Emily Nishikawa and Dahria Beatty are both heading to the 2019 FIS World Nordic Ski Championships in Seefeld, Austria.
In a press release on Jan. 28, Cross Country Canada announced a roster of 10 skiers — five men and five women — who will compete for Canada in the championships from Feb. 19 to March 3.
Joining the Yukoners on the women’s side of things are Olympian Cendrine Browne as well as Katherine Stewart-Jones and Maya MacIsaac-Jones. Stewart-Jones qualified after winning the classic distance race at the trials while MacIsaac-Jones won the sprint race.
On the men’s side, the team will be led by Alex Harvey and fellow Olympians Len Valjas and Russell Kennedy. Rounding out the team are Evan Palmer-Charrette and Scott Hill.
“This strong group of athletes is focused on achieving excellence in Austria, and ultimately delivering season best performances,” said Nic Lemyre, high-performance advisor for Cross Country Canada, in the press release.
Prior to the announcement, Beatty was in Ulricehamn, Sweden, for World Cup racing on Jan. 26.
In the ladies’ 10-kilometre free race, Beatty was the lone Canadian in the field where she placed 56th with a time of 29 minutes and 42.9 seconds.
Top spot went to Norway’s Therese Johaug with a time of 25 minutes and 48.2 seconds. In second place, Norwegian Astrtid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen finished in 26 minutes and 11 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Sweden’s Ebba Andersson with a time of 26 minutes and 13.1 seconds.
In the men’s 15-km free race, Harvey was the top Canadian in ninth place with a time of 35 minutes and 26.8 seconds.
France’s Maurice Manificat was the winner with a time of 34 minutes and 55.4 seconds. Simen Hegstad Krueger and Didrik Toenseth, both from Norway, finished second and third in 34 minutes and 56.5 seconds, and 35 minutes and 4.1 seconds respectively.
Other Canadians in the field included Valjas in 57th and Bob Thompson in 77th.
The world championships start Feb. 19 in Seefeld, Austria, and includes sprint races, skiathlons, team sprints, classic races, relays and mass-start free races.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com