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Coaching Manitoba Bursary
Coaching Manitoba presents bursaries of $500 to four students who have demonstrated a commitment to coaching in Manitoba. Students who are, or will be, enrolled in post-secondary education in the upcoming school term, and are currently coaching for a school, club, or community centre are invited to submit an application. The deadline to submit an application is March 26th.
Manitoba Foundation for Sports Scholarships
The Manitoba Foundation for Sports scholarship program was established to support young athletes of Sport Manitoba partners who continue to participate in amateur sport while pursuing a post secondary education on a full time basis. Scholarships are awarded to graduating high school students entering a post secondary institution, and to students in their second or subsequent year in a post secondary institution. The top applicant in each category will be awarded the Manitoba Foundation for Sports Milt Stegall Scholarship. The deadline to submit an application is April 23rd.
Applications for both of these scholarships are available at http://www.sportmanitoba.ca/scholarships.php.
Skiing Shannondale with Super Dave by Jacquie Crone (posted on March 14, 2010)
http://www.unexpectedmanitoba.com/author/jcrone/ Sunday March 14th
In 2000, I was helping the Manitoba Recreational Trails Association in their mammoth effort to establish a route through Manitoba for the Trans Canada Trail. Our Province’s portion of the Trans Canada Trail is about 1400 kms – that’s right – 1400 kms.
One of the greatest challenges with this really big Trail was, and still is, getting it through our farming belt. You cannot bisect a grain field, you mustn’t tread where livestock tread, and it is imperative to respect private property. The NIMBY syndrome at its best.
So imagine our surprise when along comes “Regular Dave” (he’d not attained “Super” status at this point). He had heard about the Trans Canada Trail, and the idea of a national trail captured his vivid imagination. He was so excited by the concept that he approached the Manitoba Recreational Trails Association and asked them to run the route through his property – a choice location along the Manitoba escarpment.
Here was a farmer I had to meet, and so I did.
My first encounter with Regular Dave was on the edge of a field he’d been harrowing – just west of Morden, Manitoba. When he saw us, (I was travelling with the Executive Director of the MRTA at the time, Rosemary Dzus), he came right over, tractor and all. He dismounted with some difficulty and I noticed his knees were so stiff that he’d lassoed them together for support. After a minute or so of whacking the layers of grit off his overalls (no temperature controlled cab for this guy) out shot his hand, which engulfed mine, in a hearty, bone-crushing handshake. “Hi, I’m Regular Dave.” (Okay, “Hi, I’m Dave Lumgair).
Ten years later, with numerous visits under our belt, I’m off to see Dave again. I’ve got Rosemary with me. It’s like old times, except Dave has a new knee and a new mission.
Now 76 years old, Dave has retired from farming. His energy and fire have not diminished. They have, however, been redirected: “Super Dave” has decided Manitobans should get off their butts and take better care of their health. To that end (pun intended), he has spent the last decade building and maintaining about 20 kms of classic cross-country ski trails and 7 km of skate-ski trails through his property. His motto: “Fresh air is Health Care, help yourself!”
The Shannondale Ski Trails (named after Shannon Creek) wind their way up, down and sideways through the Thornhill coulee. The classic ski trails are rated Gentle – 100’ of elevation to Challenging – a gain of 500’ of elevation. Over 1,000 skiers have visited Shannondale this year alone.
The ideal weather for skiing might have passed, but these perfectly groomed trails still have plenty of snow on them (as of mid-March 2010). There are several choices as to how to descend the 100’ to the bottom of the ravine. Dave kindly directs Rosemary and I to the “easy route”. I found it exhilarating to travel downhill on a gently graded track for an extended amount of time. The scenery is head-turning, which is not advisable when you’re traveling on two sticks! The warm sun has made the snow wet and fast, which is fun on the way down. Going uphill is grueling and there’s no grip, even with gooey klister wax. Unless you’re Dave, who passes us like we’re going backwards (and he hasn’t waxed his skies for 2 weeks).
We’re allowed to stop frequently to catch our breath and that’s when Dave ambushes us. He loves a good joke, but prefers a bad one. He’s a deep thinker and an educator at heart – and he’s more than happy to talk your ear off while explaining his philosophy on life. And he knows the land and the history, even pointing out the spot where “Bruce” was found.
Bruce, of course, is a 13-metre long mosasaur, the fiercest of marine reptiles. Oh, don’t worry - he’s a fossil, and a mere 80 million years old. Bruce is the largest specimen in Canada. The Pembina Hills, which Shannon Creek runs though, is a treasure trove for fossils. In 2 years alone 30 mosasaur and 20 plesiosaur specimens were excavated from the ground. Bruce is housed at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (formerly the Morden and District Museum).
We have a lovely day skiing at Shannondale. There’s plenty of topography – which is as beautiful as it is challenging to ski, but as Dave said, “If you don’t fall, you’re not trying hard enough”. I must have been trying really hard.
If you hurry, you may still get a ski in this year and if you’re REALLY lucky, Super Dave might ski with you . . .
The Boundary Trails Nordic Club supports Shannondale and Burwalde Woods Cross Country Trails. Shannondale Trail is about 1 mile north of the hamlet of Thornhill, which is 5 miles west of Morden, Manitoba.
I can be reached at jacquie.crone@gmail.com or leave a comment. It’d be great to hear from ya.
Winter in Manitoba is ... Bittersweet by Jacquie Crone (posted on March 14, 2010)
http://www.unexpectedmanitoba.com/author/jcrone/ Thursday February 25th
This past Tuesday I woke to Marcy Markusa, CBC Radio’s morning host, cautioning Manitobans about the impending frigid weather for the day: -23°. Add to that the wind chill factor, and – well that’s darn near minus a zillion. Ah, the drama of Manitoba weather.
With such a dire forecast, my inclination was to stay under the covers. Who wouldn’t? But I had a plan and I’d made a sandwich! How much more committed can you get? Plus, my ski pal for the day, Ken, agreed to forfeit a day of watching the Olympic Games on TV – a sacrifice not to be taken lightly.
Our destination was the Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Trails, located south of Bagot, (west of Portage La Prairie), on Hwy. 242 – about 1½ hrs. from Winnipeg. Our strategy was to leave Winnipeg later in the morning with the hope that the heat of the day would be upon us by the time we arrived. Sure enough, by 1:00 p.m. it was a balmy -17°.
Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Trails are unique in the sense that they are located, for the most part, on private property. It has been my experience that landowners, both rural and urban, are leery of ‘outsiders’. I’m sure you’ve heard the acronym NIMBY bandied about – meaning literally: “I support x-y-z, but NOT IN MY BACK YARD”. Yet here we have a collective of 4 or 5 property owners inviting us to share their little bit of heaven nestled along the Assiniboine River Valley.
At one time these ski trails were pasture to Hartley and Margaret Woodward’s golden-brown limousin cattle. I assumed the name “bittersweet” referred to the vine that twists its way around a host tree, (to work its way up to the sun), and then in fall, wows us with its fiery red berries. But I was wrong. Bittersweet was the name of the Woodward’s farm, (although you will see a lot of evidence of the woody vine throughout the forest).
