Tag: David Greer

Gaiazova Shakes Off Jet Lag to Dominate Canadian Nationals 10 k Classic; McMurtry Captures First National Title in 15 k

Sixteen hours after flying in from Sweden, Canadian World Cup Team member Dasha Gaiazova charges up the opening climb of Tuesday’s 10 k classic interval start at 2013 Canadian Nationals in Whistler, B.C. She won the race by 1 minute 23.5 seconds.

WHISTLER, B.C. — Whistler Olympic Park delivered the first warm and slow day of Canadian Nationals for Tuesday’s classic individual starts. The younger skiers got fast snow in the morning and open categories got sticky, transformed snow in the afternoon. By the time the final starter, World Cup Team member Ivan Babikov, hit the line, the temperature had reached 9 degrees Celsius and the very fast conditions of the first two races were a memory.

World Cup sprint specialist Dasha Gaiazova, also of Rocky Mountain Racers, who arrived just sixteen hours earlier from Sweden, showed no signs of jet lag as she destroyed the field, winning the women’s 10-kilometer race in 34:04.2. Clocking the fastest splits throughout the three-lap race, it was apparent that Gaiazova was the strongest from the start.

“I just got off the plane from Sweden last night,” she said. “It was a long flight and I’m feeling pretty jet lagged, but it was a surprisingly good day for me.”

“At this time of the season we have been racing for five months and it is easy to just shut it down mentally and not push to the maximum,” she said. “Today I really wanted to do a really good job of giving it my all.”

Gaiazova’s all was too much for the rest of the field. Japan’s Chisa Obayashi finished 1:23.5 minutes back in second. After racing three days earlier at Japan’s nationals, Obayashi flew to Canada in search of FIS points and the possibility of earning a start at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Obayashi said she struggled with her technique and the effects of jet lag, but moved up from eighth in the first lap past competitors that were slowing down in the softening snow. Asked about Thursday’s classic sprint, the distance specialist replied, “I like long distance.”

Another Canadian World Cup Team member, Perianne Jones (Nakkertok) returned to Canmore, Alberta, a week earlier than her teammates, who qualified for World Cup Finals. She finished third on Tuesday, 11.7 seconds behind Obayashi, and collected the silver as second Canadian.

“It was really fun to be out here,” Jones said. “It’s a beautiful day and seeing the whole Canadian ski community and everyone from my club and everyone who has been supporting us all year, but [the race] was tough.”

“I am looking forward to the sprint on Thursday,” Jones added. “One k is more my thing than 10.”

Alysson Marshall of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) continued to finish her season strong, taking fourth (+1:42.5) to collect her second bronze of the week.

Eliska Hajkova (University of Colorado-Boulder) was the top non-Canadian in seventh. American Caitlin Gregg (Central Cross Country), and Anne-Marie Comeau (Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre) was the top junior in 11th overall.

Second No More, McMurtry Claims Gold

Brent McMurtry of the Alberta World Cup Academy after winning his first gold medal at Canadian Nationals in Tuesday’s 15 k classic interval start in Whistler, B.C.

In the men’s 15 k classic interval start, Brent McMurtry (AWCA) collected his first individual Canadian title with a solid performance in slower, deeper snow of the afternoon, winning in 41:26.9.

“It feels pretty good [to be national champion],” McMurtry said. “I’ve been second many, many times and I am happy to finally get a win.”

While almost every skier had a slower second lap in the softening conditions, McMurtry lost less than most to set the fastest second lap time, moving up from second place after the first of two 7.5 k laps.

Norwegian Rune Ødegärd, a sophomore at the University of Colorado, faded after a commanding first lap to take silver, 22.8 seconds behind.

“It was so nice out there, really warm, really slow, really tough for every one,” Ødegärd said. “It’s fun racing, spring skiing.”

After missing his warmup because he was waxing his own skis, Ødegärd thought he had started his first lap too slowly, but soon discovered that it was actually too fast. Leading after the first lap, he was fourth fastest the second time around to hang onto second place.

“I had really good skis,” he said, crediting help from the team in the neighboring wax cabin and personal klister expertise from growing up in a coastal town in Norway.

David Greer of the Yukon Elite Squad (YES) finished in third to take the Canadian silver, 44.3 seconds behind McMurtry.

Men’s 15 k classic podium at Canadian Nationals on Tuesday in Whistler B.C., with winner Brent McMurtry (third from r), runner-up Rune Rune Ødegärd (second from l), David Greer in third (second from r), Graham Nishikawa in fourth (r), Sylvan Ellefson in fifth (second from l), and Kevin Sandau in sixth (l).

“[I had] good glide, good grip and I felt super-strong on the first lap,” Greer said. “On the second lap, I started to hurt pretty bad, but I was able to keep it under control.”

In the first season of the Elite Squad, his achievement marked the team’s first individual nationals podium.

Graham Nishikawa (AWCA) topped off a great day for Whitehorse, taking fourth place 8.9 seconds behind Greer, his club-mate.

“Today was pretty tough,” Nishikawa said, “I had no power out there, but I was just focusing on skiing fast and smooth.”

Nishikawa’s bronze medal matches the one he got on Saturday’s team sprint with Colin Abbott. That day, Greer took silver with Knute Johnsgaard.

“I think our team had amazing skis,” Nishikawa said. “Alain [Masson] did a great job [along] with the whole staff here.”

The Yukon staff is feeling the love; the YES team baked beavertails for the support team during Monday’s rest day.

Sylvan Ellefson (SSCV/Team HomeGrown) took fifth place for the U.S., and Kevin Sandau (AWCA) edged pre-race favourite Graeme Killick (AWCA) for sixth. David Palmer (Blackjack) was the top junior man in 12th, 2:57.5 behind the winner.

The rest of the Canada’s World Cup team flew back from Sweden on Monday. Emily Nishikawa (AWCA) and Ivan Babikov (NST) shook off the travel to arrive at the start line and hear the appreciative crowd. Both looked visibly tired on the first climb out of the stadium, with snap and power absent, possibly lost in somewhere over the Atlantic. Emily Nishikawa finished the race, while Babikov dropped out partway through the second lap.

