The top cross-country ski athletes in Canada are racing in Prince George this week, and three of them are from Kimberley.
Marielle Ackermann, Raleigh Tarte and Sadie Demars are competing. The goal is to earn spots on one of Nordiq Canada’s 2023 world championship teams.
The field includes Olympians such as Remi Drolet, Olivier Leveille, Olivia Boufffard-Nesbitt and Dahria Beatty.
“Our hope in bringing these talented athletes to British Columbia is to not only provide the perfect staging ground for our U23 and junior skiers prior to competing at the Junior/U23 World Championships in Whistler, but it will also help foster Olympic and Paralympic dreams in youth across the province, inspiring them to get on skis and try our sport. We look forward to a great week with the extremely dedicated officials and volunteers at Caledonia Nordic Ski Club to stage another successful chapter in this history-rich event in Canada,” said Julie Beaulieu, sport development director, Nordiq Canada.
This event also serves as a final staging ground for Team Canada, who will host athletes from around the world the following week at Whistler Olympic Park for the FIS World Junior/U23 Nordic Ski Championships.
Kimberley’s Ackermann, who is now 20, is a member of Canada’s National Development Team, and she had her first trip to the Junior World Championships Norway last year.
She is fired up about the opportunity to race in B.C. on courses she grew up racing on.
“My goal is to qualify to have the honour and privilege of representing Canada at World Championships. Having the rare opportunity to race in front of family and friends will be even more special,” said Ackermann. “It’s so special to have these major events in British Columbia in the same year that Nordiq Canada has its first dedicated National Development Team. I hope it will mark a turning point in Canadian junior development. I am doing everything possible to get myself to those start lines in Whistler.”
Nordiq Canada has a quota of 12 athletes, minimum four female and four male athletes for the 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.
The races in Prince George run January 18 through 21. 2023.
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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