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SPORTS & LEISURE Acton aerial skier Gerrits is ready for next big leap er. That's our sport. It's extreme and you've got to be ready to face adversity." Added coach Nicolas Fontaine, "To have a score like that on a day like this, Travis Gerrits is set to take the next big this early in the season, that's amazing." step in his freestyle aerial skiing career. While his season is barely underway, So getting his season off on the right foot Gerrits' training certainly isn't restricted was more than a little encouraging. While recognizing that the NorAm to the winter-- or the slopes. Far from it. Cup competition he recently bested isn't The summer months are every bit as exactly on par with the truly elite field demanding-- perhaps more so-- for the he'll soon be facing, the 19-year-old Acup-and-coming freestyler, who spends as ton-area resident knows any high-stakes much as eight hours a day on conditiongold is cause for optimism. Especially when it comes amidst ing work or perfecting his jumps off of water ramps at a Quebec-based bonafide adversity. training facility. That came on two separate It's here that Gerrits pushes fronts at British Columbia's himself with new and more difApex Mountain, where blusficult elements to his jumps and tery and snowy conditions sharpens his timing. made judging take-off speeds "There's really no off-season. more than a little challenging. Actually we probably do more Throw in the fact that Gerrits work in the summer," explained was still nursing a sub-dislothe Milton District High School cated right shoulder-- sufgraduate, who highlighted last fered just two weeks ago on season with a solid internaa miss-timed landing-- and tional debut in Lake Placid TRAVIS NorAm season kick-off condiand a bronze-medal effort at GERRITS tions were certainly less than the senior national championideal for the young aerialist. ships in Calgary. "We train five But that hardly reflected in days a week. Between water ramp work, his results. Delivering personal-best jumps on strength and cardio training there's very both days, Gerrits struck silver in the little off time." opening round and then upgraded that Not that Gerrits is complaining-- eswith a 198.98-point performance that put pecially not after turning in his best him on the top of the podium to close out summer showing to date and laying the the double NorAm meet. groundwork for what promises to be a Executing his triple twist, double back- breakthrough season. flip jump with career-high precision, he "I had an excellent summer. I think scored strongly in all aspects of judg- I really matured physically and I got so ing-- including take-off and landing-- to much encouragement from coaches and secure his first-ever NorAm triumph and teammates. That's really pushed me to do help Canada sweep. everything I can to really compete (with "To get personal-bests on back-to-back the best)." days like that was a great way to start the The Olympic hopeful resumes the season," said Gerrits, who's considered a NorAm series this weekend in Mont Galegitimate contender for the 2014 Olymbriel and will be part of most of the World pics in Russia and spent last February as Cup events later this winter-- including a `forerunner' (a type of future Olympian two in Russia. in training role) at the Vancouver Games. Said Gerrits, "I'm really excited about "And to win in difficult conditions feels good because there's not that many times this next step. I feel I'm ready to not only when you're going to have perfect weath- compete with these guys, but do well." By STEVE LeBLANC Metroland Media Group LEASING & FINANCIN G FROM ON SELECT 2011 MO DELS 15 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, January 6, 2011 On the ball Goaltender Dominik Wysocki brings down a loose ball with teammate Brody Spencer looking on in support during the Georgetown Soccer Club's Closing Day for the first half of its indoor season at the facility at Acton's Prospect Park. Team Green won the contest over Team Red 4-1 in the under-10 boys' division. It's not too late to register for some of the divisions for the second session for the indoor leagues, which start up this week. Visit www.georgetownsoccerclub.com for more info. Photo by Jon Borgstrom Raider loss tightens Jr. A race If the Georgetown Raiders plan to have home-ice advantage in their opening playoff round, they'll have to hold off three Ontario Jr. Hockey League teams in close pursuit of their current spot in the standings. The league's new playoff format dictates that 10 teams in each of the North/West and South/East conferences will qualify for the post-season, with the top six clubs earning first-round byes. The seventh through 10th seeds will first play a best-of-3 series to determine which two teams move on to the conference quarterfinals. The Raiders, with 11 regularseason games remaining, now sit fourth in the North/West Conference with 53 points after Monday's 4-3 regulation loss to the Red Wings in Hamilton, further tightening the race for the last home-ice berth for round two. Hamilton and Oakville are just four points behind Georgetown while the North's Stouffville Spirit sit at 47 points and all three hold multiple games in hand. The Raiders will host the Oakville Blades in the fourth of five meetings between the Halton rivals Saturday at the Alcott Arena starting at 7:30 p.m. Josh Burnell (2) and Duston Hebebrand scored on Monday for Georgetown, which outshot the hosts 35-33 after giving up two goals 2:04 into the game, then surrendered the winner with just over five minutes left in the third period. WINNER EVENT EVERYONE'S A Honda START THE YEAR WITH A WIN B ING H BR BRING HOME ONE OF OUR AWARD WINNING MODELS TODAY Car & Driver 10 Best for a record 25 times r 2011 CR-V BEST RESALE VALUE Kelley Blue Books 0.9%(oac) C 2011 CIVI 2011 CR-V Canada's #1 selling passenger car 13 years in a row w 2011 ACCOR D www.georgetownhonda.ca Serving Georgetown for over 30 years! getown 905-873316 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1818 905-874-3021 HONDA