Notes, quotes, photos and even a video of several of the North Americans you've been waiting to hear from at the Ski Tour Canada.
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Norway’s Emil Iversen Stuns for First Distance World Cup Win; Harvey 9th in Montreal
Jason AlbertMarch 2, 2016
Norway keeps them coming. Norwegian young gun Emil Iversen took Stage 2 of the Ski Tour Canada, the men's 17.5 k classic mass start in Montreal, ahead of an all-star cast, including teammate Petter Northug, Russia's Sergey Ustiugov, and another Norwegian, Martin Johnsrud Sundby. Canada's Alex Harvey skied up to ninth for sixth overall in the Tour.
Third in Gatineau Sprint, Hamilton Just Hundredths of a Second Out of First
Jason AlbertMarch 1, 2016
On a 1.7-kilometer technical course with hustling and jostling, U.S. sprinter Simi Hamilton proved he had the tactics and the lungs to ski with the world's best on Tuesday. He placed third in the Ski Tour Canada's opening skate sprint, 0.09 seconds behind Russia's Sergey Ustiugov in first and 0.01 behind France's Richard Jouve in second.
With fewer than two weeks remaining until the Ski Tour Canada visits Gatineau, Montreal, Quebec City, and Canmore from March 1-12, we spent some time breaking down the provisional North American picks and estimated costs for Canadian nation's group skiers at the season-ending World Cups.
Eastern Canadian Champs Recap: Somppi, Shields, Beatty, and Browne Top Podium
Gabby NaranjaFebruary 11, 2016
Eastern Canadian Championships drew nearly 800 racers in a FIS points race leading up to the Ski Tour Canada, and on the second and third days of racing last weekend, several top racers traded spots atop the podium. Michael Somppi handed Kevin Sandau his first distance loss, and Andy Shields won the classic mass start.
Norwegian Men Hold Off Russia in Nove Mesto Relay; U.S. and Canada Land in Top 10
Kaitlyn PattersonJanuary 24, 2016
The Norwegians built up what turned out to be an insurmountable lead, despite Russia coming within 6 seconds of them at the finish, to win the men's Nove Mesto World Cup relay on Sunday. The U.S. and Canada skied together throughout the race to place eighth and ninth, respectively.
Manificat Gets Elusive Win, Tops Sundby in Nove Mesto 15 k Skate; Harvey Seventh
Jason AlbertJanuary 23, 2016
Maurice Manificat has been waiting for this win all season despite being on the podium twice in the last two months. On Saturday, he beat Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby for his first World Cup victory since 2013. For Sundby, it was a small speed bump on his way to seize control of the 2015/2016 World Cup overall.
Sargent and Caldwell Fifth for U.S. in Planica Team Sprint; Newell and Hamilton DQed
Kaitlyn PattersonJanuary 17, 2016
In their first team sprint together, Americans Ida Sargent and Sophie Caldwell placed fifth on Sunday, while the U.S. men's team of Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton missed an early tag and ended up being disqualified in the final. “It was disappointing for sure, but it was a good call by the jury," U.S. head coach Chris Grover said.
Valjas 5/100ths of a Second from Qualifying; MacIsaac-Jones Also 31st, Beatty 32nd for Canada
Alex KochonJanuary 16, 2016
Three Canadians missed the heats by slim margins on Saturday, with Len Valjas placing 31st for the third time in a World Cup skate sprint this season and Maya MacIsaac-Jones finishing 31st in the women's race, followed by Dahria Beatty in 32nd. “It’s a great start, it’s exciting and that’s why we have them over [there],” head coach Justin Wadsworth says.
Born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Dahria Beatty of the Alberta World Cup Academy recently packed her bags for the second period of World Cup races in Europe and is ready to represent Canada on the U25 B-Tour.
The Sovereign Lake NorAm wrapped up on Sunday with the women's 10 k and men's 15 k freestyle distance races. Both race winners, Dahria Beatty and Kevin Sandau said it was a good way to end 2015.
MacIsaac-Jones Wins First Career NorAm; Shields Tops Sovereign Men’s Sprint
Gerry FursethDecember 13, 2015
The NorAm youth movement continued into the second weekend of the Canadian domestic series on Saturday at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, with three new athletes reaching the podium in the freestyle sprints.
The NorAm opened with three races in four days in Canmore, Alberta, with two distance races on short loops -- one of which the men double poled. Kevin Sandau won the first two men's races, and another Alberta World Cup Academy skier, Dahria Beatty won the women's skate mass start and classic sprint on days 2 and 3.
Logan Hanneman, 22, pulled off an upset at West Yellowstone for his first SuperTour victory in the first race of the season, beating his older brother Reese Hanneman and defending sprint national champion Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess in Friday's skate sprint.
Cross Country Canada announced its national-team nominations Tuesday with little change to the World Cup and Development rosters. The 2015/2016 Senior National Team will feature 12 athletes ranging from the World Cup to U23 Development Teams.
Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (Rocky Mountain Racers) didn't have a great start, but she held off a charging Russian to finish 12th in the 15 k skiathlon at U23 World Championships. She believes she accomplished something else, too: potentially earning a place on Canada's team to senior World Championships in Falun.
Three Americans Land Top 20s in U23 Worlds 15 k: Patterson 13th, Caldwell 15th and Bratrud 19th
Alex KochonFebruary 5, 2015
With several men on the U.S. team aiming for top-15 results or better on Thursday, two of them did so and three finished in the top 20. "This male U23 group is the future of US Skiing and it is a blessing just to be a part of it," Northern Michigan senior Kyle Bratrud stated.
Ben Saxton (SMS T2/U.S. Ski Team) skied to an impressive sixth-place to earn the top North American result of the classic sprint at the U23 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Canada's Dahria Beatty was the top North American woman in 20th.
With the second weekend of NorAm racing taking place Friday and Saturday at Sovereign Lake, here's a look at who could be some of the top contenders on a regular basis throughout the season, and who could potentially earn race starts in Europe.
‘Coach Pav’ Returning to Yukon to Pursue Coaching Dreams, Resigns as Ontario Head Coach
Ezekiel WilliamsMay 19, 2014
If you're familiar with Canada's junior-racing scene, you've probably heard of Coach Pav. After three years as Ontario Ski Team head coach, Pavlina Sudrich is moving back to the Yukon to work with a couple U23 athletes and continue her coaching education.