When the cattle farm was in high gear, the Woodwards still made time for a relaxing ski after a hard day of chores. Hartley (this being a different Hartley than the star of last week’s blog) rigged up a homemade trail groomer and kept a few kilometres tracked for his own skiing pleasure. Now retired to a choice 10 acres, (with a view to die for), the Woodwards, and apparently their neighbours the McMasters, Henrys and Deleurmes have gone ballistic on the ski thing. The system has gone from those few kilometres to over 20 km of classic ski trails and 13 km of skate skiing trails.
The Woodwards and McMasters maintain all these trails in preparation for us. What makes “us” so special? I can’t imagine – but I’m grateful. Interestingly, Hartley still uses his original contraption for trail grooming. I bet he’s named it. (The McMasters have invested in a Ginsu groomer). There’s also a ski club supporting their efforts and a donation box passively awaits your contribution. Psst: Ardythe McMaster gave me a “scoop” – my first scoop! Next winter there will be a Nordic Ski Centre at the north parking lot.
I bet you’re itching to know how my ski event went. First off, I was happy that my pal Ken was as proficient at skiing me.
I had downloaded the Bittersweet trail maps from the Manitoba Cross Country Ski Association’s web site, which gave us the length of each trail and the degree of difficulty. I found the Special Hills insert helpful – “Knee Knocker Hill” and the “Holler” were duly noted by my survival instinct.
I don’t want to wax on – or off for that matter, but these trails were spectacular. We stuck to the ‘easy’ routes and edged along the moderate trails as we gained confidence. I doubt we managed more than 10 kms because we kept stopping to ogle our surroundings. The location of these trails is something else. The Assiniboine Valley is demanding in its presence, but ski along its ancient banks, on the meticulously groomed trails, and tell me you’ve not been wowed out of your socks.
As for the creature comforts, there was a biffy for skiers (thank-you from the bottom of my bottom) and warming huts stocked with wood and woodstoves. We sat outside one of them and worked on our tans – because even at temperatures of minus a zillion the sun still asserted its authority.
We didn’t descend the Knee Knocker Hill, but we did have a lot of fun whooshing down the gentle, long runs of the Omega Trail. I had my own Olympic Moment as I owned the moguls.
I mentioned earlier that my friend Ken forfeited watching the Olympic Games on the TV to come on this adventure. Trust him to pull out the iPhone at the Ski Hut and find out that Canadians Moir/Virtue won the gold medal in Ice Dancing. After that news he skied with notable style and form.
So there it is: an unforgettable destination just waiting for you – Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Trails.
Here’s something else to pique your interest. At the beginning of today’s entry is a copy of a painting of the Bittersweet Cross Country Ski Trail. The artist is the groomer of your trails, Don McMaster. Don is a seriously talented artist. His interpretations of prairie landscapes are truly noteworthy. Here’s a link: http://donmcmaster.com/
And if that’s not enough, did I mention we saw 3 snowy owls on the drive out and back?
I’ll stop now as I don’t want you to blow your mind.
Sport Manitoba Awards -- nominations by Suzanne St Onge (posted on February 23, 2010)
Set the stage for your athletes and nominate them for Male or Female Junior Athlete or Junior Team of the Year! If you are proud of your athletes, officials, and volunteers, show them off at Sport Manitoba's Night of Champions on April 14th.
Nominations are being accepted in all categories. The deadline is February 26, 2010. For more info and nomination forms, go to: http://www.sportmanitoba.ca/recognition/sportmbawards.php.
Final report from the Olympics by Amie Mathews (posted on February 21, 2010)
Hey
everyone, I’m sitting in the
It
was awesome seeing the Canadian men dominating near the front. All four Canadian
team men placed in the top 16 and three in the top 10 with Ivan Babikov, the top
Canadian, sitting pretty in 5th. At the last Olympics, this showing
would have been unthinkable, but in the past four years, the skiing program has
advanced enough that this year, Cross Country Canada is calling for a gold medal
for the men’s relay team. Talk about dreaming big and striving to achieve your
goals!!
In
the women’s race, Sara Renner was the big star, placing 10th in the
15km pursuit the day before. This being her last season and one of her last
races of the Olympics, it was pretty exciting for her. Utta, our resident mom on
the trip, put it well by saying that it’s pretty amazing because not only is
she 10 years older than most of the women racing, but she’s had kids and
gotten back into the sport after taking a few years off to start a family. Marit
Bjorgen, the Norwegian powerhouse, threw down another awesome performance and
took the gold again.
Though
I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to while I was at the Olympics. I’d
say it was a pretty spectacular (I’m trying out new words to replace
‘amazing’. I need more adjectives to describe the experience) two weeks. I
learned a lot about myself and my sport and though my schooling probably
suffered a bit- I wrote a midterm while I was there, talk about being
distracted- I would take a not so good mark any day to experience what I did. My
goal here, after a hard season of sickness and frustration, was to be in the
moment, to be part of the Olympics in a way that not many people would be, to
meet new people, and to finish my season off on a positive note. Looking back on
those goals, I’d say I achieved every one of them and more that I hadn’t
noticed I had. I love travelling with people that I don’t know because now
when I go to races, I know one more person and have just a little more fun
reconnecting with people. In a way for me, this trip has been a way to prove to
myself that I can overcome all the adversity that I have been faced with this
year and to move on.
I
had some difficult moments on this trip, but my mom is super good at getting me
back on track, calming my nerves, and reminding me to be in the moment, always.
All the enthusiastic people back home and in Thunder Bay who let me know they
were thinking of me and cheering me on gave me the drive to keep trying my
hardest and not taking a back seat in this experience. Thanks everyone for the
support, you guys made my trip as fulfilling as the actual Olympics part!
And
I know I said this before, but I swear there will be pictures up soon, just let
me get back to reality for a few days.
Thanks for reading.
3rd report from the Olympics by Amie Mathews (posted on February 18, 2010)
Hey guys!! I hope you have all been watching the Olympics lately. It’s been pretty amazing with our athletes pulling out all the stops to land themselves in the medal position in several events. Maelle
Ricker, Madeleine Williams, Jenn Heil, and Marianne St-Gelais are my female Canadian Olympic heroes so far. Madeleine Williams, when asked about her performance in her first Olympic race ever where
she placed 51st, replied by saying that she was at the Olympics so it went great. That response to me is very valuable because even though she didn’t win a medal or have a high ranking, she still took in the
experience, learned from it, and didn’t put so much pressure on herself. She was happy with simply being there and taking in the Olympics.
Jenn Heil, a gold medalist four years ago in Torino, won silver in moguls this week. Though she could not defend her gold this year, she held her head high on the podium and accepted her medal with
a smile on her face. I’ve seen a lot of previous gold medalists on the podium with sour faces because they weren’t able to defend.
Marianne St-Gelais is the short track speed skater who won a silver medal hours ago in the 500m race. Her face when she crossed that line showed her pure joy and happiness with her performance.
