The Bow Valley will send the bulk of Canada’s cross-country ski racers to the U23 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic on Jan. 20-27, while Quebecois dominate the Canadian junior world championship team.
Marlis Kromm, Heidi Widmer, Annika Hicks, Patrick Stewart-Jones and Russell Kennedy, who all ski with the Alberta World Cup Academy, were selected to the team alongside Andrea Lee (Thunder Bay), Andy Shields (Thunder Bay) and Colin Abbott (Whitehorse).
“Overall, it was pretty good for us. There were a few twists and turns,” said AWCA coach Stefan Kuhn.
Thunder Bay hosted trials from Jan. 2-6, however, other factors were used in the selection process as well. Widmer had a tough sprint race, where she fell and suffered a possible concussion. Considered Canada’s top young sprinter, the selection committee decided to include her on the team. Dahria Beatty wasn’t so lucky. Considered a shoe-in for the team, she fell on the classic sprint.
“That was a tough lesson. That cost her a trip to Europe. They happen at the wrong time,” Kuhn said. “Heidi has been dominant all year. She had a little scare with the fall.”
The academy was pleased Kennedy and Stewart-Jones made it through. They’ll have a chance to join the world championship team if they perform well at the U23 championship.
Maya MacIsaac-Jones is the lone Albertan on the junior world championship team. The Rocky Mountain Racers skier will be joined by Frederique Vezina, Cendrine Brown, Katherine Stewart-Jones, Anne-Marie Comeau, Raphael Couturier, Alexis Turgeon, David Palmer, Ezekiel Williams and Scott Hill. Brittany Evans was the only other Canmore racer in the running for a spot and is still gaining experience at this level, Kuhn said.
Comeau was also a late addition, as illness forced her to miss trials. The 16-year-old made her World Cup debut in Quebec and Canmore in December. The selection committee, consisting of Cross Country Canada High Performance Director Thomas Holland, Level 5 coach Godefroy Bilodeau, Director of Coach and Althletic Development Stephane Barrette, trip leader Lisa Patterson and High Performance Committee member Michael Badham, wrote Comeau has demonstrated ‘international potential.’ She finished 18th at the world junior championships last year.
Selections were dependent upon performances in the sprints and distance racing.
There are two senior spots available for the world championships for domestic racers: one distance and one sprint race. Phil Widmer and Andrea Dupont have the inside track on the sprint spots, while Graham Nishikawa, Kevin Sandau, Graeme Killick, Michael Somppi and Jess Cockney are also in the running, as are Emily Nishikawa and Alysson Marshall for the women.
The academy would like Graham Nishikawa and Cockney to get a shot at racing in Europe based on their performances at the Canmore World Cup.
