Never let it be said that the wrestlers won't be in good shape when it comes to future events.
So long as they keep getting the competition, of course.
Nunavut Wrestling's latest venture south of 60 happened in Winnipeg earlier this month as a group of 11 from Cambridge Bay, Iglulik and Rankin Inlet hit the Manitoba capital for the Crusader Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 8. The Cambridge Bay contingent all came home with medals and you'll be surprised to hear Eekeeluak Avalak won gold.
photo courtesy of Paula Cziranka
Maybe not but he did as he topped the U19 boys 55-kg weight class. He defeated Ivan Rakowski of Winnipeg by technical superiority (mercy rule) as he managed to create a 10-point gap, which forces the referee to call a halt to proceedings. The win in the gold medal match topped off a perfect run for Avalak as he won all of his bouts.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was a bit easier than expected, to be honest,SA国际影视传媒� said coach Chris Crooks, who accompanied the team to Winnipeg. SA国际影视传媒淲e've been trying to find him good competition so we moved him to the U19 division.SA国际影视传媒�
Even then, Crooks said he had no worries about how Avalak would handle himself.
SA国际影视传媒淢anitoba's not the strongest province in wrestling and there were some teams from northern Ontario,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗e definitely benefited from our trip to Ontario last month and you could see that in his matches.SA国际影视传媒�
Cody Qamukaq of Iglulik also hit the podium as he snagged silver in the U19 boys 70-kg weight class. He lost his gold medal match to Justin Woodard of Ontario by technical superiority.
SA国际影视传媒淭he guy who beat Cody is one of the better wrestlers in Thunder Bay but Cody did quite well,SA国际影视传媒� said Crooks. SA国际影视传媒淗e got four matches and all of them were good.SA国际影视传媒�
The other medallist was Kiana Ekpakohak of Cambridge Bay as she won herself a bronze medal in a combined division in the U16 age category. She was the only one entered in the girls 46-kg weight class and that meant she had to take on wrestlers from weight classes close to hers.
Crooks said Ekpakohak won just one match on points but she accorded herself just nicely.
SA国际影视传媒淪he fought in a round-robin and that was good experience for her,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Of the eight who made the trip from Rankin Inlet, Crooks said it was a mixed bag of results.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey won some and ended up fighting each other on some occasions,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淛oel Netser and Cody ended up against each other and Cole Kaludjak was in that same division.SA国际影视传媒�
Morgan Kakutinniq and Nolan Tattuinee also ended up against one another in the U19 boys 125-kg weight class, the heaviest one of the meet.
Some of the wrestlers who made the trip will be in Whitehorse for the Arctic Winter Games next month, such as Avalak, Qamukaq and Ekpakohak, but Crooks said he's looking ahead to later this year.
SA国际影视传媒淲e're focusing on training for (the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax),SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭here's 13 different weight classes there and we have a chance to send a bigger team than we will to Whitehorse. I'm hoping to take a team of 15 but it all depends on the funding.SA国际影视传媒�
Next up in the short-term for the wrestlers is a pre-AWG training camp in Cambridge Bay in a couple of weeks, followed by heading to Yellowknife to catch up with the NWT charter to go to Whitehorse for the start of the AWG on March 15.