On top of that, it was her 23rd (I think) birthday. What an awesome present.
Maelle Ricker is the snowboard cross racer who won Canada’s second gold medal of the games. Watching her heats, I was encouraged by her optimism and lack of self doubt as she faced
competition that should have obliterated her.
A shout out goes to Sara Renner who competed in her last sprint race of her career today, missing out on qualifying for heats by only a few spots but having an amazing race where she passed he
skier in front of her coming into the finishing stretch. Chandra Crawford, forever a role model for me, qualified for quarterfinals, coming back to the sport after a year full of injury. She wrote in her Best Buy
blog how she was just happy to have made it out here and competed this year.
Yesterday was a day of rest for some of us and training for others. I stayed back and did laundry and (tried to do) homework. I had a nice walk through the woods to the Laundromat with a couple
of the guys who also had sweaty and stinky clothing to wash.
Today was a challenging but incredibly exciting day in the sprint races. While forerunning for the qualifiers, I has some bad wax and a fall on the first downhill which left me discouraged and hesitant to
forerun for the heats. The coaches and I both agreed that it would be better to sit this one out as I was not comfortable with the course or my wax enough to ski the course in the way it’s supposed to be
skied. That was difficult for me to accept, since I want to grab at every opportunity to experience the games. I soon forgot about the mishap when the racing got started. It was amazing to watch the skiers
charge the hills and master the downhills. I can’t describe the awe I felt when I watched the women’s and men’s finals with all of their power as they fight it out. I suggest going on
YouTube and looking at some of those finishes. They are breathtaking.
I was so excited while I was out testing wax to find myself skiing up the hill alongside none other than Chandra Crawford as she warmed up. I know it sounds funny to say, but it’s weird to think of
these people as normal people, not superheroes. When you’re out skiing around all of them, seeing them after races, and watching them warm up, you realize that the only thing special about them is their
dedication to the sport and to their dreams. OK and maybe a tiny bit of genetic help along the way.
Another thing to note is that the bronze medalist in the women’s race took a hard fall in training, having to be brought to the hospital before heats because of a concussion. She was carried out from
the finish line after managing to win the bronze. Her determination and drive to reach that medal spot amazed me.
(Editor's note: http://fasterskier.com/2010/02/bjoergen-takes-womens-sprint-gold-as-an-injured-majdic-gets-a-bronze.)
I’m so proud of all the Canadian skiers that rocked out today in this beautiful weather (blue bird day and
+8C, a unique experience in this area, so I’ve learned). I can’t wait for Friday and Saturday’s
races, men’s and women’s pursuit. Tomorrow is going to be a technique day for me. I might as well take advantage of the knowledgeable coaches that are around me and the pristine trails that I can ski on
while I’m here.
Spruce Woods trails by Darryl Hrechkosy (posted on February 17, 2010)
Sunday February 14th
My wife Rosemarie and daughter
Amber, cousin Mike Winkler, and friend Ed Innes departed Winnipeg at about 8:00
AM for Carberry Motor Inn to get
keys for our overnight rooms which we had pre-arranged. Upon arrival around 10:00
AM, we picked up the keys to our rooms and unloaded some gear. So for $56 a night including taxes it is a good deal,
considering the proximity to the Spruce Woods Trails. Also they have a fantastic breakfast
smorg at the hotel every Sunday morning. We didn't partake, but it sure looked delicious and a good way to fuel yourself up before hitting those trails.
Spruce Woods received 10 to 15 centimetres of snow Thursday and Friday accompanied by blowing winds that made for big drifts on the trails, which were not groomed. Roads out to the park were cleared and fine, but the parking lots to the three trail systems were not done until sometime on Tuesday February 16th, because Monday was a Provincial Holiday.
We skied half of Sandhill Stag, half of Sleeping wolf, Chaska and Snowy Owl trails on the Seton Cross Country ski trails. Breaking virgin powder snow, sometimes knee deep, the skiing was slow, but most enjoyable under sunny skies and slight winds, which was a blessing. We proceeded later over to the Yellow Quill ski trails where we skied the Cree trail up to Cabin 2. The trail had been skier-tracked and easier on us. Here we fired up the stove with crappy wood, cooked our supper and did a night ski back to the parking lot. It was a beautiful clear night with a zillion stars winking at us.
Monday February 15th
We drove into Epinette Creek parking lot at about 9:30
AM. Skiers before us had carved a path into the parking lot with their vehicles, meandering around deep snow and drifts. There had been a group of 8 skiers that had skied out to Jackfish Cabin and spent
Sunday night there. They had quite the ski in as the trails had not been tracked since the new snow dump. I may note here the trail systems here have some significant
changes. The trail going out to Cabin 2 used to be the return to the parking lot. There is no longer the route to the Epinette crossing on the South side, where you used
take your skis off and walk down to the Bridge crossing. As far as I can make out, the bridges have been removed, the route is
inaccessible and probably will remain that way for years to come. So if you've never done that route you have missed the most amazing and picturesque crossing in all of Manitoba. New maps put out by Spruce Woods do
reflect these changes. So now both sides of the Tamarack route are on the North side of the creek, and commonly share the bridge crossing on that side that used to be the
Tamarack return. After the bridge the trail splits with ingoing to Cabin 3 being 5
km, and the return being 5.5 km of the Tamarack route. The North and
South Newfoundland routes into Jackfish Cabin are virtually the same except for an alteration on the South route. This route when it reaches the Cabin has
a steep decline down which you must walk, but now it has an alternate route that connects to the North route coming down to the cabin by the gate on top. Here it also recommends
walking down, but it is definitely skiable down if you're adventurous.
We spent Monday night at the Cabin, again under clear skies and a zillion stars out. The loft of the cabin is nice for sleeping, but is like a sauna up there. If you have a smaller group I would suggest sleeping on the 3 benches or on the floor. The South Tamarack and South Newfoundland routes to the cabin had been broken by the previous skiers, which made our ski in easier, again under sunny skies and slight winds.
Tuesday February 16th
We skied back both North routes which had not been broken yet. Cutting virgin powder snow and drifts sometimes knee deep was slow but worth our efforts. Again skiing under sunny skies and slight winds made our ski back most enjoyable. We were delightfully surprised when we reached the parking lot -- it had been cleared. We topped of the trip back to Winnipeg by stopping in Portage la Prairie and going to Boston Pizza, where we thoroughly enjoyed our pizza, pasta, and pitchers of Richards' Red.
