Cross Country Canada – Scott Hill Leads Young Canucks in 36th at Nordic U23/Junior World Skiing Championships

FINSTERAU, Ger.—Canada’s Para-Nordic squad teamed up for a fourth-place finish at the IPC World Cup relay race in Finsterau, Germany on Tuesday.

Chris Klebl, of Canmore, Alta., rookie Emily Weekes of North Vancouver, Brittany Hudak of Prince Albert, Sask., and two-time Paralympic medallist Mark Arendz, of Hartsville, P.E.I., skied just shy of the podium in fourth after clocking a time of 32:28.1 in the 4×2.5 kilometre mixed relay.

“Today was a much better day for our team and myself. I felt I could actually push throughout the race,” said Arendz, who skied the anchor leg. “We get few opportunities to race together as a team so it was great to race well. Our team is improving regularly since last year’s World’s Championships so it is good to be heading in the right direction.”

Russia’s two four-person teams grabbed the top-two spots on the podium. The Russian 2 team posted a winning time of 30:45.9, while the Russian 1 team was second at 30:49.7. The team from the Ukraine edged the Canadians out for the bronze medal with a time of 31:31.4.

Meanwhile, Scott Hill led Canada’s under-23 and junior athletes in the middle distance races at the World Championships in Rasnov, Romania on Tuesday.

Hill, of Thunder Bay, Ont. finished 36th in the men’s under-23 15-kilometre classic race with a time of 44:05.3.

Sweden’s Jens Burman won the under-23 men’s race with a time of 40:02.0. Jack Carlyle (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) was 42nd at 44:56.0, and Alexis Dumas (Sherbrooke, Que.) placed 53rd at 46:15.1. Julien Locke (Nelson, B.C.) got disqualified.

Quebec’s Federique Vezina was the top Canadian in the women’s under-23 10-kilometre classic-ski race, placing 39th at 32:20.4. Kendra Murray (Whitehorse) was 43rd at 34:16.9, Jen Jackson (Thunder Bay, Ont.), was 45th at 34:34.1, and Sophie Carrier-Laforte (Gatineau, Que.) placed 46th at 34:36.9.

Russia’s Anastasia Sedova won the class with a time of 28:49.4.

Ontario’s Ryan Jackson was the top Canadian junior male, skiing to 46th place in the 10-kilometre classic-ski race. Jackson clocked a time of 31:30.6 in the difficult conditions.

“It was a pretty good day. I had to adapt to the conditions here in Rasnov – running and rolling skiing to warm up – and slush and puddles on the course, but so did everyone else. It was a tough one and turned into a matter of who was pushing hardest out there,” said Jackson. 

Quebec’s Anotine Blais was 52nd at 32:03.0, while Joey Foster, of Midland, Ont., was 56th at 32:22.3, and Quebec’s Philippe Boucher finished 67th with a time of 32:59.0.

Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo was crowned junior men’s champion in the 10-kilometre race with a time of 28:57.8

Marie Corriveau, of St-Ferreol les Neiges, Que., was the top junior woman. Corriveau posted a time of 17:38.8 in the women’s five-kilometre classic-ski race. Hannah Mehain, of Vernon, B.C., finished 44th with a time of 17 :52.9, Natalie Hynes of Whitehorse, was 58th at 18:35.1, while Sadie White, of Thunder Bay, Ont., placed 62nd with a time of 19 :18.4.

Marte Maehlum Johansen completed the Norwegian sweep of the gold medals in the junior races, after clocking the best time in the women’s race with a time of 15:34.0.

CCC is the governing body of cross-country skiing in Canada, which is the nation’s optimal winter 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, including those on Canada’s National Ski Teams and Para-Nordic Ski Teams. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Haywood Securities Inc., AltaGas, and Mackenzie Investments – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium and B2Ten, CCC develops Olympic, Paralympic and world champions. For more information on CCC, please visit us at www.cccski.com.

Complete IPC World Cup Results:http://www.paralympic.org/nordic-skiing/calendar-results

Complete Under-23/Junior World Championship Results: http://data.fis-ski.com/cross-country/live-timing.html

*****

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Chris Dornan

Media and Public Relations

Cross Country Canada

T: 403-620-8731