Heavy snowfall in Vancouver has prevented a local Prince Rupert sports team from participating in its year-end championships.
The Charles Hays Junior Boys basketball team was left stranded at the Terrace airport on Feb. 23 after their scheduled flight to Vancouver was delayed and eventually cancelled due to poor weather conditions.
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Unable to find an alternative method of transportation to the Lower Mainland, the team was forced to wait in the airport for hours before returning to Prince Rupert on a bus.
“I’m pretty gutted telling twelve kids that everything they’ve worked for since September 25th, they aren’t going to get to do,” said the team’s head coach Kevin Sawka, who added that it’s incredibly disappointing.
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Heavy snow in Vancouver wreaked havoc with traveller’s plans, as between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow caused flight delays to and from the airport throughout the day. Sawka said he tried to find alternate transportation to Langley for the tournament, but with multiple planes delayed it was impossible to re-book a flight for 14 people on short notice.
Missing the provincial tournament prematurely ended the team’s season. The junior boys finished their season with a 16-3 record, highlighted by successful road trips to Prince George where the team beat other highly ranked teams as well as taking their third straight zone title this year.
READ MORE: Senior girls go to zone finals
matthew.allen@thenorthernview.com
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