WINDSOR JUNCTION: Olivia Chute has a golden smile these days.
At the Canadian waterskiing and wakeboard national championships, the Windsor Junction girl scored double gold in Tricks and in Slalom, an event that isn’t her best but this year the results showed differently.
The gold she won in Slalom was done in the Under-17 women’s class. She competed in that class because of the speed difference she was training at in preparation for the junior worlds.
“It’s really exciting to return with two gold medals,” said Chute on a sunny late August morning on Third Lake. “It means a lot to come home as the Slalom champion, and have all my hard work pay off.”
Chute summed up what the medals mean by using a quote she liked.
“Some people say you earn your medals in practice, you just pick them up at the tournament,” she said. “I really like that quote. You always work so hard in practice and if you’ve prepared yourself in the right ways, then at the tournaments your hard work will pay off and you will just pick up your medals.
“I worked so hard in practice and dedicate so much of my time and effort to waterskiing, so having this accomplishment is the reward for all of my hard work.”
She said it was an “amazing” feeling when she was announced to the podium as the winner.
“It’s always a great feeling to go to the podium and get your medal,” said Chute.
In Tricks, she had won gold in the past two years. The gold for Slalom is her first-ever in an event she hasn’t focused a lot on in the past.
“It was really neat in the older age group and ski my best and have the results pay off with me winning gold,” she said.
Chute was seeded first in Slalom, which meant she went last. She had the chance to watch what the other competitors were doing.
“I knew what I had to do to win,” she said. “I went out and ran the pass I had to, and it led me to win.”
So now Chute can take a breather with the season coming to a close? Not so fast.
“I’ve been training hard since we got home because the Pan Am championships are this fall,” she said. “I’m working hard to make that team.”