Faster than a speeding moose by Alan Besson -- Winnipeg Free Press - C6, February 17 (posted on February 17, 2010)
|
Baird puts training to good use in Pinawa You could have excused Jordan Baird if he had blamed his two third-place finishes at the Western Canadian Cross-Country Ski championships last weekend in Pinawa on the fact there were no bears or moose to push him to faster times. But the fact of the matter is, the 16-year-old Rossburn skier figured he finished right where he should have, considering the two skiers who beat him both trained with the Kimberley, B.C., Nordics, and both finished in the top five at the national championships last year. Baird, who trains mostly alone in Riding Mountain National Park, was third in the junior boys 1,000-metre sprint behind Stefan Sander-Green and Colin Ferrie on Friday. In Saturday's 12-kilometre classic, Ferrie was first and Sander-Green second in front of Baird. During both winter and summer training the Red River Nordic Club member has on more than a few occasions crossed paths with the natural residents of the park, and found himself doing a little tip-toeing around the critters to avoid trouble. "I train where I live near Deep Lake Warden Station in the southwestern corner of the park," said Baird in a telephone interview Monday. "I've had bear encounters while training in the summer. This past year I had a bear charge me when I was biking the trails. She had a cub, but I backed off and she left me alone." The bears, he points out, are not that plentiful during the winter when they hibernate, "but I am especially careful in spring and fall, when the bull moose are in their rut." Baird's father Roger is a warden in the park, and Baird says that he has helped him deal with the wildlife. "I know there are animals out there, and occasionally you are going to meet them. You just try to not get too close, and respect their space. It's their habitat." Still, he says he'd rather come across a bear than a bull moose in the fall. "They can be pretty dangerous," he said. "Also a cow in the spring with a calf. I've had a few encounters with bull moose, but they've always ran away." Baird also finished fifth in the 6-kilometre skate competition, saying that while his sprints and classic were fine, his body had worn down after two days of competition. "In the sprint I was close to as good as I could be," he said, "but in the classic, I felt I could have paced myself a little bit better. "In the skate, it was not a good day, I got fifth. I felt good going out, but it was the third day of racing. About half way in where the hills start, it is more technical, and I felt the two days of racing getting to me." Much of his learning comes from his brother Kieran (19) who skis with Augustana, a branch of the University of Alberta in Camrose. "I feel I have improved a lot in comparison to the other skiers in Manitoba," said Baird. "When he (Kieran) comes home he shows me things he's learned there." The older Baird also competed on the weekend, finishing third in the open men's 1,000 metres and fourth in the open men's 18-km classic. The Grade 11 Rossburn Collegiate student is now looking ahead to the national championships in Whitehorse, March 14-21. |
 Jordan Baird trains mostly on his own in Riding Mountain National Park. |
Another update from the west coast by Amie Mathews (posted on February 15, 2010)
Hey guys, here’s another update from the west coast. I left off telling you about the
4x2.5K Nordic Combined camera test. It went well, with everyone skiing at their own pace, and the course being short and relatively flat course (for Whistler
anyway). The camera crew was happy with our work, so we were given Saturday off. That night, some of the group went into Whistler to watch the opening ceremonies on a big screen in the middle of the village, while the rest of us
stayed back at the Inn and comfied up on the couches to get a warmer view of the ceremonies. As I watched our Olympians come in, I had that usual longing to be
there with them, to experience this through an athlete’s perspective, and to reach that level. As I watched Clara Hughes’ face as she carried our country’s flag, I
could see how proud she was and how happy she was to be there in the moment and with the honour of carrying the flag. It made me so proud to be a Canadian
athlete seeing her there with everything she represents to me and to others through her work with Right To Play.
Saturday was a day to train, relax, sleep, and of course, shop. I had to go up to Whistler Olympic Park to write a
mid-term while the other people skied, and then we all went into Whistler to do a bit of shopping. There was some promising sun in the morning, but in the usual west coast way, the clouds came and the rain
started just as we got into Whistler. If I thought that there were lots of people the last time I was there, I was sorely mistaken. The stores were packed and the
merchandise had already been picked through. Luckily, I was able to snag some cool swag for my family. We spent a couple of hours there, then started on the
trek home, a good two hours worth of waiting for and sitting on buses. I think I know the transit system here better than I do the one in Thunder Bay. Never have I
appreciated my car more than I do when I’m here and can’t use one.
Today is the day we had all been waiting for, the first day of actual forerunning duties. It was for the men’s Nordic
Combined 4x2.5K race. We caught a late bus to WOP and then relaxed or went for a ski until 1:15 when we had our athlete meeting before heading to the stadium. I hadn’t seen the stadium before heading
over and I was amazed once I got there. There were so many people and the cheering was so loud!! As we did our forerunning loop, the spectators cheered us
on. We were to ski in two lines so that the whole course gets skied in and everyone has the same advantage on the trails. As we got back into the stadium, the
cheering got louder as racers started. We got the best seats in the house, in between the lap lane and the finishing lane. We could see the big screen TV and the
whole spread of the stadium. Each time the pack would come through the stadium, the crowd would get louder. After the last racer came through for their final lap,
we were sent out to do our post running lap. Since we didn’t get to see the finish from the stadium, we all stopped part way up the first hill where we could still see
the finishing lane. After the post-running, we went in to eat, shower, and go home. As we were waiting for some people, the whole Canadian National Team came in
and sat two rows back from us. I was so excited. It was the one time I didn’t bring my camera, and it would have been an awesome photo moment!
We’re off to watch Valentines Day at the theatre. Happy skiing!
Diary of an Olympics Forerunner by Amie Mathews (posted on February 10, 2010)
OK, so here's the scoop:
I have to do something to share my experience of the Olympics with everyone I can, so I
thought "why not email everyone on my list since then I can reach way more
people".
I'm a forerunner for Nordic Skiing at the Olympics, along with 13 other skiers from across Canada this week. There is a fresh set of 16 coming in for the 2nd week of the Games. We are the people who ski the course to open it up for the athletes, and close it down after the race.
During the first few days, we have been helping with the testing of the camera equimpment by doing mock races. I got here on Monday afternoon along with Stephanie and Caroline Drolet and Michelle Workun-Hill, all from Quebec. Over the next few days, the others have slowly filtered in, and finally all of us were here in time to do our duties yesterday.
On Monday, we got into the hostel at around 11:00 because of transportation confusion. We had a shuttle bus from Vancouver to Whistler to pick up accreditation, and then had to find our own way from Whistler back to Squamish. It took us a while to find the bus stop, but we ended up finding a guy who was able to help us get to the right bus to Squamish. James Cuningham, the Western Coordinator for Cross Country Canada, and one of our coaches this week, picked us up at the Walmart bus stop, and dragged our sorry butts back to the hostel.
On Tuesday we went up to Whistler and shopped around a bit for some Olympic swag. Pretty much every store has some sort of Olympic line of clothing out right now, so we got some pretty cool stuff.
We take a workforce bus up to Whistler Olympic Park and then a transit bus to the cross country skiing venue, so it’s a long trek up. There are some days where we have to be there at 7:30 AM, which means leaving at 5:30 because of such a long commute. I would normally mind getting up this early, but at the moment, I’m just happy to be there.
Yesterday was the first day of skiing at Whistler Olympic Park, and it was so exciting!!! I was OK with the early morning because once we got up there, there was so much activity going on that it was mind blowing. We have access to pretty much everything at the site that the Olympians do and that means free food, a wax room, an athlete lounge, and of course skiing on the race course.
We got our uniforms Tuesday night, and had a blast trying them on for the first time and trading sizes so that everything fit most people. The jacket and pants are pretty hilarious, but the actual race suit is pretty cool. And, we get to keep our forerunning race bib!
