North

Canada Winter Games: 2 gold medals for Yukon cross-country skiers

Cross-country skiers Knute Johnsgaard and Annah Hanthorn each won a gold medal while Kendra Murray took a bronze Monday at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C.

3 podium finishes Monday doubles Yukon's medal count so far

19-year-old Yukoner Annah Hanthorn won the women's 7.5-kilometre race at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., Monday. (Team Yukon 2015/Sarah Lewis)

Team Yukon picked up three more medals Monday morning at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., including two gold and a bronze. 

​Knute Johnsgaard of Whitehorse came first in men's 10-kilometre cross-country ski race, beating his closest opponent by almost 30 seconds. 

"Kind of as a rule I always try and just finish as hard as I can no matter what. You never know what's going to happen," says Johnsgaard.

22-year-old Knute Johnsgaard won the men's 10-kilometre classic at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C. (Team Yukon 2015/Sarah Lewis)

"It was a pretty exciting race... it was a really good day for the Yukon with our girls being on the podium as well," he says.

Annah Hanthorn also won gold in the women's 7.5-kilometre race with the Yukon's Kendra Murray close behind in third. Hanthorn edged out Quebec's Katherine Stewart-Jones by a fraction of a second 

The three new ski medals brings the Yukon's total medal count to six — the only medals for the North so far in these games. 

Monday was the first day of competition for Yukon cross-country skiers and the team is expected to perform well throughout the week. Johnsgaard says he's hopeful.

"Got one medal and hoping to bring home a few more, too," he said.