Canada Winter Games: 2 gold medals for Yukon cross-country skiers

Team Yukonpicked up three more medals Monday morning at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., including two gold and a bronze.

Knute Johnsgaard of Whitehorse came first in men's 10-kilometre cross-country ski race, beating his closest opponent by almost 30 seconds.

"Kind of as a rule I always try and just finish as hard as I can no matter what. You never know what's going to happen," says Johnsgaard.

"It was a pretty exciting race... it was a really good day for the Yukon with our girls being on the podium as well," he says.

Annah Hanthorn also won gold in the women's 7.5-kilometre race with the Yukon's Kendra Murray close behind in third.Hanthorn edged out Quebec's Katherine Stewart-Jones by a fraction of a second

The three new ski medals brings the Yukon's total medal count to six the only medals for the North so far in these games.

Monday was the first day of competition for Yukon cross-country skiers and the team is expected to perform well throughout the week.Johnsgaard says he's hopeful.

"Got one medal and hoping to bring home a few more, too," he said.