On the course, there were athletes from almost every team out training and testing wax, and everywhere you looked, there were people doing important things for ski teams. We walked right through the wax area for all the teams and saw their countries posted on the doors. Some of my greatest heroes were sitting not twenty feet away from me. The word "amazing" does not even cover what I felt as I walked around amongst these people. In fact, I need a new word.
Our job this week is to test the cameras for the TV crew. We had to ski the 7.5K loop twice yesterday so they could test timing chips and get practice using the cameras on the course. I honestly didn't think I was going to finish. What motivated me to keep going was a particular hill that we skied when Nationals were held here that held a pretty funny memory.
I had to go do the second lap just so I could relive that moment again. The cool thing about racing was that at the starting gate, they have us projected on the megatron screen in the stadium and each of us had an Olympian's name underneath our picture. The announcing crew was having a blast announcing for us because the skier that came in first was named as a person from a team that would not be a contender for a medal at all.
The best part of all this is that we're just hanging around all the athletes and can go up to them and talk to them if they're not busy. It's just so cool to be let into this side of sport.
Today was the TV rehearsal for the 4x5km relay. Instead of skiing the whole 20K together, as was planned originally, we opted to break up into two groups, and each group skied two 5K loops. I for one am okay with only skiing 10K when I know that we have tomorrow’s races as well as 6 days of forerunning with only three rest days throughout. There was heavy snow all day and that means we got to use our harries, skis that are sandpapered on the grip zone and have no actual grip wax on them, just anti-icing chemicals to keep them from freezing at higher elevations on the course. These types of skis are used regularly out here because of the wet, heavy snow. It was my first time using them, and it’s a tad bit different from regular skis since you can’t really ever get perfect grip and you have to be gentler when you push off your ski.
Tomorrow holds the 4x2.5K, and it’s a later start which is good for all of us haggard racers. Saturday is a rest day unless the media crew needs to do more tests, and Sunday is the first day of forerunning when we will be opening and closing for the Nordic combined racers.
Monday is when the cross country races start in earnest and our real job begins. This is the most exciting time of my life right now, and I’m so glad I can share it with as many people as possible! I’m just bursting with excitement and can’t stop smiling.
Here’s an interesting tidbit of information: There are spy cameras in the air over the venues hooked up to balloons and they just float around. There are snipers in the bush every 200m on the race course dressed in white. One wrong move and I'm dead.
Pass this on to as many people as you can and keep the Olympic spirit alive!
Editor's note: Scroll down to September 25th to find out why Amie is at the Olympics.
Car break-ins at Birds Hill Park by MH (posted on January 25, 2010)
While I was walking the Cedar Bog Trail this morning, my car window was smashed while parked in the Cedar Bog parking lot. I know vandalism in the park has been an on-going problem, but in talking with the RCMP, they say that the problem has highly escalated since the summer and is now a major concern (in fact they were patrolling the park when I contacted them). They asked me about descriptions of the cars that were in the parking lot when I arrived, but I regrettably could not provide that information. The RCMP suggested that individuals may be in the parking lot areas watching for cars to arrive, and then knowing that if people are walking/skiing/cycling or whatever, they will be gone for at least 30 minutes so the vandals have enough time to break into the cars. I did not have any valuables in my car, and I don't think anything was stolen, but I am nevertheless out for the deductible and the time hassle of getting the window repaired and the awful feeling of having been invaded.
Whenever you are in the park, please be vigilant and look at the cars in the parking lot, especially if there is someone sitting in a car. The RCMP said they will very much appreciate any clues/help we can give them. License plate numbers or descriptions of suspicious vehicles is what they need. The RCMP need our help to eliminate this problem.
MH
Windsor Park trails have been shoveled (posted on January 20, 2010)
Seven hearty souls braved the beautiful night sky
above Windsor Park on Tuesday (January 19th) evening to shovel snow for 2.25
hours. They were Andy Dwilow, Laurie Penton, Wayne Oike, Groomer Jim, Alan
Adamson, John Anthony, and Rob Kirchmann.
They added significant amounts of snow to the hill that runs onto the stone
bridge, the trail leading toward the pimple hill, the downhill on the pimple, as
well as the first corner on the second river trail after the black diamond.
Hopefully this holds us over for awhile.
Coaching Manitoba Excellence Awards (posted on January 8, 2010)
The Coaching Manitoba Excellence Awards, presented by Manitoba Lotteries, recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements and significant contributions coaches have made to their athletes and their sport through coaching. The selection of recipients is based on their unique contribution to sport through the continued development of their athletes. For more information, and to nominate a coach, please click here. The nomination deadline is Friday February 5th.
Sandra Kirby has been selected as an Olympic Torchbearer (updated on December 5, 2009)
CCSAM High Performance Director Sandra Kirby, a former Olympic rower who participated in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, has been selected as an Olympic Torchbearer.
Pre-event UofWinnipeg news story
Post-event UofWinnipeg news story
Congratulations Sandi!
Bittersweet Open House by Ardythe McMaster (posted on November 16, 2009)
When: Sunday December 6th from
noon until 3:00 PM
Where: Bittersweet Trails --
at the new north trailhead / parking lot. Drive just past the old north
parking lot on Assiniboine Hills Trail, about 1 1/2 miles west of Hwy #242.
Watch for the Bittersweet sign!
What: Meet some skiers willing to advise re newer equipment options. Meet
skiers willing to give a lesson or two, classic or skate. Walk or ski the
trails. Select a beautiful Club crest for your jacket. Enjoy hotdogs and
refreshments on the deck. Purchase a Bittersweet club membership for the
season.
Snow or no snow, we welcome you to Bittersweet at our new trailhead.
CANSI Fall 2009 newsletter: Chris McCubbins Inner City Schools Ski Program story (posted on November 13, 2009)
The Fall 2009 issue of XCitation, the Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors newsletter, contains a story written by Jeff Hampshire about the Chris McCubbins Inner City Schools Ski Program.
The story (PDF)
Cross Country Canada's Living History Project by Jean Bristow, Cross Country Canada (posted on October 29, 2009)
We want to reconnect with as many people as possible who have been involved at one time or another with Cross Country Canada, going back as many years as possible.
Have you ever been a member of the
National Ski Team?
Were you on the CCC Board of Directors at any time?
Were you the chair or a member of a national committee?
If the answer is yes to any of those questions, or if you know someone who could answer yes to those questions, read on!
CCC wants to forge a stronger link to its past, so that we can build a strong bridge to the future.
For more information please go to https://www.zone4.ca/register.asp?id=596
Jean Bristow, Chair of Clubs and Membership Committee, CCC
Cross Country Canada's Student Athlete Leadership Grant program (posted on October 1, 2009)
Info (PDF)
Amie Mathews has been selected as an Olympic Forerunner (posted on September 25, 2009)
As part of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, 27 athletes are required as official Olympic Forerunners.
