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In This Issue
Junior Athlete Profile: 10 Things You Don't Know About Rebecca Reidd
CCC E-Store Product of the Month
Quote of the Month
Did You Know...
Cross Country Canada is Now Using Twitter
2010 Canadian Olympic Team Annoucement
Brian McKeever to Make History at 2010 Olympics
Alberta World Cup Cross Country 2010
Canada's Jody Barber Wins Silver Medal at Opening Day of IPC Biathlon World Cup
Statoil Launches Ski Fit North Alberta Program
Para-Nordic Profile: Canada's Paralympic Cross Country History
CCC's Living History Project!
CCC Student Athlete Leadership Grant Program
Volunteer of the Month: Dan Brisbin, SK
Coach and Athlete Development Programs
Club Profile: Chelsea Nordiq Ski and Biathlon Club
Junior Athlete Profile:10
Things You
Don't Know
About
Rebecca Reid, Black Jack BC Ski Team
Rebecca Reid-headshot
Career Goals

To ski on the World Cup circuit and go to at least one Olympic Games... gold medal? I think so.

New Year's Resolution?
To eat fewer tasty treats!

Career ambitions outside of cross-country skiing?

I want to do medicine, maybe just a physician, but who knows, I may specialize!

When not training/competing I am likely?

Sitting in hotel rooms? I seem to be doing far too much of that these days!  However being in Germany right now, I can't really complain!

When finished with my cross-country skiing career, I want to? Be normal.  Like that will ever happen!

Favourite Vacation Spot? Anywhere that's off the beaten path.

Book or Movie? 

It depends on the day.  Rainy days were made for books, but the evenings after a hard day of school and training definitely require a movie to veg with.

Favourite Olympic/ Paralympic Moment?

When Brian McKeever won the 50K at Olympic trials!  Way to show them Brian!

Before a race, I will listen to what song?  Anything "pump up"!  I can get excited with pretty much any song playing, though.

My Olympic hero is?

Chandra, of course!

If I could rule the world for a day I would? Abolish greed. It seems to be at the root of all evil.
One thing people don't know about Rebecca Reid?

I only started ski racing when I was 13.  Before that I did four different disciplines of dance!

What are you looking forward to most about Vancouver 2010 Games?Being involved with Forerunning and watching our Canadians kick butt!

CCC E-Store Products of the Month: Bliz eyewear
 Bliz-Typhoon glasses
 
 
 
Bliz eyewear is a new sponsor of the Canadian Cross Country Teams. The variety of glasses and snowvisors that they offer are now available online through our store. 
 
CCC Red Canada toque
CCC Red Canada tuque with tassle
The NEW red Canada toque made of merino wool was made especially for the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics to cheer on our Canadian Cross Country Ski athletes.
 
 Click here to check Out the New CCC E-store
Quote of The Month
 
"This race is the most difficult thing anyone can do in the world and I arrived at the finish with no gas left in the tank. I watched the men's race and can't believe the amount of pain on people's faces. I know mine was the same, but it was pretty
spectacular to
see it myself."

                          
...Sara Renner on
the final stage of
the Tour de Ski
Brian and Robin McKeever -podium

Did You Know....

George Grey & Alex Harvey-Whistler World Cup

 

 

 

 
 
 
The Canadian Paralympic Nordic Team size has
grown from four athletes
in Salt Lake City, to six athletes in Torino to 12 athletes in Vancouver-Whistler.

 

Sit-skis are custom

designed sleds to fit
individual athletes, made
from carbon fibre,
titanium, stainless
steel, aluminum.
Binding placement
is critical. Some sit
skiers can steer with
their hips, core; some
only have arm power
to steer - use poles.
Twitter logo
 
 
 
Cross Country Canada is now using Twitter. Stay tuned for more updates as we approach Vancouver 2010!  The NST and PNST will be posting regular updates so please follow along! Click here to access Cross Country Canada's Twitter account. 
 
Quick Links
 
  

Valued Partners and Sponsors

Funding Partners: 
  • Sport Canada
  • Own the Podium
  • Jemini Foundation
  • National Cross Country
    Development Association

Gold Partners: 

Haywood

Teck Logo


AltaGas
 
 
New Statoil horizontal logo

Silver Partners:

CP 

Podium Partners:

 Lazergraphics
 
Nipika

 RMSL


 
Cross Connections
January 2010 
Co-editors: Chris Dornan, Cathy Sturgeon and Nadia Smith 
Dear Cross Connections Subscriber,
 
Enjoy the news! We welcome your feedback anytime.
We wish to remind you to please consider the environment before printing this email.
 