The crowd roared each time the stadium announcer mentioned one of the four World Cup Team members who made the effort to race on home snow after a long season in Europe.

Lenny Valjas was a surprise non-starter for his favoured 15 k classic event, while Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw had earlier announced that they wouldn’t be racing.

Results: women | men

March 27, 2013
Canadian Nationals: Foothills Tops Both Men’s and Women’s Team Sprints

Foothill Nordic’s Jess Cockney (r) and Phil Widmer (Canmore Nordic), after colliding in the finishing straight of Saturday’s freestyle team sprint final at 2013 Canadian Nationals in Whistler, B.C. Cockney went on to win with teammate Brent McMurtry, defending their 2012 national title, while Widmer and Russell Kennedy settled for fourth. Knute Johnsgaard (l) took silver with teammate David Greer for Whitehorse.

WHISTLER, B.C. – On a sunny day at Whistler Olympic Park, the men put the cap on an exciting first day of Canadian Nationals with a collision and crash in the final 50 metres of the 2×3 1-kilometre freestyle team sprint.

Whitehorse divides and conquers, with Graham Nishikawa skiing around a fallen Phil Widmer (Canmore) on the right and Knute Johnsgaard at left, to take second and third behind Foothills’ Jess Cockney (far right) in Saturday’s freestyle team sprint at Canadian Nationals in Whistler, B.C.

Four teams entered the final straight together with Phil Widmer of Canmore Nordic in the lead. At the start of the pine-bough lane markers with 50 metres to go, Widmer and Jess Cockney of Foothills Nordic chose the same lane. Widmer fell, leaving Cockney to defend his national team-sprint title with partner Brent McMurtry. Skiing for different Whitehorse teams, Knute Johnsgaard and Graham Nishikawa split around the fallen Widmer and lunged for the line.

A year after winning at Canadian Nationals in Quebec, McMurtry and Cockney claimed the team victory in 15:32.03. Johnsgaard finished in 15:33.00, taking silver with partner David Greer. Nishikawa was 0.31 seconds behind to take bronze with teammate Colin Abbott.

Widmer recovered to take fourth with Russell Kennedy, 11 seconds after Cockney. Raphaël Couturier (Skibec) led the second pack another 5 seconds back in fifth with teammate and Canadian National Team biathlete Marc-André Bédard.

When asked what made the difference, Cockney had a one-word answer: “Brent.”

“Brent skied so strong on his last leg and gave me such a huge lead,” Cockney added. “All the other guys were gassed after catching up to me.”

Johnsgaard had a similar view. “I felt really strong. I just didn’t quite have the finishing speed that Jess had in the final,” he said.

Cockney skied the last leg with a clear tactic in mind.

“I didn’t feel that strong so I held the lead as long as I could and made sure to tuck in behind Knute and Phil on the downhill into the last 300 metres,” he said. “With the headwind, it was good to tuck behind someone else.”

Nishikawa also took a strategic approach to the final. A big crash and a broken pole on his first lap of the semifinal put him well off the back of the pack. While Abbott was able to finish the job of rejoining the group, the energy they spent qualifying in second in the fastest heat would come back to haunt them.

An exhausted top three after Saturday’s freestyle team sprint final at 2013 Canadian Nationals in Whistler, B.C.

In the final, the first-leg skiers went out hard on their third and final lap.

“Brent attacked and dragged Colin,” Greer said. “I got around a couple of people and ended up coming in second.”

“I finally caught the top three teams at the corner with a hundred to go and then they all started their sprint,” Nishikawa said.

Asked about the crash, he said, “It took a lot of energy to get there so I just had my head down trying to sprint. I saw some tangles and then I was in a lunge for second as well. It happened fast so I don’t really know what happened.”

Johnsgaard, who also was in a good position to see the collision, didn’t think any penalties would come of it. “I think it is part of racing,” he said.

The jury agreed and took no action.

The women’s 2×3 1-kilometer team sprint was also exciting, but without the finishing-straight fireworks. On the final lap, Foothills’ Marlis Kromm opened up a gap to send Heidi Widmer off with a sizable lead. Their finish time of 15:17.1 was nearly 10 seconds ahead of Hardwood’s Erin Tribe, who shared silver with Mary Thompson.

Heidi Widmer (Foothills) leads Anne-Marie Comeau (MSA) in the semifinal of Saturday’s freestyle team sprint at 2013 Canadian Nationals in Whistler, B.C. Widmer and her teammate Marlis Kromm went on to win the final.

Zoe Roy and Michaela Howie teamed up for Rocky Mountain Racers and won the sprint for bronze. Roy finished just over a second ahead of biathlete Julia Ransom (Canmore), who partnered with Kathryn Stone.

Anne-Marie Comeau (Mont St. Anne) took over from Camille Pépin and quickly moved from fifth to second on the final leg , but a crash on the top hairpin put her back in fifth, six seconds out of the medals.

Kromm and Widmer were very happy with their result.

“We were junior challenge girls here [in Whistler at 2008 nationals] and won the relay here so it was really fun to come back,” Widmer said. “It’s a great start to the week and Mother Nature has been really great today.”

Both saw the race as tactical. “We wanted to start in control, ski the first couple of laps with the pack and try to save some energy and make our moves in the second half of the race,” Kromm said.

“It is a long week of racing at nationals,” Widmer added. “The team sprint is important, but you have to be aware of your energy for the rest of the week.”

The silver medalists said the race was “definitely tactical.”

“You had to hold on to a spot and pick when to move up and make sure you had something for that last lap,” Thompson said.

“It was really refreshing that the sun was shining and the skis were fast,” Tribe added. “It was a great day.”