Amie Mathews of Kenora Nordic Trails has been selected to represent Manitoba as an Olympic Forerunner. Congratulations Amie!
http://www.cccski.com/main.asp?cmd=doc&ID=5735&lan=0
Princess Royal Pan Am Scholarship (posted on September 22, 2009)
Sport Manitoba is offering student athletes in Manitoba the opportunity to apply for the Princess Royal Pan Am Scholarship. This endowment fund provides financial support for Manitoba's high performance athletes in their pursuit of excellence at the national and international levels of competition while serving as a tribute to commemorate the Manitoba visit of Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal in 1999. The Princess Royal Pan Am Scholarship awards two scholarships per year valued up to $3,000 each to one male and one female high performance athlete enrolled in a post secondary institution in Manitoba.
For a copy of the application form click here. The deadline for application for the 2009-2010 scholarship is November 2, 2009.
Chris McCubbins has passed away (updated with obituary and donations on Aug 25th, posted on Aug 21, 2009)
The staff and Board of Directors of CCSAM, along with the CCSAM community of cross country skiers, is saddened to learn that Chris McCubbins passed away today after a six month battle with leukemia. Our condolences go out to his wife Susan Jacobsen, his family, and his many very close friends.
On August 18, 2009, CCSAM's Inner City Kids' Ski Program was renamed the Chris McCubbins Inner City Schools Ski Program, and our Great Get Off Your Butt and Ski event was renamed the Great Get Off Your Butt and Ski in honour of Chris McCubbins.
Leah Kirchmann wins gold at the Canada Summer Games by Rob Kirchmann (posted on Aug 22, 2008)
|
Leah Kirchmann won Gold in the cycling criterium race yesterday at the Canada Summer Games in downtown Summerside PEI. Her teammate Karlee Gendron won Silver. A big crowd was on hand to watch the event, and there was lots of cheering for the Manitoba girls. No one wanted the Quebec riders to win; sorry Quebec, but you have enough medals at these games already. The entire Manitoba team worked together to get Leah and Karlee in the best positions to go for the sprints when they had to. The event was a points race where the competitors had to sprint for a 1 to 4 position to get points every five laps. They did a 30km race, and the loops were ~1km in length. Leah and Karlee also managed to have excellent finishes, which added to their overall points, to win the race. Leah finished the race first across the line, just ahead of the other competitors. On Thursday in the road race, Leah came in fourth and just lost by inches. The Gold in the criterium race was a nice way for Leah to finish off her Canada Games experience. |
 |
Racing Rocks!: "All Aboard the Medal Express!!!"(posted on Aug 21, 2009)
Racing Rocks! is a program of Cross Country Canada.
"All Aboard the Medal Express!!!" is a special promotional initiative for clubs. All the info is at http://cccski.com/main.asp?cmd=doc&ID=4580&lan=0.
Hans Eysel is moving back to Germany (posted on Aug 6, 2009)
19 years after arriving in Canada from Heidelberg, Hans Eysel and his wife Sigrun are moving back to Germany on August 8th. Hans spent his first couple of years in Canada at the National Research Council in Ottawa and University of Alberta in Edmonton before making Winnipeg his home and becoming a part of the CCSAM community.
Hans skied (and ran marathons) at a very high level in Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. As a Masters 7 and Masters 8 racer in the 1990s in Manitoba, he also enjoyed significant success, including medaling at both the Worlds Masters Championships at Thunder Bay in 1996 and at Lake Placid in 1998. Many CCSAM Masters fondly remember skiing with him and competing against him.
For the past few years, Hans & Sigrun have split their time between their property just south of Birds Hill Park and their condo in the southwestern German city of Freiburg im Breisgau (on the edge of the Black Forest, only 30K from Feldberg Mountain at 1493 metres).
The Cross Country Ski Association of Manitoba and all Hans' friends in the cross country skiing community wish him many years of good health and active living in Germany.
Brad Loewen has been selected to Team Vancouver 2010 (posted on June 22 , 2009)
Brad Loewen, Red River Ski Patrol member (and former Ski Patrol rep on the CCSAM Board of Directors), has been selected as a volunteer at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver/Whistler.
Brad is a professional engineer who has extensive professional and volunteer experience as a First Responder, and also as a fire protection and injury prevention officer. He will be working at the Whistler and Callaghan Valley skiing venues.
Congratulations Brad, and best wishes for an enjoyable experience!
Fast and Female Seeks Partner Clubs to Expand Programming (posted on July 13, 2009)
Media Release (PDF).
Event Application form (PDF).
Nicole Dubois receives a Manitoba Foundation for Sports Scholarship (posted on July 5, 2009)
Sport
Manitoba's news story
2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games -- forerunner selection by Lisa Patterson, CCC (posted on July 5, 2009)
We have finalized and posted the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games forerunners selection information to the CCC website:
Sport Manitoba's Sport For Life Centre (posted on July 5, 2009)
GD6 Leukemia Ward 5K Run (or walk) for Chris McCubbins (updated on June 5th, posted on May 7, 2009)
From Chris McCubbins
Date: Wednesday June 3rd, 09:11 PM
This evening we went to Assiniboine Park to watch the Run/Walk for GD6. We would like to thank all the people who participated in it. I would especially like to thank Karl
Sproll and Sheldon Reynolds who got the ball rolling, and all those who supported their efforts and were out there volunteering. It was a beautiful evening and a great turn out.
(Note: ~400 people)
---------------------------------------------------------------
As you may know, Chris McCubbins has been battling leukemia for the past few months. He was in remission, but it has returned. He was admitted to the HSC GD6 Leukemia Ward this morning. He'll be there for the remainder of his treatment, which may include a bone marrow transplant, and it could be a while.
Some of Chris' good friends have organized a fundraising run to support an upgrade to the Acute Leukemia Blood Marrow Transplant Oncology Unit at the HSC GD6 Leukemia Ward.
The event is planned for June 3 at Assiniboine Park: www.athleticsmanitoba.com/hsc-foundation-gd6-leukemia-ward-5km-race-walk-for-chis-mccubbins
Online registration: www.eventsonline.ca/events/gd6_funrun
Hopefully you can support this event by doing any or all of the following:
- Take part in the event.
- Make a donation (charitable receipts issued by HSC Foundation).
- Contribute or find items for the silent auction.
- Spread the word to others about this event.
Chris has always been an inspiration to those around him in all his endeavours. This latest path on his journey is no different.
Chris
McCubbins' bio
If you have items for the silent auction, or if you have other questions about the event, please contact Karl Sproll at 488-7917 or
karl.sproll@alitra.com.
Friends of Birds Hill Park newsletter (posted on May 8, 2009)
Their website (click on News in the left-side menu)
Amie Mathews receives a Women to Watch grant (posted on April 1, 2009)
Amie Mathews recently received a Women to Watch grant from Sport Manitoba.
Women to Watch is a monthly grant program designed to assist young girls and women to further their involvement in sport. Each month a $500 sport grant is awarded to a female athlete, female team, female official, female volunteer, or female coach who meets the criteria. The funds for this grant are split equally between the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) and Sport Manitoba / Coaching Manitoba. Therefore each applicant must get an endorsement from their PSO (CCSAM).
