—Experienced Canadian squad poised to make mark on world in Germany—
CANMORE, Alta.—Nineteen young Canucks, who will one day carry the torch for cross-country skiing in in the country, are heading to Oberwiesenthal, Germany for the 2020 Junior and Under-23 World Championship Team, February 28 – March 8.
Nordiq Canada will send five women and five men to the Junior World Championships, as well as four women and five men for the Under-23 events. Born out of clubs located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, the young group of developing athletes include eight who are making a return to the premier international event on the race calendar. Five of the junior athletes got their first taste of the World Championships one year ago. Three athletes named to the Under-23 squad were also in Lahti, Finland in 2019.
“This is a young group with an exciting mix of International experienced athletes and first timers who are loaded with tremendous potential and drive,” said Erik Braten, National Team Coach, Nordiq Canada. “Many of our top juniors now have a year of international race experience under them, and I believe will demonstrate their potential while being led by a trio of the Under-23 men, who are also making their second-straight trip to the World Championships. I am excited to see how they all perform in Germany.”
The sister-brother duo of Jasmine and Remi Drolet, of Rossland, B.C., will be back on the junior start line for the second-straight year along with Molly Miller (Kimberly, B.C.), Calgary’s Tom Stephen and Xavier McKeever (Canmore, Alta.) who is the son of cross-country ski Olympians Milaine Theriault and Robin McKeever. Remi Drolet, who got his first taste of World Cup action last year, has been balancing life and sport while attending his first year at Harvard University this year.
Sam Hendry (Canmore, Alta.), who competed at the Junior Worlds last year will jump up to the Under-23 race category at this year’s international Nordic dance. He will be joined by veterans Antoine Cyr, Gatineau, Que., and Graham Ritchie, of Parry Sound, Ont., from the 2019 squad. Both Cyr and Ritchie gained valuable World Cup experience prior to the holiday break.
Each of the athletes earned a coveted spot on Team Canada based on their results at the Haywood NorAm Junior and Under-23 World Championship Trials that were held last weekend in Mont-Saint-Anne, Que
The following is a complete list of Canada’s 2020 Junior and Under-23 World Championship Teams.
| JUNIOR WOMEN | CLUB | TOWN | |
| Elizabeth | Elliott | Alberta World Cup Academy | Revelstoke, B.C. |
| Jasmine | Drolet | Black Jack Ski Club | Rossland, B.C. |
| Molly | Miller | Black Jack Ski Club | Kimberly, B.C. |
| Benita | Peiffer | Alberta World Cup Academy | Whistler, B.C. |
| Liliane | Gagnon | Skibec | Quebec, Que. |
| U23 WOMEN | |||
| Laura | Leclair | CNEPH | Chelsea, Que. |
| Annika | Richardson | Lappe Nordic | Vancouver, B.C. |
| Laurence | Dumais | Alberta World Cup Academy | Saint-Jérôme, Que. |
| Zoe | Pekos | Barrie Cross Country | Richmond Hill, Ont. |
| JUNIOR MEN | |||
| Remi | Drolet | Black Jack Cross Country | Rossland, B.C. |
| Xavier | McKeever | Foothills Nordic | Canmore, Alta. |
| Tom | Stephen | Foothills Nordic | Canmore, Alta. |
| Olivier | Léveillé | CNEPH | Sherbrooke, Que. |
| Michael | Murdock | Whistler Nordic | Whistler, B.C. |
| U23 MEN | |||
| Sam | Hendry | Canmore Nordic Ski Club | Canmore, Alta. |
| Graham | Ritchie | Big Thunder Nordic/NTDC | Thunder Bay, Ont. |
| Antoine | Cyr | Skinouk CNEPH | Gatineau, Que. |
| Phillipe | Boucher | Skibec/CNEPH | Levis, Que. |
| Pierre | Grall-Johnson | Nakkertok Nordic | Ottawa, Ont. |
Nordiq Canada is the governing body of para-nordic and cross-country skiing in Canada, which is the nation’s optimal sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. Its 60,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all ages and abilities. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Haywood Securities Inc., AltaGas, Swix and Lanctôt Sports– along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium and B2Ten, Nordiq Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic and world champions. For more information on Nordiq Canada, please visit us at www.nordiqcanada.ca.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan
Media and Public Relations
Nordiq Canada
T: 403-620-8731