Results: men | women

Women’s freestyle team sprint podium at 2013 Canadian Nationals, with Marlis Kromm and Heidi Widmer of Foothills Nordic in first (c), Erin Tribe and Mary Thompson of Hardwood in second (l), and Michaela Howie and Zoe Roy of Rocky Mountain Racers in third. (Photo: Peggy Hung)

2013 Canadian Nationals men’s freestyle team sprint podium with Purebread Bakery baguettes in hand. Jess Cockney and Brent McMurtry of Foothills Nordic took first (c), Knute Johnsgaard and David Greer of Whitehorse were second (l), and Whitehorse’s Colin Abbott and Graham Nishikawa placed third (r). (Photo: Peggy Hung)

March 24, 2013
Bender, Koos Stay Out of Trouble to Lock up Tour de Twin Cities Mass Start Titles

Rosie Brennan (APU) leading over the “wall” in Wirth Park during the 15 k classic mass start on day 2 of the Tour de Twin Cities on Sunday in Minneapolis. Brennan was second behind Jennie Bender (CXC), who won by 6.6 seconds. (Photo: Reese Hanneman/EngineRoomMedia.net)

With temperatures barely extending into the single digits Sunday, the second stage of the Tour de Twin Cities SuperTour circuit was already shaping up to be a tough one. Add to that the nature of classic mass starts – up to six times around a 3.3-kilometer track – and you’ve got quite a race.

Saturday’s 5 k freestyle winner, Rosie Brennan of Alaska Pacific University (APU) arrived to Wirth Park in Minneapolis on Sunday in time to check out the preceding men’s race on the second day of the Tour de Twin Cities.

“I went out to see how the boys were doing, only to witness many boys slipping on ice, falling, and many more yelling for poles causing me to panic a little for our own race,” Brennan wrote in an email. “It was really cold, fast, and icy in some parts.”

A little unsure of how to strategically approach five laps for the women’s 15 k classic, Brennan decided she’d set a high pace and hopefully wear others down.

“As a result, I probably led a fair amount,” she explained. “I had many laps to come up with a game plan after realizing I wouldn’t be able to just ski away from a pack on such a fast course. However, excitement and cheering got the best of me and I went for it on the last lap.”

Using some early hills to her advantage, Brennan built a small gap on the group. The final 1.5 kilometers, however, were flatter and “very twisty,” she wrote. “Both significant weaknesses of mine. I did all I could do to stay away, but Jennie [Bender] just ate me up on that stuff.”

Bender, the Central Cross Country (CXC) skier who skied in second for much of the race, wrote in an email that she found to stay with Brennan on the final lap.

“I thought she was gone, but due to sitting in 2nd my adrenaline kicked in, and I kept hammering,” Bender wrote. “Suddenly I was behind her, and was able to shift into high gear for the last hill.”

Bender nabbed the distance victory, her first on the SuperTour circuit this season, by 6.6 seconds over Brennan in 46.09.9. APU swept second through fourth with Kate Fitzgerald making the podium 8.1 seconds back from first and Becca Rorabaugh placing fourth (+18.4). Caitlin Gregg (CXC) was fifth after crashing just before the last lap when she, Fitzgerald and Rorabaugh tried to pass group of lapped skiers.

“On the big wall before the last lap started we ran into some skiers we were lapping and got tangled,” Gregg explained.

“At that point Caitlin was right in front of me and she fell and I had to stop because I was pinned against the side of the trail,” Fitzgerald wrote.

While those three tried to recover, Brennan started to go for it.

“I gunned it to try and catch back up to Rosie and Jennie,” Gregg continued. “I could see them playing cat and mouse up ahead and thought maybe I could catch them. … Kate, Becca and I tried to reel them in but couldn’t.”

After starting near the front, Bender was happy to stay out of trouble and ski a tactically smart race.

“Every race, I hope I will feel better than the last, and lately that hasn’t been hard since all my distance races thus far have sucked pretty bad,” she wrote. “There were definitely a few moments in the race, where I looked around and felt good that I could add to team red (CXC) once again. It’s a team of 3 this year, but having two in the top five is great. The APU girls are a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”

Brennan took her hat off to Bender, but felt there were some areas she could improve.

“She skied that last section beautifully and overtook me with lots of momentum leaving me in the dust into the finish,” Brennan wrote. “I am happy with the result, but frustrated with my own weaknesses and certainly have made a list of things to keep working on.”

“It was definitely a fun race with some very fast conditions,” Fitzgerald added.

Men’s race

Torin Koos (c) atop the podium in the Tour de Twin Cities 20 k classic mass start on Sunday in Wirth Park, Minneapolis. Brian Gregg (r) was second and Canadian David Greer placed third. (Photo: Reese Hanneman/EngineRoomMedia.net)

In the men’s race, Torin Koos (Bridger Ski Foundation/Rossignol) foreshadowed his own victory – stating Saturday: “I just didn’t have that edge that I been needed to win. It wouldn’t be surprising, though, if today’s effort gives me that little bit I was missing for tomorrow.”

The runner-up in the 10 k freestyle, Koos went on to win Sunday’s 20 k classic mass start by 1.9 seconds over Brian Gregg (CXC) in 47:53.0.

“Today was a cold and icy one, though not as cold as I had prepared for,” Koos wrote. “The biggest name in the game today was staying out of trouble like crashes and broken poles, with so many turns. I raced much more at the front for this reason. Most all of the race I felt so very much in control aerobically.”

A Twin Cities native, Koos explained that he secured the win – his first this SuperTour season – by opening a small gap up “inner-tube hill” on the last lap and holding it to the finish.

“With such high speed snow, I felt skiing in the pack was much easier, though a riskier option,” he wrote. “The cheering section was out there in force again today. The cold weather was nothing for them!”

Gregg was glad to be back on the SuperTour podium for the first time this year. Living with his wife Caitlin just a few blocks away from Wirth Park, Gregg wrote it was great to be able to perform for so many supporters and friends.

“The home course advantage is pretty nice too,” he added. “I have logged many km on the 3.3k loop. It is pretty cool to train in the afternoons with about 300 other skiers. I think training with all the high school skiers last week was helpful in feeling comfortable in the big pack today.”

On the last lap, Dylan McGuffin (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) started to push the pace up front while Koos chased him down, Gregg explained. At the top of the hill, Koos was about 15 meters ahead of Mike Sinnott (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation). Sinnott was about 15 meters ahead of his teammate, Matt Gelso, Gregg and Canadian David Greer (Yukon Elite Squad).

