Under 23 Questions with Gareth Williams

In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at this 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 19-year-old Gareth Williams, of the Telemark Race Team, representing Canada at his first Junior Worlds.

On Wednesday, he led Canada in 20th in the men’s 20 k freestyle, and he’s one of four Canadian men on the start list for Friday’s 20 k skiathlon.

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“My full name is Gareth James Williams, but you can call me G-Will. I was born in Vancouver, B.C., raised in Kelowna, B.C., and one thing you should know about my hometown is it’s the home of the Ogopogo.

I started cross-country skiing when I was two, thanks to my parents. I currently train in Kelowna with Telemark Race Team.

If I’m not skiing, you might find me riding my bike. If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘Goodnight Moon’.

One of the things I’m most excited about for Junior Worlds at Soldier Hollow is racing in red and white for Canada. One race I’m especially targeting there is the 10km skate.

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was take no prisoners. One of the best race memories I have is 2016 Nationals 15km.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Julien Locke.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be working in the medical field.

I’m missing zero days of school to be here, and my teachers are probably thinking, that I should take more than 0 courses.

You can follow me on Instagram @gareth_williams_.”