Born with Amniotic Band Syndrome and clubbed feet, Emma’s early life presented her with challenges that she confronted with incredible resilience. In 2019 she attended a Paralympic search camp, where she was identified for 7 different sports including cross-country skiing. Of all the sports, cross-country skiing stood out, and after a Nordiq Canada Para development camp in Canmore AB she received her classification, and got her first taste of Para nordic skiing. After the camp, she joined Scotia XC club and honed in her skills during the Covid-19 Pandemic. By the time the 2023 Canada winter Games came to Prince Edward Island, Emma was ready to prove her strength in the sport coming away with 2 Gold, and a Silver Medal.

Personal life: 

Her resolve to overcome obstacles continued to shine as she pursued her education at the University of Ottawa. Currently entering her third year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Emma’s dedication to her studies is unwavering. She has demonstrated her capacity for leadership taking up the mantle of Women’s Team Captain this year, setting an example for her peers and contributing to the unity and success of the team. Emma’s journey takes a thrilling turn as she prepares to balance her academic commitments with her passion for racing. Her upcoming winter semester will see her transition to part-time studies, allowing her to focus on her athletic pursuits and dedicate time to racing.

In 2019, he raced for Canada at his first Para nordic world championships which were held in Prince George, B.C. and posted three top-15 finishes. With the pandemic wiping out big chunks of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he returned with three more top-15 results, including an 11th in the cross-country sprint, at the 2021-22 season opening World Cup in Canmore.

Hess entered the 2018 Games on a high, having posted his best-ever World Cup finish, and a second top-20, with a 19th in the long-distance freestyle in Oberried, Germany in January. After returning to North America, Hess claimed two bronze medals and a fourth-place finish at Para Nationals near Ottawa.

Xavier is one of Canada’s best young prospects who is participating in his third year on the National Ski Team. He first competed for Canada at the 2019 World Junior Ski Championships as a 15-year-old. Xavier then was part of Canada’s first-ever medal-winning relay team at the 2020 World Junior Championships that won the silver medal in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.   

Introduction to Cross-Country Skiing: 

Xavier was born into an Olympic and Paralympic family. Both of his parents – Milaine Theriault and Robin McKeever – are Olympic cross-country skiers, and his uncle Brian is Canada’s most decorated Winter Paralympian. 

Needless to say, Xavier’s love with the sport began when he was two years old. As he got older, he loved the sport so much that he got more involved and began to progress his way through the competitive pathway. 

Xavier has been making headlines for years; starting at age 11 when he won two gold medals at the Alberta Winter Games. At 15, he was selected to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships where he was the youngest competitor on the course. At 16, he skied the opening leg in Canada’s historic silver-medal winning relay team at the World Juniors – the first ever podium in the event for Canada at the World Championships of any level. Following another successful trip to the World Juniors this past year where he had two, top-six finishes, Xavier earned his fist starts on the World Cup. 

 Xavier has participated in a lot of different sports, but skiing has always been his passion. A member of the Alberta World Cup Academy, Xavier’s goals are focused – he wants to win a Crystal Globe one day, and an Olympic medal. 

Personal: 

In his spare time, Xavier enjoys hanging out with friends and playing other sports. He enjoys paddle boarding, passing a frisbee, and of course doing his favourite hobby; playing disc golf. Xavier loves travelling and 11 of his 19 birthdays have been celebrated on the road. 

Training out of the Nakkertok Ski Club, Katherine has worked her way through the athlete development system and has represented Canada at the 2017 World Ski Championships where she was part of the Canadian women’s historic 10th-place finish in the 4×5 kilometre relay in Lahti, Finland. In 2019, she made her second trip to the World Championships where she chalked up a top-30 finish in the women’s 30-kilometre skate-ski mass start race. Katherine proved during the 2020 season she can ski with the best in the world after clocking the ninth fastest time of the day, en route to a 32nd place finish, in a World Cup pursuit race in Oestersund, Sweden. She skied to her first top-30 finish on the World Cup weeks later when she placed 29th in a 15km pursuit rarce in Trondheim, Norway.

This foundation set the tone for a breakthrough season in 2021 for Katherine where she regularly found her way in the elite group of 30 while hitting the start line against the top cross-country skiers in the world.

Katherine has also been a part of Canada’s Junior World Championships three times (2015 in Almaty, KAZ; 2014 in Val Di Fiemme, ITA; and 2013 in Liberec, CZE.) A solid junior career, Katherine won three silver medals in individual racing at the 2015 Canada Winter Games, along with a gold in the team relay. Katherine took a big step forward in her quest to become an elite cross-country ski athlete five years ago when she competed in the Ski Tour Canada.

Cross-Country Skiing Background:

Katherine started skiing almost as soon as she learned to walk. Her parents would bring Katherine and her siblings out skiing as a family outing. At first, she spent the majority of her time lying in the snow, but when she got the hang of it, Katherine learned to love the sport. She joined the Nakkertok Jackrabbit program and moved up to racing rabbits when she was a little older. After participating in her first Canadian Ski Championships in Whitehorse in 2010, Katherine was hooked and never looked back.

Personal:

A well-rounded athlete, Katherine participated in a number of sports as a child: paddling; soccer; running; sailing and biking. She has a twin sister and two older brothers. When not on the trails or cracking the books, Katherine enjoys camping, cliff jumping, hiking, canoeing and cooking.