“About 500m from the finish Mikey went down on an icy corner,” Gregg wrote. “He had a gap and it is always a bummer to pass some one simple because they fell.”

Gregg, Greer, Gelso and Mark Iverson (Saturday’s winner from APU) passed by, and Sinnott ended up sixth (+8.3). Greer was third, 2.4 seconds back from Koos, Gelso was fourth (+5.3) and Iverson was fifth (+6.4).

Greer, who made the long trip down from the Yukon Territory with teammates Knute Johnsgaard and John Parry with some time to kill between NorAm races in Thunder Bay and Duntroon, Ontario, met his goal of the podium after being sick last week. After feeling like he was missing his top gear in Saturday’s race, he decided to go for it on Sunday.

Greer was around 12^th when Koos attacked the last kilometer. He followed, picking off the places and moving to fifth and then third by the top of the last hill.

“I usually have a decent sprint finish, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to do anything today because the finish stretch was very short, no time to pass,” he wrote.

“It felt more like a criterium than a ski race. You needed to be really aggressive to stay near the front,” Greer explained. “I consider myself lucky not to have fallen or been taken out because racers were falling right, left and centre throughout the entire race! It was very chaotic.”

With temperatures forecast to remain below zero on Monday, it was unclear whether the third stage of the Tour, the classic sprints, would take place as scheduled.

Complete results

Thanks to Reese Hanneman and his photos from EngineRoomMedia.net.

January 21, 2013
At Home in Canmore: The Canadian Up-And-Comers

Coverage of the Canmore World Cups was made possible through the generous support of Travel Alberta and Tourism Canmore.

Thirty Canadian men and women will be putting on World Cup bibs in Canmore this weekend. Some are old pros and some are competing in the first World Cups of their lives. (Photo: Angus Cockney)

With the start of the mass start classic in Canmore, Alberta, less than 24 hours away, nerves are running high at the World Cup venue. With two distance races and one sprint on the schedule, there will be both returning and new nation’s group faces lining up over the next few days.

Chances are you know exactly who Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw are, but as the host nation Canada has a large number of quota spots this weekend (15 men and 15 women). Every single one of them, when they pull on that bib, are looking to honorably represent their country in front of a home crowd. Here are a few names to watch out for.

Photo: Angus Cockney.

Emily Nishikawa (CNST/AWCA)

The 23-year-old has a few World Cup starts to her name already, but hasn’t contested one in Canada since 2008. After a win at Sovereign Lake on Sunday, she’s looking forward to testing her fitness against the world-class field.

“My shape is coming along now so I’m happy to get a good race under my belt before Canmore; get a little confidence going into it,” she said. “It’s super exciting to race in a hometown and on trails you know so well.”

Her goals for the weekend are to “perform to the absolute best of abilities. My family will be here watching, so I’m really looking forward to that!”

Photo: Cross Country Canada.

Brittany Webster (Highlands Trailblazers)

The former national team member is making a bit of a comeback this year with three NorAm distance podiums (two of them wins) under her belt already. It’s been four years since she was on the World Cup circuit, so in Canmore she’s entering the gate without any expectations other than to enjoy the opportunity.

“I know that, myself included, there are lots of Canadians out there who are a bit apprehensive about what it will like,” she said. “I think — and hopefully this is some advice for the younger girls out there — that it’s really important to remember that it’s simply just a great opportunity to race against the best. This is what we work towards, and you have to be really happy when you set foot on the start line to do it.”

Photo: Angus Cockney

Michael Somppi (CNST/AWCA)

With a second and fourth place at Sovereign Lake, Somppi is feeling confident in his fitness for Canmore. He first competed on the World Cup at this venue in 2010, but this year is the first time he’ll have the chance to compete in three back-to-back races.

“The mass starts are more nerve-wracking than the individual, but I feel like I’m in pretty good shape right now so it should be fun,” Somppi said.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been improving every race so I hope the trend continues.”

Erik Carleton (PNST/RMR)

Carleton competed in his first World Cup for Canada in 2005 when the circuit stopped in Vernon, BC. He is also a guide for national Para Nordic team member Brian McKeever, but was fast enough to prequalify for Canmore based on his results from last season.

“It was a good feeling since it was the first time in my career I had been selected based on the previous season,” Carleton said. “I knew I could focus my training program towards the World Cup races, have to worry about the trial races.”

His goals for Canmore are reasonable: “to ski relaxed, trust myself and feed off the energy of the fans.”

Mostly, Carleton is looking forward to comparing himself against the international field.

“When you do not have the opportunity to race in many World Cups, the rewards are great if you can have one of your best-ever races,” he said.

Photo: Angus Cockney

Graeme Killick (CNST/AWCA)

The senior development team member has been a part of the whole World Cup production before, in Estonia in 2011. As the winner of the NorAm opener in Canmore and third-place finisher in the classic race the following weekend, Killick will be one of the top Canadians to watch for on the big stage.

He’s feeling particularly confident after his recent podium finishes: “It was a good start for me. Normally it takes me a few races to get in race shape, but I was able to win last week so that is a good sign,” Killick said.

Photo: Angus Cockney.

Patrick Stewart-Jones (AWCA): He had “the best race of my life so far” in the mass start classic NorAm at Sovereign Lake, so the 21-year-old is feeling pretty good heading into Canmore. Stewart-Jones also qualified for the sprints in Quebec, but turned down the opportunity in order to save his top gear for the distance events.

“It wasn’t easy at all,” he said of the choice to skip Quebec. “I was sort of on the fence, but told myself if I qualified for the distance races then I’d focus on that.”

The 15 k mass start classic in Canmore will be Stewart-Jones’ first World Cup appearance.

Jesse Cockney (AWCA)

In Quebec City Cockney missed out on qualifying for the heats by a mere 0.25 seconds in 32nd place. He said afterwards that he already learned a lot from the experience, like how to roll with the punces on race day and ski relaxed.

Luckily, he’s got another shot at the heats in Canmore with the freestyle sprint scheduled for Saturday. On truly home terrain and against essentially the same field, he could be ready to crack the top 30.