Thank you and happy reading!
Nadia Smith
Assistant Administrator

2010 Canadian Olympic Team Announcement

Vancouver 2010

 
Canada will send one of its most talented teams of cross-country skiers to the start line with a focus on contributing to the nation's medal count at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Cross Country Canada announced during a media conference on Friday, January 22, 2010. Click here for full article.

 

Cross Country Canada Adds Four More Athletes to Olympic Roster

Canada will send four more cross-country skiers to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, bringing the team's total size to 15, thanks to additional spots allocated to the Canadians by FIS, Cross Country Canada announced on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. Click here for full article. 

Brian McKeever to Make History at 2010 Olympics (by Allan Maki, The Globe and Mail) 

Brian McKeever Headshot 2009-10 
When Cross-Country Canada named its Olympic ski team on Friday, January 22, it was highlighted by the news Brian McKeever will become the first athlete to compete in a Paralympic Games, and then an Olympic Games. Click here for full article.

 

Alberta World Cup Cross Country 2010 (by: Alberta World Cup Academy)

Alberta World Cup 2010
 

Don't miss World Cup action February 5th & 6th at the Canmore Nordic Centre. With the Olympics just one week later this is a fantastic opportunity to see the world's best in top condition.

For more information about the event, please visit www.albertaworldcup.com .

Canada's Jody Barber Wins Silver Medal at Opening Day of IPC Biathlon World Cup

Jody Barber-IPC World Cup 2010
 

Canada's Jody Barber wasted no time firing onto the podium by winning a silver medal in the opening IPC Biathlon World Cup competition of the season in Bessans, France on Wednesday.

 

Barber, of Smithers, B.C., shot clean in her two trips to the range to post a second-place time of 31 minutes 56.9 seconds in the women's 7.5 kilometre biathlon sprint race in the women's standing category. 

 

"It was exciting to get on the podium in my first World Cup of the season," said Barber. "My skiing was solid and I shot clean so I was pleased even before I knew where I finished. A silver medal is the icing on the cake today." Click here for full article.

Statoil Launches Ski Fit North Alberta Program in Wake of 21 Year Run in Saskatchewan

Brian and Robin McKeever -podiumThe Ski Fit North Alberta program officially hit the road on January 19, 2010 as Andrew Urton, Ski Fit North Alberta Coordinator arrived at Fort MacKay Elementary school to work with over 75 students and teachers from the small hamlet north of Fort McMurray.  For the majority of students this was their first experience on cross-country skis.

Over the next 3 days more than 300 students were exposed to the Statoil sponsored program including students in Conklin School, Anzac School and the elementary school in Janvier.  "Interest was high in all four communities," highlighted Urton after his week-long trip into Northern Alberta.  "All school teachers showed interest in purchasing equipment so they could spend more time on the snow.  Perhaps the real success of Statoil's investment will be evident in the future when each school has their own equipment and skiing is part of the curriculum."

The Ski Fit North Alberta will target Canadian youth between the ages of six and 14 in regions of Statoil's core business in Northern Alberta. It is the first step to help recruit and retain children to the sport of cross-country skiing at the grass roots level and will be delivered through schools and community centres. 

"Ski Fit North has been a highly successful program in northern Saskatchewan communities for more than fifteen years. It is a proven youth development program that we are now able to develop and deliver in our Northern Alberta communities," said Davin MacIntosh, executive director, Cross Country Canada. "With Beckie Scott as an active Olympic role model, Andrew as the onsite coordinator for many of the initial outreach visits and the generous support of Statoil, our goal is to inspire kids and teach them the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, while encouraging them to pursue excellence in cross-country skiing."

Beckie Scott, Canada's double Olympic medallist was in Grande Prairie and St. Albert earlier in the season working with young athletes from a number of different ski clubs in the region.  At that time she also spent some valuable time with Urton and Bill Jeffries, one of the original architect's of the Ski Fit North program in Saskatchewan talking about the goals and objectives of the program and how they could work together to make a positive impact on northern Alberta communities.

