Brittany Hudak

About

Date of birth:
June 2, 1993
Place of birth:
Prince Albert, SK
Hometown:
Prince Albert, SK
Club:
Rocky Mountain Racers Ski Club
Coach:
Brian McKeever
Wax Technician:
Ian Daffern, Bruce Johnson, Laurent Roux
Years on Senior National Team:  9
Personal sponsors:
Canadian Tire, City of Prince Albert, Norda, Hornby Organic
Equipment:

Skis: Fischer
Poles: Leki
Boots/Bindings: Fischer

 

Background

National Ski Team Background:

A three-time Paralympian, Brittany was part of Canada’s record-setting Para-Nordic Team that captured 16 medals at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games where she celebrated a bronze herself in the 12.5 kilometre biathlon event, and 14 medals at the 2022 Paralympics where she added two more bronze medals.

Brittany’s bronze-medal breakthrough in 2018 was the ultimate display of teamwork. In contention for the medals heading into the final lap but running out of gas, Brittany’s teammate Emily Young helped propel her around the final loop to the podium. Brittany emerged into one of the new leaders in Canada’s Para-Nordic program in 2022 where she was regularly standing on the international podium.

In her IPC World Cup debut in December 2013 at Canmore, Hudak was the top Canadian, placing fourth in the five-kilometre women’s standing race which qualified her for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games. The Prince Albert, Sask., resident had been competing domestically for only a year. She was just off the pace of Russian gold medallist Alena Kaufman.

She continued to maintain herself among the world’s best after Sochi with top-five finishes at the last three world championships in both biathlon and cross-country skiing. Brittany had two, fourth-place finishes at the 2019 IPC World Championships on home snow in Prince George, B.C.

 

Introduction to Cross-Country Skiing:

It wasn’t your average day at Canadian Tire.

Working in the Canadian Tire in her hometown of Prince Albert, Sask. as an 18-year-old, Brittany was approached by legendary para-nordic skier, Colette Bourgonje, to try cross-country skiing. Having recently graduated high school, Brittany joined Sturgeon River Nordic Ski Club and never looked back. Within months she was on the start line for her first World Cup race and earned herself a spot to represent Canada at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

 

Personal:

Brittany was born missing part of her left arm below the elbow. A passion for the outdoors, Brittany loved doing all sports but never one in particular that she wanted to chase at an elite level. Brittany was always open to trying new things, and when approached by Colette Bourgonje to try cross-country skiing she was all in.

Brittany achieved her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at the University of Regina. She is dedicated to pursuing a career in sport – but also a career in social work when she is done chasing gold around the world.

Notable Results

Career Highlights:

Represented Canada at 2022 (Beijing, China), 2018 (PyeongChang, Korea) and 2014 (Sochi, Russia) Paralympic Winter Games

2022 – Paralympic Winter Games, Beijing, CHN: 3 (15km classic), 3 (12.5km biathlon)

2021 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Canmore, Alta.; 1 (7.5km classic), 2 (10km free), 1 (sprint classic), 1 (6km biathlon), 1 (10km biathlon)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 3 (12.5km biathlon)

2021 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 3 (middle distance classic); 5 (long distance free); 3 (short distance classic); 7 (biathlon sprint); 6 (biathlon long)

2020 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Lillehammer, NOR: 4 (biathlon 10km)

2019 – World Para-Nordic Ski Championships, Prince George, CAN: 4 (12.5km biathlon)

2019 – World Para-Nordic Championships, Prince George, CAN: 4 (10km biathlon)

2019 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 7 (10km biathlon); 8 (biathlon short); 6 (2.5km classic)

2019 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Sapporo, JPN: 7 (7.5km free); 4 (biathlon middle); 4 (biathlon sprint)

2018 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Canmore CAN: 5 (biathlon short), 3 (biathlon long), 4 (biathlon middle), 5 (cross country middle skate), 5 (cross country classic sprint)

2016 – IPC Asian Cup, Pyeongchang, KOR: 2 (sprint classic)