Raphaël Couturier (CNST/Pierre Harvey NTC)

Couturier made his World Cup debut in Quebec last weekend, where he placed 51st in the freestyle sprint.

“I was super excited to race my first World Cup at home and I had a great time with my friends and family,” he said of the experience. “Everyone around the event did a great job and I’m pretty sure we all agree on saying it was one of the most epic city-sprint ever and I feel privileged to have been part of the event. I was just looking forward to break the ice and step up the game.”

The 19-year-old was pretty excited when he first learned he qualified back in November, and is mostly focused on gaining international experience in sprint and distance in Canmore.

“It would be amazing to get to race some heats with the big boys, but I don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I’ll deal with the results I’ll get and build on from there,” Couturier said.

Photo: Angus Cockney.

Brent McMurtry (CNST/AWCA)

With numerous World Cup starts under his belt, McMurtry is no stranger to the scene. He says he’s most looking forward to the 15 k mass start classic.

“I have raced a lot of places, and for classic Canmore is my favourite course: steep climbs with firm tracks,” he said. “As far as goals, I am hoping to execute my race plan and ski smooth throughout. It is hard to put a number of what I am aiming for but I would like to be in the points.”

Like most of his countreymen, McMurtry is most looking forward to competing in front of friends and family on familiar terrain.

“It is great to race at home where I have family and friends cheering me on and I know most of the volunteers who are running the race. It is just an amazing atmosphere,” he said.

Photo: Jesse Winter

David Greer (Yukon Elite Squad)

The 23-year-old will be making his first World Cup appearance on Thursday and is hoping to continue the upward trend in his recent NorAm results when he goes up against the best in the world. In Sovereign Lake this weekend he was sixth in the mass start classic and third in the 15 k freestyle.

“Each race seems to be getting better, so I’m looking forward to [Canmore],” Greer said. “It should be fun.”

Photo: Angus Cockney.

Graham Nishikawa (CNST/AWCA)

The senior development team member is an old standby on the World Cup scene; he was recently 34th in the 30 k freestyle in Davos, Switzerland.

“I’m always honored to race for Canada, especially at home in Canmore,” he said.

Coming off a win in the 15 k freestyle last weekend, Nishikawa appears to be in top form for this weekend.

“I just want to thrown down a great race and see what happens,” he said. “Having my family and friends around to watch will be great.”

Phil Widmer (AWCA)

Widmer has numerous World Cup starts to his name and is looking forward to the opportunity to represent Canada in front of a home crowd.

“The goal for me though is putting together a solid World Cup race,” he said. “My team mates and I have been pushing each other hard all year in preparation for these races and the rest of the season.”

He was 55th in the individual sprint in Quebec City last weekend. A personal best for the sprinter would be to make it into the semifinals, which is just what he’s shooting for this Saturday on the home track.

“Competing against the best skiers in the world on the home track is special,” Widmer said. “I’d say that has to be the most exciting part of the world cup coming to Canada. It doesn’t happen every day, so it’s special when it does happen.”

Kevin Sandau (CNST/AWCA)

Sandau, of recent Movember fame, has been on the World Cup circuit all season as last year’s Continental Cup leader. Still, he hasn’t competed in a World Cup on home soil since 2008 and is looking forward to competing on the trails he trains on every day.

“I know what [the trails] are like and how they ski,” he said. “I’d like to have some personal bests in the distance races and cap off 2012 with some really good results.”

“The Alberta World Cup Society definitely has organized this on a much grander scale since 2008, with the town fully backing the event and a lot of smaller and distinct details added. This is for sure going to be one hell of a week!”

Matt Wylie (AWCA)

Wylie earned starts both in Quebec and Canmore, but skipped out on the sprints in order to save energy.

“Ideally preparing for Canmore would set me up for a top result rather than travelling back and forth across the country,” he said. “It was one of the hardest choices I have had to make, turning down that kind of opportunity.”

This will be Wylie’s first international racing experience.

Photo: Mark Nadell.

Russell Kennedy (AWCA)

The Truckee, Calif., native is a dual citizen of the US and Canada and has been training with the AWCA for the past few years. When he learned he’d won his fist career World Cup starts while cooling down from the Canmore NorAm prologue, he was “over the moon.”

“I’m generally a happy guy but it was pretty hard for me to stop smiling,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy’s main focus this year was to qualify for U23s, but now that he’s in a position to race well on the World Cup, he’s aiming to make the sprint heats (he was 45th last weekend in Quebec).

“When a dream comes true it is hard to pick your favorite part of the dream,” Kennedy said. “However, I’m looking forward to racing the top guys, seeing all my friends and family that are coming to watch and just having a hard summer of training start to pay off.”

More Canadians to look for in Canmore: Brian McKeever (PNST), Frederick Touchette (CNST/CNEPH), Heidi Widmer (AWCA), Amanda Ammar (Canmore), Annika Hicks (AWCA), Rebecca Reid (AWCA), Dahria Beatty (AWCA), Zoe Roy (RMR), Kate Brennan (AWCA), Alana Thomas (AWCA), Anne Marie Comeau (CNEPH), Maya MacIsaac-Jones (RMR), Erin Tribe (Team Hardwood), Frederique Vezina (CNEPH), Andrea Dupont (RMR)

December 12, 2012
Nishikawas Earn Pair of Victories at Sovereign Lake

Graham Nishikawa of the Alberta World Cup Academy in skate action last winter. On Sunday he won the 15 k freestyle in Silver Star by 18 seconds. Photo courtesy of Angus Cockney.

On a cold, windy day at Sovereign Lake Nordic Center, sibling duo Graham and Emily Nishikawa (CNST/Alberta World Cup Academy) each added another NorAm win to their respective resumes in the lead-up to the Canmore World Cups next week.

The elder Nishikawa completed the men’s 15 k freestyle in 39:22.0, a full 18 seconds ahead of runner-up Michael Somppi (CNST/AWCA). David Greer (Yukon Elite Squad) took the bronze (+40.5).

The men’s podium: 1. Graham Nishikawa 2. Michael Somppi 3. David Greer 4. Pate Neumann. Photo: Gerry Furseth.

