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Co-editors:
Chris Dornan, Cathy Sturgeon, and Martine Grenon |
July 2011 |
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| PARTNERS AND SPONSORS |
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Funding Partners:
- Sport Canada
- Own the Podium
- Jemini Foundation
- National Cross Country Ski
Development Association
Gold Partners: |
Silver Partners:
Podium Partners:
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NEW to the E-Store - Brooks Running Shoes
The new selection of men's and women's Brooks Running Shoes are now available through the
E-Store.
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Cross Connections
Dear Cross Connections Subscriber,
Thank you for tuning into Cross Connections newsletter. We look forward to keeping you up to date on all the latest news throughout the summer. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and we wish to remind you to please consider the environment before printing this email.
Thank you and happy reading!
Martine Grenon-Lafontaine
Assistant Administrator
[email protected] |
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Para-Nordic Ski Team Heading to New Zealand Credit: Mike Edwards
The Canadian Para-Nordic National Ski Team (PNST) is heading down under to New Zealand for a 3 week 'on-snow' training camp and to get in some early competition.
'Waiorau Snow Farm' high in the Pisa mountain range near Queenstown is New Zealand's dedicated cross-country ski area. Each year it plays host as Para-Nordic and able-bodied international teams descend on the ski area for some mid-summer (winter down there) 'on snow' training and competition. Our Canadian PNST including Mark Arendz, Colette Bourgonje, Chris Klebl, Brian Mckeever and guide Eric Carleton along with coach Robin Mckeever will be at Snow Farm from August 7th -28th.
In addition to lots of good 'on snow' training the team will also test themselves in the first International Paralympic Committee (IPC) competitions of the year which will be held at Snow Farm in conjunction with the New Zealand Winter Games.
"Snow Farm is a perfect training ground for us... we get some great early 'on snow ' training and with the races going on we can also test ourselves against some of the other international teams to make sure we are on track" says Robin Mckeever- PNST head Coach.
Check for team updates on the CCC website or find out more info about Waiorau Snow Farm
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 High Performance Coordinator - Eastern Canada Update
Credit: Lisa Patterson
The training camp season has begun. While I endeavour to attend every Eastern province at least once a year, it is sometimes difficult to coordinate scheduling and budget. The following is a synopsis of training camps and club visits I've completed and am planning for the near future.
The Lake Superior Ski Division camp, an event within the Cross Country Ontario training camp plan, was held over the Canada weekend. This five day training camp focused on the later ages of Train to Train through Learn to Compete aged athletes. This camp saw 65 athletes run the gamut of rollerskiing, ski walking, running, core, endurance strength and yoga. The athletes were fostered by a number of top Ontario coaches combined to provide a wealth of coaching experience. The National Development Center in Thunder Bay also provided assistance to the developing athletes. The host club of Big Thunder also brought in former Olympian and new coach, Stefan Kuhn, to help with the coaching. The billeting and food provisions provided by Big Thunder are top notch and should attempt to be duplicated at other training camps by host clubs.
Full article
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2012 Youth Olympic Games Update Credit: Lisa Patterson
The first ever Youth Olympic Games will be held in Innsbruck, Austria from January 13 to the 22nd 2012.
The goal of the games is to continue to spread the word of the Olympic Idealism and their values to a younger generation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to inspire young people to play sport and adopt and live by the Olympic Values of "Excellence, Respect and Friendship".
The event will mirror a major Olympic Games with its multi-sport participation, opening and closing ceremonies, athlete parade, cultural showcases, media attention, education through sport, etc. However, the participant field will be significantly smaller with Cross Country Skiing only having two competitors as determined by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Canada's two nominees to the Canadian roster are: Maya Macisaac-Jones of Athabasca, AB, and Matthew Saurette of Edmonton, AB. Since YOG eligibility is restricted to athletes born in 1994 or 1995, our two Canadian team representatives were selected based on being the top male and top female among athletes born in 1994 or 1995 on the NST junior selection list for the 2011-12 team nomination (April 2011). Nominated alternates are Suzanne Stevenson of Calgary, AB and Lucas Rea-Putnam of Vancouver, BC. The 2012 Youth Olympic Games will be headed up by CCC's High Performance Coordinator, Lisa Patterson of Thunder Bay, ON. A wax technician will also be confirmed and added to the team at a later date.
To view more details of the event, please go to: http://www.innsbruck2012.com/en
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 Banff Ski Runners - 100 Year Anniversary Credit: Sheila Lenes
This year the Banff Ski Runners, the oldest ski club in Canada reached its 100 year anniversary. Founded by renowned mountaineer, Conrad Kain in 1911, the club was originally comprised of all ski disciplines: alpine, ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross country. The club took on its new official name "Cross Country Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies" in 1987 when it was incorporated.