Applications can be obtained from the downloads section of the Sport Manitoba website at www.sportmanitoba.ca.
Please also see Sport Manitoba's Women In Sport page page.
Wildwood Ski Trails: A banner year for skiing and donations by Harvey Peltz (posted on March 31, 2009)
A big thanks to all skiers and walkers who enjoyed our trails and contributed to personal fitness and the trail grooming. While many local
skiers in the Wildwood Community Centre's catchment area contribute through the annual fall canvass, we are heartened to see the tremendous response
from those outside of that area. Twenty six donours from beyond Wildwood and nine from within made tax deductible donations as of the end of March.
To date, $1410 has been raised to help offset the cost of grooming. For those who picked up an information envelope, we are still accepting all
donations, and your tax receipts will be sent in early 2010.
Thanks, also, to Bob Stewart and Barrie Webster for handling signage.
See you on the trails, next year.
Boundary Trails Nordic Club Distance Challenge by Phil Froese (posted on March 10, 2009)
Results by name (PDF)
Results by age (PDF)
Ski Day at Shannondale raises over $1000 by David Lumgair (posted on February 23, 2009)
We are truly pleased that more than 70 skiers registered and enjoyed our ski trails.
Donna and I could not do this event without many volunteers helping us, that is for sure. Volunteers helped cut wood, groom trails, cook, serve food, write receipts, and register skiers. And Mother Nature provided the terrain and the snow.
We enjoyed eating home made lunch: bread, chili, soup, and carrot cake, with coffee most of the afternoon.
Dennis Wood, friend and neighbour, made music and sang songs most of the afternoon.
This event raised over $1,000 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba! "Healthy Hearts Helping" seems to be an adequate description of the fundraising part of the event.
Encouraging others to do skiing or any other physical outdoor sports to extend your
"Best Before Date" catches people's sense of humour, and speaks an
affirmative thought about being fit and healthy.
Thanks to everyone who came to ski. We hope you enjoyed your day.
CBC-TV Living Winnipeg at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre (posted on February 20, 2009)
CCSAM Executive Director Karin McSherry teaches Living Winnipeg host Mary McCown how to cross country ski at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre.
Karin's performance is excellent, and the segment comes across very well.
Club Volunteers of the Month: Paul Chambers & Sue Appleyard of Whiteshell Cross Country Ski Club, Pinawa Manitoba (posted on February 19, 2009)
Cross Country Connections, February 2009 (PDF -- 1MB)
2009 Nordic World Cups at Vancouver-Whistler Olympic Park (Callaghan Valley) (posted on January 15, 2009)
The FIS Nordic World Cup circuit returns to Canada from January 16th to 18th.
Ski club seeks to save Sandilands --Winnipeg Free Press story (posted on January 15, 2009)
Click here (PDF).
Whiteshell CC Ski Club -- Racers & Pacers on Thursday evenings by Carol Randall, WCCSC (posted on January 7, 2009)
We are running our time trials from the Pinawa Club (the same location as the Manitoba Loppet) with an interval start. The race starts and ends at the club house with two laps of a very fast 1.2K course. All CCSAM skiers are more than welcome to race and/or ski with us.
Racers
& Pacers details (PDF)
Racers
& Pacers news
(PDF)
Carter skis to first in sprints (posted on December 15, 2008)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/amateur/carter_skis_to_first_in_sprints.htmlMurray Carter and his wife Catherine were supposed to be in Tasmania basking in 30-degree temperatures Saturday. Instead, they opted for minus-19, as Carter skied to first place ahead of Joel Peltz and Mackenzie Cook in the men's open category at the Manitoba Cross Country Ski Association Provincial Sprint Championships at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre. Carter also won the senior men's division in front of William Bell.
Marlene Boersch finished ahead of Nicole Dubois and Danielle Papin in the open women's category. Boersch also won the masters 1 event ahead of Papin and Sandra Kirby.
Carter and Catherine are both Winnipeggers, but living in Sydney, Australia, while she studies to be a chiropractor, and he a teacher. Catherine has dual citizenship status as her mother is Australian. For the both of them, the Windsor Park Nordic Centre has sentimental and romantic memories.
"We got married here last Jan. 26," said Carter, 26, who skied Saturday under the Prairie Star Club banner. "One of the reasons we wanted to get married here was that the first time I ever talked with Catherine (née Page), she was studying by the window on a clear day. The first time we were together was in here. So, we decided to get married here."
With the exception of his father, their arrival here was a total surprise. "We were supposed to be in Tasmania," chuckled Carter. "We had all intentions of going there. She had just finished exams, and we were just sitting at home, so I called my dad and asked, is it crazy for us to go home?, and he said, 'no, come home.' "
Another Sandilands update (updated on November 28, 2008)
Click here
to go to the Sandilands Ski Club website.
On the menu on the left side, click Save The Forest to learn how
you can help to ensure the long-term sustainability of cross country skiing in
the Sandilands Provincial Forest.
Also see "Sandilands update" dated October 25th, below.
Cross Country Canada's Sea to Sea to Sea program by Andrea Dupont, CCC (posted on November 27, 2008)
Cross Country Canada is launching Year 2 of its Sea to Sea to Sea program. This program is designed to bring the Olympic spirit to clubs across our country leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Participants make teams within their clubs and earn prizes for kilometers they ski during the ski season. They also have a chance to win a trip to the Vancouver Olympics to watch five of the cross country events.
Complete information (PDF)
Club Development Grant recipients and Club Coach Grant recipients (posted on November 4, 2008)
Congratulations to the following clubs that have been chosen by the CCSAM
Board of Directors to receive Club Coach & Club Development grants for the
2008-2009 season:
Club Development Grant recipients
Birch Mountain Sports: $500 - towards the purchase of a quad for ongoing trail maintenance.
Bittersweet Ski Club: $500 - towards the purchase of materials to construct a new bridge necessary to their trail system.
Boundary Trails Nordic Club: $500 - towards a brush mower for trail maintenance and wax supplies for their junior skiers
Charleswood Ski Club: $500 - to offset the expense of their annual "Get Ready to Ski" & "Hill & Skill" days.
Kenora Nordic Trails Association: $500 - towards the purchase of dryland training equipment for their racing members (Juniors to Masters)
Red River Nordic Ski Club: $500 - to offset the expense of their team's Lappe Invitational race trip.
Sandilands Ski Club: $500 - to offset the cost of major trail renovations after last summer's devastating forest fire.
Club Coach Grant recipients
Boundary Trails Nordic Club: $500
Kenora Nordic Trails Association: $2000
Red River Nordic Ski Club: $2000
The 1st 75% of the Club Coach grants will be remitted immediately. The remaining 25% will be remitted only after the submission of a post event report
(see page 8 in the Club Funding Programs booklet).
The deadline for grant applications is September 15th annually. Please consider preparing your 2009 applications over this winter so you don't miss the
deadline.
Cross Country Canada's High Performance Coordinator visits Red River Nordic (posted on November 4, 2008)
Click here.