“Today went well,” Nishikawa said. “Skate racing is my stronger technique, and I felt good.”

The result was a big improvement on his classic result the day before, in which a mid-race crash took him out of contention of the mass start and relegated him to ninth place.

“I’m feeling good, it’s starting to come together,” Nishikawa said of his early season results. “So far the races haven’t gone super well…so I’m looking forward to a good result in Canmore.”

The conditions on Sunday were blistery; a biting snow pummeled skiers as they took to the course in 15 second intervals.

“It was classic Silver Star,” Nishikawa said of the weather. “Soft, some snow, windy and cold — but pretty good.”

Somppi notched his second decent result of the weekend in taking the silver; he was fourth in the 15 k classic in Saturday. The narrow 15-second intervals between starters worked to his advantage; on the second lap Somppi had a train of skiers to race against after a “great” first lap.

“It was a fight, but I knew I was in podium contention so that helped spur me on,” Somppi said. “I’m happy to have ended up with second place. My fitness is feeling good right now and I am looking forward to the opportunity to test myself against the international field [in Canmore] next week.”

One of the skiers Somppi caught early on was Greer, who ended up in third.

“I got a good ride with him and skied in a train most of the race,” Greer said, who had looked forward to the individual-start race in particular.

Like many of the top Canadians competing this weekend, Greer wanted to dial in his race fitness prior to the Canmore World Cups.

“Each race seems to be getting better — today was better than yesterday — so I’m looking forward to next weeek. It should be fun,” he said.

Pate Neumann (Canmore) took fourth behind Greer (+54.7) and Aaron Gillmor (Rocky Mountain Racers) finished fifth (+56.6). Santi Ocariz (XC Oregon) posted the top American finish in sixth (+1:17.5).

Fewer international athletes started on Sunday relative to Saturday (Sweden’s Jens Eriksson, who won the 15 k classic, did not race), but New Zealand’s Andy Pohl put together a strong 11th-place showing (+1:48.4). As a tune-up for the Canmore World Cup, Pohl was pleased with his result.

“I’m pretty happy; I felt like I was making good ground through the field,” he said. “I was certainly suffering, so that’s the ticket.”

Men’s 15 k freestyle results.

The women’s podium: 1. Emily Nishikawa 2. Brittany Webster 3. Frédérique Vézina 4. Julia Ransom 5. Kathryn Stone. Photo: Gerry Furseth.

In the women’s division, Emily Nishikawa took the 10 k win by 7.1 seconds over Brittany Webster (Highlands Trailblazers). Frédérique Vézina (Mont Sainte Anne) finished third (+13.5).

“I was quite happy with the race; today was a lot better than yesterday,” Nishikawa said, who was fifth in the 10 k classic on Saturday.

“This is more what I was hoping for, so I’m glad I had a better race today.”

As in men’s race the women had to contend with uncomfortable weather, but Nishikawa said it was typical of the venue.

“It was like freezing rain almost; it stings your face a little bit and my glasses froze up, but it’s all part of Silver Star,” she said. “It’s always kind of snowing around here.”

Winner Emily Nishikawa with runner-up Brittany Webster. Photo: Gerry Furseth.

With the Canmore races just around the corner, Nishikawa was glad for the confidence boost less than one week out of her fourth career World Cup appearance.

“My shape is coming along now, so I’m happy to get a good race under my belt before then; get a little confidence going into it,” she said. “It’s super exciting to race in a home town on trails you know so well.”

Webster, coming off of a decisive victory on Saturday, was pleased with her second podium finish of the weekend.

“I wanted to go out smooth; this course is sometimes tough and people blow up on the first hill. So I wanted to be conservative,” she said.

The 25-year-old is currently working back from an October surgery on her tibia, which was causing her “all sorts of pain and injury during the summer.” Since the operation Webster has focused on improving the weak points in her skating.

“I was excited to test the skating out,” Webster said. “I haven’t felt this strong skating in a long time, so it was nice to know that the work paid off.”

Webster started much earlier than the women who ended up leading, and skied without much split information.

“Starting way ahead of those other girls has its good and bad points,” she said. “The good being that you can ski relaxed and race your own race, the bad being that, on this day, I felt I really needed that individual I was chasing in front, or that person behind me to really push me to my limits.

“In general, I just learned today that if you give an inch, or two or three, they always, always add up to seconds, and that’s just what happened.”

Women’s 10 k freestyle results.

— Gerry Furseth contributed reporting.

December 10, 2012
The Big Guns are Back: Notes, Quotes & Video from Canadian Nationals

MONT SAINTE-ANNE, Québec — While Alex Harvey was the man of the day at Canadian Ski Nationals on Tuesday, Devon Kershaw, Lenny Valjas and the remaining World Cup crew (including Chandra Crawford, Dasha Gaiazova, Alysson Marshall and Kevin Sandau) also met a strong welcome after flying into Québec late Monday night and racing the next day.

Cross-country ski fans, friends, family and media outlets came out to Mont Sainte-Anne to catch a glimpse of the nation’s top skiers in their flashy red suits. Several competitive skiers showed up as well for a shot at contending with some of the world’s best.

Some quotes from the 15 k:

Marc-André Bédard (Canadian Biathlon Team/Québec), 4th

The first thing I did was ask Alex if he was coming to nationals. He was like, ‘Of course I’m coming.’ I was like, ‘OK, I need to go just to see how I do against them.’ That was fun. I’ve been friends with him since I was a kid when we were in Mont Sainte-Anne together.

There’s lots of biathletes who make podiums on lots of World Cups … so we know that the top biathletes are pretty much the same as the top cross-country skiers. I’m not a top biathlete; I’m just hoping to do good and those guys [Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey, etc.] are the best skiers so it’s really cool to be not so far behind them.

I wish I could do more cross-country, but it’s rare that the opportunity comes, especially with the strong guys.

[Note: Bédard said he last competed at Canadian cross-country nationals in 2007.]

