Foothills’ own, Anna Pryce, Joe Davies, Xavier McKeever, and Tom Stephen arrived in Finland on February 4, 2021, for the 2021 FIS Junior World Ski Championships.  These amazing FNSC athletes and FNSC coaches have stayed at the top of their game despite the unprecedented challenges of the season.  It goes without saying it has been a tough year to stay motivated with so much uncertainty.  

In December, Nordiq Canada announced its FIS World Cup, U23, and World Junior Championship athletes.  Nordiq Canada is fortunate to have taken a 20 person team to the U20 and U23 FIS Cross Country World Championship in Vuokatti Finland.   There are 10 U20’s and 10 U23’s, five women and five men per category. Canada hopes to secure quota spots for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Foothills is developing world-class skiers. This would not be possible without the tireless work of the FNSC coaches.  For 10 years, Eric Groenveld, along with his team of coaches, have coached these kids to excellence.  Last year, McKeever and Stephen from Foothills, along with teammates Oliver Leveille and Remi Drolet won its first-ever medal in a relay at the 2020 World Junior Championships, in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.  All eyes will be on Canada’s U20 relay as they join the US team who wear bib #1 and Canada will wear bib#2!  They beat all of the Scandinavian countries last year!  This is a BIG DEAL!

The event will be held without spectators but will be live-streamed on social media.  Cheer on Team Canada (and Foothills) virtually at the Junior World Ski Championships in Finland. Here is the link to the FIS Nordic Junior and U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships 2021 Facebook page.  For keen xc racing enthusiasts, other sources of photos can be found on Instagram following @dailyskier or @jwsc2021 @vuokattisport or listening to the Devon Kershaw podcast after the races are complete.