2015 – First Overall on IPC World Cup for Cross Country Skiing

2015 – IPC World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 3 (cross country middle)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Asahikawa, JPN: 2 (cross country middle), 2 (cross country middle), 1 (cross country sprint), 1 (cross country long), 3 (cross country sprint)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Surnadal, NOR: 2 (cross country long)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Surnadal, NOR: 3 (Biathlon sprint), 2 (Biathlon long)

Full Results

Paralympic Results:

2022 – Paralympic Winter Games, Beijing, CHN: 3 (15km classic), 3 (12.5km biathlon), 6 (Open Relay), 6 (10km biathlon), 7 (10km free), 8 (6km biathlon)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 3 (12.5km biathlon)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 5 (10km biathlon)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 6 (Sprint)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 8 (7.5km)

2018 – Paralympic Winter Games, PyeongChang, KOR: 8 (6km biathlon)

2014 – Paralympic Winter Games, Sochi, RUS: 4 (team relay)

2014 – Paralympic Winter Games, Sochi, RUS: 10 (15km standing)

2014 – Paralympic Winter Games, Sochi, RUS: 12 (5km standing)

2014 – Paralympic Winter Games, Sochi, RUS: 6 (sprint standing)

 

World Championship Results:

2019 – IPC World Championships, Prince George, CAN: 4 (12.5km biathlon)

2019 – IPC World Championships, Prince George, CAN: 4 (10km biathlon)

2019 – IPC World Championships, Prince George, CAN: 6 (6km biathlon)

2019 – IPC World Championships, Prince George, CAN: 6 (15km classic)

2019 – IPC World Championships, Prince George, CAN: 7 (7.5km free)

2017 – IPC World Championships, Finsterau, GER: 10 (cross country middle free), 5 (cross country long classic), 10 (biathlon sprint), 8 (biathlon middle), 5 (biathlon long)

2015 – IPC World Championships, Cable, USA: 7 (cross country sprint), 4 (cross country middle), 6 (cross country long)

2015 – IPC World Championships, Cable, USA: 5 (biathlon sprint)

 

World Cup Results:

2021 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Canmore, Alta.; 1 (7.5km classic), 2 (10km free), 1 (sprint classic), 1 (6km biathlon), 1 (10km biathlon)

2021 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 3 (middle distance classic); 5 (long distance free); 3 (short distance classic); 7 (biathlon sprint); 6 (biathlon long)

2020 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Lillehammer, NOR: 4 (biathlon 10km), 6 (cross country short), 7 (cross country

sprint), 6 (biathlon short)

2020 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Dresden, GER: 8 (cross country sprint)

2020 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Altenberg, GER: 7 (cross country short), 8 (biathlon short), 7 (biathlon short)

2018 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Canmore CAN: 5 (biathlon short), 3 (biathlon long), 4 (biathlon middle), 5 (cross country middle skate), 5 (cross country classic sprint)

2018 – Para-Nordic World Cup, Obberied, GER: 7 (cross country long classic), 8 (biathlon long), 5 (cross country middle)

2017 – IPC World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 5 (cross country sprint classic), 5 (cross country long classic), 6 (biathlon sprint)

2017 – IPC World Cup, Pyeongchang, KOR: 7 (cross country sprint classic), 8 (cross country middle classic), 5 (biathlon sprint), 4 (biathlon long)

2016 – IPC World Cup, Finsterau, AUT: 6 (cross country long classic)

2016 – IPC World Cup Finals, Vuokatti, FIN: 5 (cross country distance free)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Vuokatti, FIN: 3 (cross country middle), 7 (cross country sprint), 10 (cross country sprint)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Asahikawa, JPN: 2 (cross country middle), 2 (cross country middle), 1 (cross country sprint), 1 (cross country long), 3 (cross country sprint)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Surnadal, NOR: 2 (cross country long), 4 (cross country middle)

2015 – IPC World Cup, Surnadal, NOR: 3 (Biathlon sprint), 2 (Biathlon long)