David Greer (Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre), 5th

Alex was really moving today. He started 45 seconds behind me and caught me at about 2 k. I tried to stay with him for about 10 seconds and decided I’m probably better off just racing my own race. That wasn’t very encouraging, but later in the race I felt better and better and then got encouraging splits.

End of the season, a lot of people are fried and not super pumped about the racing, but it was definitely super fun having those guys here because we don’t get to race with them very often. You see them racing World Cups all year so it’s the one chance we have to measure ourselves against them. I was definitely looking forward to it.

Brent McMurtry (Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre/Senior Development Team), 6th

I was getting splits off of Devon and Ivan [Babikov] I was third. Devon caught me for 30 seconds after two-and-a-half kilometers or something, but I was not going the same speed as him. It was good motivation because once he caught me and went by, I was able to keep him in sight for the next two laps so I sort of knew I was at least a little bit competitive.

Devon was second in the World Cup, Alex last weekends had two podiums. You know that when you’re two minutes back, it’s two minutes off the best in the world. It’s not where I want to be and not where I think I can be, but at the same time, it’s not so bad.

I’m staying at Alex’s house; they’re good friends of mine. It was funny sitting around at breakfast [Tuesday] morning with Devon and Alex. Their season is done and talking about things other than skiing and just life. It’s nice to have them around.

Erik Carleton (Rocky Mountain Racers/National Para-Nordic Team), 8th

It’s my only chance to race against our World Cup team. … I knew it would be, for sure, at a different level. When Alex passed me [about halfway through], I just saw the pace he was going. I stayed with him a bit, then the last lap was pretty tough after that. … You can just see he’s really efficient and he keeps pulling away. He was gone on the last lap.

Tuesday’s complete results

March 21, 2012
Cockney, McMurtry Join Forces to Win Canadian Nationals Team Sprint

Graham Nishikawa (l) of Whitehorse and Jesse Cockney (Foothills Nordic) race toward the finish in the team sprints at Canadian nationals on Saturday. Cockney (r) won by three-tenths of a second.

QUEBEC CITY – Two tiny specks charging toward the finish, Graham Nishikawa and Jesse Cockney appeared to merge into a single lane, and then suddenly jolted in opposite directions.

Whatever made them move must have been significant, and it could have explained why Nishikawa lost his lead and ultimately the classic team sprint at the Canadian Ski National Championships on Saturday.

Turns out it was just water in the tracks on a balmy afternoon at the Plains of Abraham.

Usually Alberta World Cup Academy teammates, Cockney and Nishikawa were competitors in the club event on the first day of nationals. With one lap to go in the open men’s relay final (each racer did three alternating 1 k loops), Nishikawa of Whitehorse decided to test his AWCA training partner. He immediately moved to the front of the pack on the first hill out of the stadium.

Cockney (Foothills Nordic) followed close behind until the final stretch, where Nishikawa slipped on some standing water and shifted to another track, causing Cockney to react as well. Both found themselves in lesser-used lanes, and Cockney powered ahead to win by 0.3 seconds.

Start of the second anchor leg of the team sprint at Canadian nationals (left to right) Jesse Cockney (Foothills Nordic), Graham Nishikawa (Whitehorse), Patrick Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok)

“’[We] kind of both left the fast track and we were just skiing down some tracks that hadn’t been skied in,” Cockney said. “Thankfully, I closed it to the line.”

After Cockney secured the victory with Foothills teammate Brent McMurtry in 14:52.7, Nishikawa and David Greer were second for Whitehorse, and Nakkertok’s Steffan Lloyd and Patrick Stewart-Jones placed third (+31.9).

McMurtry as the scrambler and Cockney, the anchor, worked to stay in front of the 10-team pack early in the final. They led through the first exchange, but Nishikawa overtook Cockney at his trademark spot on Saturday: the first gradual climb.

McMurtry made his way back in front during his remaining laps, but not without the help of his teammate and NorAm competitor.

“In the last exchange I was telling Brent, ‘You gotta go! You gotta go!’ because Nish was hammering,” Cockney said. “I knew he’d have a lot left for the final.”

2012 Canadian nationals open men's podium: 1. Foothills Nordic (Cockney, McMurtry), 2. Whitehorse (Greer, Nishikawa); 3. Nakkertok (Stewart-Jones, Lloyd)

The Foothills racers never got much more than a second ahead or behind Whitehorse, but made up the time when it counted: at the finish. Nishikawa knew sprinting was Cockney’s strength and not necessarily his or Greer’s, and anticipated a close result regardless.

“We raced it perfectly,” Nishikawa said. “I was coming into the stretch in the lead and hit a bit of water and got lost my balance a bit. Jess is a really, really strong finisher; that’s what he’s known for. I would have taken my chances, but that was the best I could do.”

“I was lucky not to fall, but I don’t know if I would have beat him if I stayed upright,” Nishikawa added. “My strategy was to go for it and try to make him hurt as much as possible. We know everybody’s strengths and we’re a bit better distance and not as good at sprints versus those guys, but it was just fun. No stress.”

Three years ago, Greer and Nishikawa, former Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre teammates, also placed second in the team sprint. They wanted the win this year.

“But it was still a good race,” Greer said. “Team sprints are just a good warmup for the rest of the races, too. It’s always fun.”

“It’s the one time of year, domestically at least, where we get to race not for ourselves, but for representing our club, wearing different suits,” McMurtry said. “It’s kind of cool, something I look forward to.”

“It’s good to race side by side,” Cockney added.

McMurtry was glad to be racing with Cockney as well.

“It’s nice knowing I have a strong partner and a guy that beat me to the line a few times this year,” he said. “I was pretty confident with him coming on the last leg.”

McMurtry and Cockney won the first men’s qualifying round to advance to the final. Greer and Nishikawa also won their opening relay, as did Skibec’s Etienne Richard and Raphael Couturier after Stewart-Jones fell a few meters from the finish.

Open men’s team sprint results

Complete results

March 17, 2012
At Long Last, a Victory for McMurtry

Brent McMurtry at the NorAm Teck Sprints in Sovereign Lake in Vernon, B.C., on Saturday. McMurtry was second in the classic sprint to open the 2011/2012 NorAm season. Photo by Jesse Winter/JesseWinterPhotography.com

Standing at the starting gate in bib No. 107 on Sunday, Brent McMurtry of the Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre (CNEPH) looked out and saw only space in front of him.

