The 2015 Canada Winter Games are being held in Prince George, B.C. and the Northwest has plenty of talent heading west.
A plethora of local athletes and coaches will represent Saskatchewan in their respective sports, including Battlefords Midget AAA Sharks captain Jetta Derenoski.
Derenoski is a native of Vawn, but had played the past four seasons with the Sharks.
Devin McAllister is the lone North Battleford alpine skier to make Team Saskatchewan.
One-third of the biathlon team is made up of local talent as Matthew Hudec, Jason Reimer and coaches Douglas and Devon Sylvester look to ski and shoot their way to the podium.
Sixteen-year-old Andrea Ornawka of Battleford competes in the freestlye skiing event.
Joseph Fauchon hopes to lead one of the hockey teams to a gold medal from behind the bench, as he along with six other coaches will combine to be the voices of reason.
Back on the slopes Brendan Grosjean and Teilard Volk will take to the hills as two of nine snowboarders representing Saskatchewan.
Thirteen-year-olds Mitch Harris of Landis and Seairra Stapleton of Maidstone are also competing in alpine skiing.
Sixteen-year-old Chloe Bargen of Medstead and 19 year old Kayla Hartley of Livelong will also compete in Biathlon.
Neil Tymoruski of North Battleford will help coach all figure skaters at the games.
Joel Gryzbowski of Hafford is part of the male hockey team, the only local player on the team.
That hockey team features a number of 2014 WHL draft picks including Dawson Holt (first round Vancouver Giants), Jake Leschyshyn (first round Red Deer, traded to Regina), Hunter Arps (fifth round Brandon), Kyle Bosch (sixth round Kamloops), Logan Foster (seventh round Spokane), Erik Gardiner (second round Regina), Jake Hobson (third round Portland), Jake Kustra (second round Saskatoon), Landon Markovich (ninth round Calgary), Brayden Pachal (second round Victoria), Ty Prefontaine (fifth round Prince Albert), Carson Sass (third round Red Deer), Riley Sawchuk (sixth round Tri-City), Connor Tuffs (ninth round Saskatoon) and Carson Welke (seventh round Regina).
The Games run from Feb. 13 until March 1.
At the 2011 CWG Saskatchewan picked up 23 medals, seven gold, nine silver and seven bronzes.
Saskatchewan hosted the CWG in 1971 when they were in Saskatoon and, while the city hasn’t been determined, the province will host the event again in 2035.
