Gatineau, Quebec
Eight Thunder Bay based skiers have earned coveted spots on the 29 member Canadian team that will be competing at the FIS Cross Country World Cup Finals, March 22-24 in Quebec City. These athletes will be competing against the world’s best Nordic skiers in one sprint and two distance races that will be held on the iconic Plains of Abraham.
NTDC Thunder Bay skiers Bob Thompson, Julian Smith and Graham Ritchie qualified on the men’s side based on their results at the National Championships held this past week in Gatineau, Quebec. They will join NTDC Thunder Bay alumnus Evan Palmer-Charrette (Lappe Nordic) who had pre-qualified based on competing at World Championships held earlier in this season in Austria.
On the women’s side, NTDC Thunder Bay skier Katherine Stewart-Jones also pre-qualified based on competing at World Championships. She will be joined by teammates Sadie White (NTDC/Big Thunder) and Annika Richardson (NTDC/Lappe Nordic) who qualified because of their strong performances at the National Championships. First year NOSM student and NTDC Thunder Bay alumnus Alannah MacLean, who now competes for Big Thunder and the Lakehead University Thunderwolves, rounds out the contingent of Thunder Bay women who will be wearing the maple leaf this weekend.
Angus Foster (NTDC/Big Thunder) and Mia Serratore (NTDC alumnus/Big Thunder) narrowly missed qualifying for the event, but were both named as alternates to the team.
NTDC Head Coach Timo Puiras, Assistant Coach Camille Cheskey and Wax Technician Félix-Antoine Vézina all will serve as part of Team Canada’s support and technical staff.
Four NTDC junior skiers have also been invited to compete in the FIS Rising Stars competition, which will be held in conjunction with the main World Cup event. Pierre Grall-Johnson, Kai Meekis (Big Thunder), Shaylynn Loewen, and Heid Stewart (Big Thunder) will test their mettle against some of the best junior skiers in the world after successful National Championships.
In all, Thunder Bay is sending fifteen people to Quebec as the world watches Canada host this final weekend of racing on the World Cup calendar, where the World Cup titles (Crystal Globes) will be awarded to this season’s best skiers.
