
The 21-year old was the final of the Island trio to make the Olympic team, leaving it to the last day of qualifying on Sunday.
Sitting on the bubble, Harle needed a spectacular result in the final qualifier Sunday in Mammoth, Colorado. He nailed it to win his second career World Cup event.
“I am pretty excited. I just figured it out, I guess, and it worked,” said Harle, about his last-gasp dramatics.
“I was trying not to focus too much on what I needed to do to earn a spot for the Games. I ended up winning the contest, so I am really happy.”
Happy and headed to Pyeongchang for a Mount Washington reunion.
O’Brien said she is proud and that it’s “cool” to see her home hill so well represented in Pyeongchang.