Statoil Canada Ltd's activities include production offshore Newfoundland and Labrador at the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields.  In 2007 the company acquired North American Oil Sands Corporation with over 1100 square kilometres of oil sands leases in northern Alberta.  The company is currently developing the Leismer SAGD Demonstration project which will have a nominal capacity of 20,000 b/d.

Para-Nordic Profile:

Canada's Paralympic Cross Country History (by: Jeff Whiting) 
Brian and Robin McKeever-podium
 
In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttmann organized a summer sports competition involving World War II veterans with a spinal cord injury in Stoke Mandeville, England. Winter disability sports started gradually after World War II, as large numbers of injured soldiers and civilians tried to return to their skiing activities. Early pioneers such as double-leg amputee Sepp Zwicknagl from Austria experimented with skiing using prostheses.  Four years later, competitors from Holland joined the Stoke Mandeville Games and the international movement, now known as the Paralympics, was born. Olympic style games for athletes with a disability were organized for the first time in Rome in 1960. In Toronto in 1976, other
disability  groups were added and the idea of merging together different disability groups for international sport competitions was born. The first Winter Paralympic Games took place in Sweden in 1976
 
Canada's Para-Nordic team is Paralympic ranked 13th with 23 total medals.  The women's team has won most of the medals.  Brian McKeever has won the most medals with 4 gold and 2 silver. Sandra Lacour (B2) of Canmore (guided by her husband) and Francine LEMIRE (LW2-9) of Corner Brook have both won a gold and bronze and Colette Bourgonje (LW10-12) of Saskatoon has won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.  Colette Bourgonje has competed and medaled in both Summer and Winter Paralympics.  At Vancouver, Colette will be competing in her 9th Paralympics - quite a feat!  Sandra and Francine are both ranked 101st in multi-medals (gold, silver and bronze) and 118th by total medals.  Colette is 128th in multi-medals and 118th by total medals.
 
Click here for full article.
Cross Country Canada's Living History Project! (by Jean Bristow)
 CCC logo colour
We want to reconnect with as many people as possible who have been involved at one time or another with Cross Country Canada, going back as many years as possible.  
  • Have you ever been a member of the National Ski Team?
  • Were you on the CCC Board of Directors at any time?
  • Were you the chair or a member of a national committee? 
If the answer is yes to any of those questions, or if you know someone who could answer yes to those questions and would like to register, please go to: CCC Living History Project in order to register in our database.    
 
CCC wants to forge a stronger link to its past, so that we can build a strong bridge to the future. 
Cross Country Canada's Student Athlete Leadership Grant Program
George Grey & Alex Harvey-Whistler World Cup 
Cross Country Canada is committed to helping university aged skiers to enhance their involvement in their sport by providing financial assistance for coaching and officiating courses. With this type of training, former athletes will be well-positioned to join a local ski club and become a knowledgeable volunteer and leader. Those who are not currently active racers also have a vehicle to become more involved in the sport. For more information and to download the application form, go to:
Student Athlete Leadership Grant Program

Volunteer of The Month: Dan Brisbin, Nordic Ski Club - Saskatoon (by Jan Sedgewick)

Dan Brisbin

 

Skiing was always a family activity in Dan Brisbin's home and as the family grew so did the involvement. Joining the Nordic Ski Club-Saskatoon got their kids into Jackrabbits and the coaches, who were young racers themselves, inspired Dan's son Andrew to take up racing as well. Weekly "Grapefruit Cup" races and the Sask. Cup series had both Dad and son competing together.  Dan later realized he would rather volunteer than race seriously.  So like many parents, he offered to help out. He was there anyway and there was always a need for more volunteers.

 

The importance of doing things correctly lead to taking a Level 1 officials course in Canmore and more volunteering both provincially and out of province at Alberta cups and Norams. When Westerns were held in La Ronge, Sask. he took his Level 2 officials course to prepare for that event. Hard work, lots of travel, offering his time and growing knowledge again and again, had him working local races and World Cup races in Canmore. He had also applied for a volunteer position at the Vancouver Olympics and having been accepted now feels that it was his experience and willingness to help that got him the role of a technique controller in Vancouver.  He has begun his quest for his Level 3 officials certificate and his certification, as a Technical delegate is imminent.