Sandilands update by Kevin Miller (updated on October 25, 2008)
Please see the Sandilands forest fire item from this past May.
The Sandilands Ski Club met with Manitoba Conservation on Friday October 24th to discuss the current status of the forest in the area of the ski trails, and what is needed to make the upcoming skiing season as good as possible.
Manitoba Conservation says:
The Sandilands Ski Club plans to refurbish the existing trails as much as possible for use this winter.
The club plans to scout new trail options (possibly on Saturday November 1st).
The warm-up hut (with stove) and outhouse at the junction of the Green/Black/Yellow trails was destroyed in the fire. A new warm-up shack with a stove will likely be built. The stove will need to be purchased. There are also trail signs that should be replaced. Hunting season starts on November 11th.
CCSAM has awarded the Sandilands Ski Club a Club Development Grant. If the club needs volunteer labour to help construct the structures, CCSAM will solicit help via an E-mail Contact List message. Another way that skiers can help is by becoming a Sandilands Ski Club member in 2008-2009.
The Charleswood Ski Club has also indicated that they'd like to help the Sandilands Ski Club with fundraising and volunteer labour.
The Sandilands Ski Club plans to hold the Landmark Feeds Sandilands Classic on Saturday February 7th.Beckie Scott in Winnipeg (posted on October 6, 2008)
Saturday October 4th was CCSAM's 2008 High Performance
Fall Camp, but
it was also Beckie Scott
Day.
Beckie was in Winnipeg as part of the Canadian Pacific Spirit Train
that afternoon, but she also made an unexpected appearance at the camp in the morning.
Beckie spoke to the group of 29 athletes, 11 parents, and
coaches; she encouraged
them and indicated that the types of tests being conducted at the camp
are a necessary part of the athlete development process. Beckie also participated in the team building exercises,
much to the enjoyment of the athletes.
CCSAM High Performance athlete Amie Mathews
says she was
encouraged when Beckie said: "There's no secret. You just need to have the courage to
believe in your dreams and take steps every day towards them". When
Beckie stood on the track and joined in the games, she looked like any other person,
so it was possible for Amie to connect that with Beckie's hard work that
resulted in great achievements. So Amie thought: "I can work hard.
I have a dream."
In the evening, 70 members of the CCSAM community, including the Fall
Camp athletes and their parents and coaches, attended a meal with
Beckie at Sport Manitoba. Beckie played a short video that chronicled her
Olympics and Nordic World Cup achievements,
talked about her life as an elite cross country skier, and
answered questions from the audience.
Please support the Canadian Amateur Sports Network by Chris Rudge, Canadian Olympic Committee (posted on June 6, 2008)
The Canadian Olympic Committee submitted applications to the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Committee for two television
broadcast licenses dedicated to the coverage of Canadian amateur athletes: Canadian Amateur Sports Network (CASN) and Le Reseau du sport
amateur canadien (RSAC).
www.casn-rsac.ca
We submitted our applications to the CRTC in December 2007 and are awaiting notification of a date for our hearings.
I anticipate that the hearings will be scheduled for this fall.
It is imperative that we continue to build on the groundswell of support we already have received for CASN and RSAC in order to keep our
applications front of mind with the amateur sports community across Canada. The support generated with your assistance will offer proof
to the CRTC of the need for increased television coverage of amateur sport.
To this end, we kindly ask you and your Federation to continue in your efforts to encourage your members to support this COC initiative.
Attached to this email is a draft of a communiqué, in both English and French that I ask you to send as an email “burst” to your
members over your signature. Please feel free to personalize the attached messages as appropriate.
Could I ask that you please notify Steve Keogh (skeogh@olympic.ca), our Director, Communications, once you have sent out this email
burst to your membership?
I am making this request of all COC Federations and look forward to everyone’s enthusiastic response.
We are fighting a battle that we must win and can
only do so if our collective voice is heard by the CRTC loud and clear.
Thank you.
Leah Kirchmann receives a Manitoba Foundation for Sports Scholarship (posted on July 2, 2008)
Sport
Manitoba's media release (PDF)
Leah Kirchmann is selected to the Canadian team for the Cycling Junior World Championships (updated on July 7, 2008)
July 12th to 20th in Cape Town, South Aftrica.
Here's the website for the event:
www.juniorworlds.co.za/home/view.php
Here's the UCI's Junior World Championships website:
www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI1/layout.asp?MenuId=MTU0NDU
Leah was selected after earning two bronze medals (15K time trial and 85K road
race) at the Canadian Junior Road Championships near Quebec City this past weekend.
There will be up to 1700 competitors from 50 different countries competing.
SkiFaster.net has an article on their website with some pictures of Leah
when she was at the Road National Championships in Quebec last week:
www.skifaster.net/article.asp?DocumentID=2237.
Leah Kirchmann is selected to the Canadian team for the World Mountain Bike Championships (posted on June 6, 2008)
June 17th to 22nd in Val Di Sole,
Italy. She leaves on June 13th and races on the 18th.
Here's the announcement:
www.pedalmag.com/index.php?module=Section&action=viewdetail&item_id=13567
Here's the website for the event: www.mtbvaldisole2008.it/default.aspx?IDL=2
Congratulations Leah!
Sandilands forest fire by Kevin Miller (posted on May 26, 2008)
I've asked a few Sandilands Ski Club members about the trails.
Here is one reply:
I just talked to xxxxxx. He was out there on Sunday. He said the fire burned all the way up to and into the Black Trail
(the Black Trail is totally burned), the edge of the Green Trail (southeast side), the warm up shack and outhouses are
leveled on that corner, the Blue Trail near the parking lot and that's all he was able to see. He said as he was walking around
checking things out
he could hear trees crashing down all around in the forest, so he didn't want to venture too far in. He also said the fire was still
burning a little in a few places.
www.sandilands.ca/maps.htm
June 18th update: See www.sandilands.ca
Lindsay Gauld -- Happy 60th Birthday (posted on May 13, 2008)
Click here.
2008-2009 Callaghan Valley Training Center team -- Leah Kirchmann (posted on May 6, 2008)
Leah Kirchmann has been selected to Cross Country Canada's 2008-2009 Callaghan Valley Training Center team. Callaghan Valley is very close to Whistler, and it's the venue for cross country skiing at the 2010 Olympics. Leah plans to attend Quest University in nearby Squamish while training with the team. Congratulations Leah!
Nicole Dubois receives a Women to Watch grant (posted on April 21, 2008)
Nicole Dubois recently received a Women to Watch grant from Sport Manitoba.
Women to Watch is a monthly grant program designed to assist young girls and women to further their involvement in sport. Each month a $500 sport grant is awarded to a female athlete, female team, female official, female volunteer, or female coach who meets the criteria. The funds for this grant are split equally between the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) and Sport Manitoba / Coaching Manitoba. Therefore each applicant must get an endorsement from their PSO (CCSAM).
Applications can be obtained from the downloads section of the Sport Manitoba website at www.sportmanitoba.ca.
Please also see Sport Manitoba's Women In Sport page.
This page was last updated on