Numbers 106 and 105 weren’t present, leaving empty race spots and more time waiting for the countdown.

While some would view not having someone to chase in an interval start as a disadvantage, McMurtry liked it. On the last day of NorAm competition in Whistler, British Columbia, he used the openness in front of him to set his own pace.

“I was really out there skiing my own race and going off feel,” McMurtry said. “I started fairly hard.”

The effort worked as planned as McMurtry secured his first NorAm victory of the season after placing second in five of the last six races. He won Sunday’s 15 k classic individual start at Whistler Olympic Park in 41:31.1.

The man who beat him in every previous distance race this season, Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) was second, 7.2 seconds behind. David Greer (CNEPH) was the top U23 male on Sunday, placing a third at the 2012 World Junior/U23 Trials.

Throughout the race, McMurtry said he heard Greer’s splits, and knowing that his teammate and roommate was doing so well motivated him. He also knew Sandau started a minute behind him, and McMurtry wanted to stay out of his sight.

After taking a narrow lead in the first of four laps and extending it the second time around, McMurtry heard he was losing ground to Sandau and AWCA teammate, Graham Nishikawa, on the third lap. Nishikawa had passed Sandau, pushed the tempo and ultimately placed fourth.

“I heard that I had an 18-second gap [and] tried to hang on for dear life,” McMurtry said.

With about 3 kilometers remaining, McMurtry was confident he had the win. However, after narrowly missing first several times and crashing near the finish of Saturday’s freestyle sprint final, McMurtry knew he had to stay alert.

In three losses to Sandau, his fellow Canadian Senior Development Team member, McMurtry said their time difference amounted to about 20 seconds.

“I have had lots of close calls and lots of good opportunities,” McMurtry said. “I know it’s going to be tight … it feels good to know I’m on the right side of that.”

After losing his first NorAm distance race of the season, Sandau said he probably wouldn’t have changed much about his race, except shave 8 seconds from his time to beat McMurtry.

“It wasn’t a matter of not knowing where I stood. I thought I skied pretty comfortably,” Sandau said, adding that Nishikawa gave him a second-half boost when he needed it.

Sandau started 30 seconds behind Nishikawa and said he passed him at about 4 k. The man affectionately known as “Nish” pushed back.

“That’s definitely one of the reasons why we closed [on McMurtry],” Sandau said. “If I didn’t catch Nish, I think I would’ve still been 20 seconds behind Brent.

“I knew it was going to be a tight day today and I knew Brent was going to be hungry. I would have liked to have been eight seconds better and put him in his spot,” Sandau said with a laugh. “I know what it feels like to be second now.”

The two will have an opportunity to go at it again on Friday when the NorAm circuit moves to Canmore, Alberta.

According to Cross Country Canada, World Junior and U23 national team selections will be announced within 48 hours of Sunday’s race.

Men’s 15 k classic interval start results.

January 15, 2012
McMurtry, Greer ‘Fine’ After Car Accident

Brent McMurtry (CNEPH) took a photo of his totaled Toyota Corolla on Monday after he and passenger (and teammate) David Greer were involved in a car accident. McMurtry's vehicle slid on black ice into a cement barrier and stopped in a ditch. The two were just over halfway to Rossland after leaving Silver Star, British Columbia, for the second set of NorAm races. Courtesy photo.

Brent McMurtry of the Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre and Foothills Nordic Ski Club said he and teammate David Greer were unhurt after his car slid off the road while driving from Silver Star to Rossland, British Columbia.

Brent McMurtry races to a second-place finish in the NorAm 15 k classic individual start on Sunday. He was second in the 1.4 k classic sprint on Saturday. (Photo by Jesse Winter/JesseWinterPhotography.com)

The accident happened near the town of Midway, slightly more than halfway into the 370-kilometer (230-mile) trip. Several cross-country skiers and teams traveled the same route to prepare for the second set of NorAm races in Rossland this weekend.

The roads had been dry throughout the afternoon, said McMurtry, the two-time runner-up from the first set of NorAm races in Sovereign Lake.

While driving about 100 kilometers an hour in his personal vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, McMurtry said he drove over a depression in the road where it went over a creek. The car hit black ice and began sliding into oncoming traffic.

McMurtry said he overcorrected and swerved into a cement guardrail. His car slid along the barrier and into a ditch.

“I was just hoping it wouldn’t flip over,” he said. “Luckily we came to a stop in the ditch.”

A little shaken up but uninjured, McMurtry and Greer stepped out of the car and removed their luggage. Without collision on the vehicle, McMurtry knew it was a loss. He had no cell service but police came within minutes.

Three people stopped and told McMurtry they slid on the same spot earlier that day. Five minutes after his accident, a gravel truck drove up to take care of that exact section.

David Greer of the Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre in Sunday's 15 k classic, in which he was 10th. (Photo by Jesse Winter/JesseWinterPhotography.com)

“Kind of bad luck,” McMurtry said. “I guess locals know.”

About 10 minutes behind them on the road, the Thunder Bay National Development Centre team came to their rescue. With two 15-passenger vans, its members made room for McMurtry, Greer and all their belongings.

“It’s kind of surreal to crash my car and 30 minutes later never see my car again,” McMurtry said. “(But it) did enough damage to my ’99 Corolla that it wasn’t worth getting it fixed.”

He bought the car from a friend for about $2,000 Canadian dollars two years ago.

“It’s not a super-valuable car to start out with,” he said of his decision to leave it with the police.

He will next try to find a ride to Canmore, Alberta, after this weekend’s races and then he will deal with the car. He wasn’t too concerned about either.

“I’m not too stressed about it,” he said. “There’s lots of people from Canmore here so it’ll be pretty easy to find a ride home.”

On Wednesday, McMurtry said everything was normal and he was training as usual.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I feel 100 percent.”

***

A video from Brent McMurtry detailing his trip to Silver Star, taken before the accident.

December 14, 2011