 

During this time he also served as VP, Loppet chair, President, and now Past President of the Saskatoon club. He is also on Cross Country Saskatchewan's High Performance committee and in 2009 was elected to CCC's Board of Directors.

 

How did all this happen for Dan? I quote him" The thing I have come to realize is that organizers are almost always eager for new volunteers. If a person wants the experience of working at a NorAm or a World Cup all you have to do is ask, commit to some training and commit to carrying out your assignment and it will happen".

 

Again I quote Dan "Watching world class athletes at a World Cup race is truly exciting and I'm sure the Olympics will be an incredible experience but I still have fun helping organize and run a local race, getting out for a good ski anytime I can and testing myself against Saskatoon's best in the Grapefruit Cup".

 

His son Andrew was selected as a forerunner at the Olympics so that will be a chest burstingly proud moment for both Dad and son.  I know here in Saskatoon it will be amazing to have someone we know come home and tell us all about their Olympics.

 

A club, a division and a National Sport governing body cannot survive without volunteers. Every contribution of time and talent, no matter how large or small, is hugely appreciated. A person never quite knows where it will lead. In Dan's case, it leads to Callaghan Valley. "Good on yah" and have fun. You've worked hard and you deserve it.

Coach and Athlete Development Programs and Resources
George Grey & Alex Harvey-Whistler World Cup 
-CP Ski Tournaments
-Double Cross
-Team Sprints
-Midget Championships

Club Profile: Chelsea Nordiq Ski and Biathlon Club (by Peter Solomon)

CN-MidgetsChelsea Nordiq Ski and Biathlon Club is a full service club, based in Chelsea, Quebec.  The community of Chelsea, population 6,000, and the club have the good fortune to be nestled in the heart of Gatineau Park.  The area is a mecca for cross-country skiing, with 200km of beautifully maintained trails, and for cross training (trail running, mountain and road biking, paddling, and swimming...all available within 5 to 10 minutes).
 

The club has seen remarkable growth.  The origins date back to the efforts of active parents in the community some 10 years ago.  From its humble beginnings of some 30 skiers, we now number more than 800 and have become the largest club registered in Quebec.  Our programs span the gamut from the little Bunnyrabbits through to our popular adult programs.  We have parallel recreational and competitive streams which co-exist well with cross over in both directions.

In October 2008, the club hired a full-time head coach, Chris Halldorson.  Chris has brought great energy, enthusiasm and ideas to the club.  Our competitive stream is growing and strengthening through his guidance and the athletes' results are following.  We have been fortunate to be one of three clubs in the country to receive a three year grant from AltaGas.  This will allow us to support the growth of our competitive stream whilst "living" next our highly successful sister club, Nakkertok.

The strength of our organization has and continues to be the great sense of volunteerism that comes from the community of Chelsea.  We are guided by the motto, "ski for life", and are proud to put forth offerings to meet the needs of our community.

Chelsea Nordiq Ski and Biathlon Club is a full service club, based in Chelsea, Quebec.  The community of Chelsea, population 6,000, and the club have the good fortune to be nestled in the heart of Gatineau Park.  The area is a mecca for cross-country skiing, with 200km of beautifully maintained trails, and for cross training (trail running, mountain and road biking, paddling, and swimming...all available within 5 to 10 minutes).

The club has seen remarkable growth.  The origins date back to the efforts of active parents in the community some 10 years ago.  From its humble beginnings of some 30 skiers, we now number more than 800 and have become the largest club registered in Quebec.  Our programs span the gamut from the little Bunnyrabbits through to our popular adult programs.  We have parallel recreational and competitive streams which co-exist well with cross over in both directions.

In October 2008, the club hired a full-time head coach, Chris Halldorson.  Chris has brought great energy, enthusiasm and ideas to the club.  Our competitive stream is growing and strengthening through his guidance and the athletes' results are following.  We have been fortunate to be one of three clubs in the country to receive a three year grant from AltaGas.  This will allow us to support the growth of our competitive stream whilst "living" next our highly successful sister club, Nakkertok.

The strength of our organization has and continues to be the great sense of volunteerism that comes from the community of Chelsea.  We are guided by the motto, "ski for life", and are proud to put forth offerings to meet the needs of our community.

George Grey & Alex Harvey-Whistler World Cup
 

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