Under 23 Questions with India McIsaac

FasterSkier · January 27, 2017

India McIsaac (Rocky Mountain Racers) striding during the Frozen Thunder classic sprints on Nov. 1, 2016. (Photo: Jenn Jackson)

In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at next week’s International Ski Federation (FIS) 2017 USANA Nordic Junior World Championships and U23 Cross Country World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 16-year-old India McIsaac, of Rocky Mountain Racers, who’s representing Canada at her first Junior Worlds.

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“My full name is India Rose McIsaac but you can call me India. I was born in Calgary, AB, raised in Calgary, AB, and one thing you should know about my hometown is we have great running paths by the river.

I started cross-country skiing when I was nine (although technically it was biathlon), thanks to someone in my competitive swim club. I currently train in Canmore with Rocky Mountain Racers.

If I’m not skiing, you might find me driving 2.5 hours to get to and from training. If I had to pick a favourite book, it would be anything Harry Potter.

One of the things I’m most excited about for Junior Worlds at Soldier Hollow is familiar food and no time change. One race I’m especially targeting there is 5 k skate.

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was ‘Just go’. One of the best race memories I have is racing any first race of the season, as it’s so nice to pop on real skis and race on snow.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Jessie Diggins.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be a Doctor.

I’m missing 12 days of school to be here, and my teachers are probably thinking, ‘Well there goes her grades 🙂‘