Skiers Shields, Tribe qualify for World Cup races

National Development Centre-Thunder Bay skiers Erin Tribe and Andy Shields have punched their ticket to the World Cups.

Tribe took eighth place Tuesday in the qualifying round and finished 13th overall in the freestyle sprint to quality.

Shields, a Kitchener, Ont. native, took eighth in the qualifiers in the open men’s 1.3-kilometre sprint.

The finished earned both skiers a start at World Cup races in Quebec this weekend. Tribe will also represent Canada at sprint races in Alberta on Dec. 15.

" I felt pretty good on Saturday. Not only was it a selection race but it was also the first race of the season so I thought nerves would be a bit of an issue, but our preparation for the season was so good that I felt very comfortable racing. The qualifier was the highlight of my day,” Shields said in a release.  He’s excited for his first shot at a World Cup race.

“Obviously, I'm pretty happy to qualify for my first World Cup. The fact that it's a sprint in a cool city like Quebec makes it that much better."

Tribe said it’s a goal she’s been working toward for some time.

“Qualifying for the domestic World Cups was a goal I had this season that was very motivating during summer training. Moving out of the under-23 category allowed me to focus on a new type of goal and to try some new things. The day as a whole was enough to grab a spot and I couldn't be happier. "