Sadie White has wanted to step on the international stage her entire competitive cross-country skiing career.
She’ll have her latest chance this week.
Skiers from across Canada will descend on Lappe Nordic Ski Centre for the Haywood Noram World Junior Cross Country Ski Trials and the Ontario Cup No. 1 races.
The 20-year-old White, a member of Lakehead University’s national champion Nordic team, said it’s her last year in the junior category and she wants to make the most of the opportunity to represent her country.
“My goal is to qualify for the world junior championships which are happening in Romania,” she said. “I think I have a pretty good shot. I had a really good early season start out west. I had a couple of podium (finishes), so hopefully I can carry that through this week.”
While who grew up skiing at Kamview before moving to Lappe, said home course advantage could be a huge factor for the National Development Centre – Thunder Bay skiers taking part in this week’s event.
“We get to ski at Lappe every day in the winter so we know the course in and out. It’s definitely advantageous for us to know,” White said.
Evan Palmer-Charrette is equally hopeful to find success on the men’s side in the under 23 category.
He’s not lacking confidence.
“There are three races and I think I have a pretty good shot in all of them,” said Palmer-Charrette, a member last February of Ontario’s Canada Games gold-medal winning four-by-five-kilometre relay team."
“I haven’t really set my sights on one specifically, but hopefully can just ski consistently the whole weekend.”
It’s the latest in a recent run of national-level Nordic events hosted in the Thunder Bay region, a list that includes three national cross country ski championships, a pair of Noram Continental Cups and World Junior and U23 trials in 2011 and 2013.
It’s a chance to continue the legacy set before them by skiers such as Michael Somppi, Andy Shields and Alannah MacLean.
“It’s great to send skiers to these world-stage events,” Palmer-Charrette said. “Seeing previous athletes like Mike Somppi who get there, and once they’re there, perform on the world stage definitely takes the pressure off almost because it gives you the confidence boost that it’s doable and that you’re able to achieve on the world stage.”
NDC-Thunder Bay coach Timo Puiras said it’s vitally important for Thunder Bay to land events like this, added incentive for his skiers to perform well, often in front of friends and family. Not that earning a berth on a national team is not incentive enough.
“Anything we can do for an opportunity to increase their chance of making those type of events, it’s always better for us,” Puiras said.
Expectations are high.
“We did have a couple of weekends of racing before Christmas, with basically the same athletes, and nine separate athletes of ours finished on the podium. So I expect those types of results to continue this weekend.”
Other NDC athletes to watch out for this weekend include Hamilton’s Julian Smith, Amos, Que.’s Anne-Marie Comeau, and Nelson, B.C.’s Hannah Mehain in the junior category. Jenn Jackson and Scott Hill of Toronto, Thunder Bay’s Angus Foster and Mia Serratore, Sam Greer of Barrie, Ont. and David Askwith of Hamilton lead the U23 charge.
Somppi and Woodstock, Ont.’s Bob Thompson make up the senior contingent.
The four-day event begins on Thursday.
