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Canadian National Ski Team

Remembering Marty ‘Butch’ Hall

Marty Hall, 87, (known as Butch during his youth) of Laconia, NH passed away after a short illness on February 25, 2025. Though he was born in Pennsylvania, he always considered himself a New Hampshire native. His family (his parents and two sisters, Lee Ann and Linda) moved to Gilford, NH, when he was young, right after WWII. They joined a number of families who started the Gilford Outing Club, resulting eventually in three Olympians (Marty...

Tracks Set For Generations of Skiers to Follow: The North American Nordic Community Celebrates the Life of Marty Hall

As many of you know, we lost a vital ambassador and supporter of North American cross-country skiing earlier this week. For those of you who might not be aware, Marty Hall was a lot more than the person, along with his wife Kathy, who supported our World Cup coverage. Marty was a friend. As a younger man, Marty had been a football player, nordic skier, and track star at the University of New Hampshire before...

A Story of Resilience and Hard Work: Coming Back from a Season-Ending Injury with Graham Ritchie

Speaking with FasterSkier from Torsby, Sweden, Graham Ritchie is together with three teammates from the Canadian National Development Team completing a three-week long training camp in the Torsby Ski Tunnels – an experience he describes as “unique.” Working with his coach, this camp will provide Ritchie with some valuable hours on snow after an injury that caused him to sit out last season entirely. A 25-year-old Canadian nordic skier, Ritchie made a late debut into...

(Press Release) Cendrine Browne Skis to Canadian Olympic Record Finishing 16th in Nordic Marathon Katherine Stewart-Jones battles to second top-30 in Beijing

Cendrine Browne set a new Canadian Olympic record by finishing 16th in the women’s 30-kilometre cross-country ski race in the free technique in Beijing. Browne, of Prévost, Que., wrapped up her second Olympics by having the race of her life on one of the most challenging Nordic courses in the world, clocking a time of 1:31:21.6. “This feels amazing to finish the Olympics on such a high note. I’m beyond happy,” beamed Browne following her...

(Press Release) Canada’s Olivier Léveillé Skis to Second Top-30 Finish in Olympic Cross-Country Ski Distance Race

Canada’s Olivier Léveillé wrapped up his first Olympic Games with his second top-30 finish of the week, finishing 27th in the men’s 30-kilometre free technique race.  The Sherbrooke, Que. resident persevered through a broken ski and heavy winds that shortened the scheduled 5- kilometre race to 30 kilometres at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Skiing Centre near Beijing. Léveillé completed the course with a time of 1:15:54.3. “I’m very proud of my first Olympic Games. It...

Cyr and Ritchie faked it til they made it – to the best classic team sprint finish in Canadian men’s history

During the opening weekend of World Cup racing in Ruka, FIN back in November 2021, Canada’s Antoine (Tony) Cyr popped an 11th place finish in the first distance race – a tough 15-kilometre classic won by Finland’s Iivo Niskanen, now a gold medalist in the event.  After the race, Cyr wrote to FasterSkier that the course had suited him with its long uphills and frigiddig conditions; temperatures were near zero degrees Fahrenheit ( -17 C)....

(Press Release) Olympic Rookie Olivier Léveillé Leads Canucks in Individual Classic Cross-Country Ski Race at Beijing

The youngest member on Canada’s Olympic cross-country ski team, Olivier Léveillé, battled to a 29th-place finish at the Beijing Olympics on Friday. The 20-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que. found his groove while steadily working his way around the 15-kilomtetre course to finish in the elite group of 30 with a time of 40:52.0. “It is always hard to ski at altitude, but I felt good today,” said Léveillé. “Sometimes you feel like you are stuck in a gear,...

(Press Release) Dahria Beatty Beaming in 18th with Career Best Olympic Result

Canada’s Dahria Beatty was beaming after cracking the top-20 for the first time in her two trips to the Olympic Winter Games, finishing the women’s individual start 10-kilometre classic cross-country skiing event in 18th spot. Feeding off career-best Olympic performances in her first two starts, the 27-year-old put down a memorable performance, skiing twice around the demanding five-kilometre loop in a time of 30:00.2. “I definitely feel like I am in the best shape of...

(Press Release) Dahria Beatty Skis to Second-Straight Olympic Best Result Graham Ritchie finishes as top Canadian male in Olympic debut, placing 34th

Dahria Beatty turned in another Olympic best result with a 25th-place finish in Tuesday’s free technique cross-country skiing sprint race. The two-time Olympian was the lone Canadian to qualify for the head-to-head heats with the quickest 30 athletes. The 27-year-old clocked the 28th fastest time around the challenging 1.5-kilometre course that spirals throughout the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Ski Centre. Beatty, who hails from Whitehorse, had her day come to a halt after a photo finish...

(Press Release) Young Nordic Canucks Get First Taste of Olympic Experience in Skiathlon

Olivier Léveillé grinds out 31st-place finish on a monster of a course By Chris Dornan on behalf of Nordiq Canada BEIJING, Chn—A trio of Canadian men officially made their Olympic debut in the men’s 30-kilometre skiathlon race on Sunday at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Skiing Centre near Beijing. The youngest member of the Canadian squad at 20 years of age, Olivier Léveillé (Sherbrooke, Que.), finished just outside the top-30 in the 70-man field, clocking a 31st-place...

(Press Release) Cendrine Browne Battles to 20th in Epic Olympic Skiathlon

Three Canadian women ski into elite group of 30 on grueling race day in Beijing By Chris Dornan on behalf of Nordiq Canada BEIJING, Chn — Cendrine Browne and her teammates set the tone for the Canada’s cross-country skiers at the 2022 Winter Games after putting down her best-ever Olympic performance, skiing to 20th place in the women’s 15-kilometre skiathlon race on Saturday in Beijing, China. Competing in her second Olympic Games, the 28-year-old from Prévost,...

Canadian Journey to Beijing

Canada was successful in delivering the team to Beijing and getting them on snow in Zhangjiakou. The decision to go above and beyond in isolating athletes before a carefully planned drive to a charter flight worked, although other countries also succeeded with a more laid-back approach. What can fans expect from the Canadian team in Beijing? It all comes down to qualifying and performing. Qualifying Canada had an Olympic quota of four women and three...

An Inside Look at the Canadian Olympic Prep Camp

The Canadian Prep Camp in Sovereign Lake and SilverStar, BC prior to the 2022 Beijing Olympics sounds like a nordic skier’s heaven. A two-week ski vacation with 100 kilometres of perfectly groomed snow. A private room above a great coffee shop (pain au chocolate!) and next door to some great beer. January weather just below freezing with enough falling snow to make every day a hardwax day. Two weeks of what locals call superhero snow. A...