The close of the 2011 competitive season marked the close of an 11 year period with Head Coach Anders Lenes as leader of the high performance program. Starting in 2000, with a small group of 11 to 6 year olds, Anders guided the Banff Ski Runners to become one of the top performing cross country ski clubs in Canada with athletes representing Canada at World Junior, U23, OPA tours, Canada Winter Games, Arctic Winter Games and Masters World Cups. The club has won more than 70 medals at the National Championships and qualified athletes to nine World Junior/U23 Championships. |
 Frozen Thunder - Updated Information
Though most training schedules have been set in motion across various levels of the sport, here's a heads up for future planning that Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park (CNCPP) is aiming to launch Frozen Thunder this year on Saturday, October 15, 2011.
With an interest in raising the bar again, CNCPP plans to offer three km of groomed and track set ski trails in an effort to help foster fantastic early training for athletes across the country to use. This is over three times the length of Frozen Thunder in 2010 and will be designed to last through October and November until winter snowmaking is in full swing.
Stay tuned for more updates, or go to: www.CanmoreNordicCentre.ca, Facebook (Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park) and Twitter (@CanmoreNordicPP). |
 CCC Welcomes Matthew Jeffries as Director of Business Development Credit: Davin MacIntosh
In order to capitalize on recent success and improve capacity to provide for existing and potential sponsors, Cross Country Canada welcomes Matthew Jeffries to the newly-created role of director of business development.
Matt brings extensive knowledge to Cross Country Canada and its sponsors in his new role. His father Bruce served on the Board of Directors, while his older brother, Chris, represented Canada at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. Matt spent the last two years as a managing director and senior consultant with threesixtythree Inc. in Calgary where he provided sports marketing and management counsel to a number of clients including AltaGas Ltd., one of Cross Country Canada's premier partners. Matt was also part of a team that provided marketing and business development consulting services to Alberta World Cup 2010, Biathlon Canada and Alpine Canada Alpin. Prior to immersing himself in the sport world, Matt spent six years in the investment and corporate banking division with BMO Capital Markets in Toronto.
Full article
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 2011-2012 CCC Race License Online Registration
CCC Race License are now available on-line for purchase for the 2011/12 competition season!
Please be reminded that a CCC race licence will only be issued to an individual who is a member in good standing of a cross-country ski club which is registered in a Division.
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National Winter Sports Association Announces Funding Support for 2011-12
The National Winter Sport Association (NWSA) was established through the foresight and donation of the Disbrow family. This generous support of the NWSA is aimed at assisting coaches, athletes and competitive racing programs in Canada; the long-term goal is focused on boosting and sustaining Canada's performance level and ranking at the international level. During the past four seasons, the NWSA funding has contributed close to one million dollars to enhancing the delivery of club and National Development Centre (NDC) racing programs. The NWSA's platform of support has a primary target to help professionalize and expand Canada's network of cross-country ski coaches. The NWSA is also committed to allocating some funding support to selected developing athletes who demonstrate potential towards long-term international level development and a clear financial need.
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BMO Cross Country Canada MasterCard
Help Cross Country Canada target the podium and support the development of young skiers across Canada. Every time you use your BMO Cross Country Canada MasterCard to make a purchase, a payment is made to the Cross Country Canada from BMO Bank of Montreal at no additional cost to you.
Reward yourself.
Get the BMO Cross Country Canada MasterCard.
Reward yourself with 1 AIR MILES reward mile for every $20 spent or 0.5% CashBack and pay no annual fee.
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 Where Are They Now... Four-time Olympians Sharon and Shirley Firth live and work in Yellowknife. Sharon is a youth programs advisor in the sport, recreation and youth division for the Government of N.W.T. Shirley Firth-Lawson is a member's secretary for the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly |
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Quote of the Month
 "We did some camping, some surfing, lots of good training, and eating, and had an awesome time. When you put our team, plus our wicked support staff on a Hawaiian island, it's a recipe for success." ...Olympian Perianne Jones on the national team's recent training camp in Maui. |
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Did you Know......
� Para-Nordic Skier Robbi Weldon and Lyne Bessette were crowned champions of the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling World Cup
� Olympian Stefan Kuhn has retired from competitive cross-country skiing to focus on coaching with the Alberta World Cup Ski Academy and Cooking
� The national team completed its first-ever training camp on Maui where they focused on altitude training on Haleakala volcano
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Club Stories: Flin Flon Ski Club Wins First Place! Credit: Duane Davis
How can that happen in July you ask...we won best entry in the local Canada day July 1st Parade.
It was at the end of our Spring AGM that the idea was brought forward. Our little ski team had received new racing uniforms too late in the season to wear to a competition, so the idea was to enter the parade. The skiers could show off their new uniforms, the skills of roller skiing and our Jack Rabbit kids could ride on the float. We were a huge hit! The crowds along the street were impressed by the young skiers as they brought new life and action to the "old" parade, racing up and down the streets and they were wowed as the skiers climbed up the long 3rd Ave hill on their roller skis and blades. The kids on the float sing 'O Canada' and rang cowbells.
The evening before was a great bonding experience as club members grabbed everything they could from our equipment storage shed and fashioned up a float. The next day money couldn't have bought the club a better PR experience. It was great fun and what a wonderful way to keep skiing alive during the off-season. We recommend it to all clubs as fun summer community activity.
Now the only trouble is...how we top that next year?
 
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