Please share this information within your offices and with your members as appropriate.

Weekly Division Update November 7

Table of Contents: 

• Nordiq Canada’s New Officials Hub
• Annual Division Registration for 2024-2026
• Building a Stronger Nordiq Nation Through Coach and Wax Tech Immersion Opportunities

Learn more about the New Nordiq Canada Officials Hub

Annual Division Registration

Building a Stronger Nordiq Nation Through Coach and Wax Tech Immersion Opportunities

Being a coach in a smaller province or territory can be isolating at times. Fewer opportunities for interaction with other coaches can lead to less exposure to different ideas, philosophies, and approaches which can make it harder to develop as a coach. To address this, and other system gaps, Nordiq Canada made the commitment to create meaningful development opportunities for coaches and wax technicians three years ago by formalizing an immersion program which gives opportunities to these individuals to attend developmentally appropriate competitions and training camps led by Nordiq Canada. Last year, 42 coaches and/or wax techs took advantage of the opportunity.

Full Story

“A lot of the feedback we received was along the lines of, well, I just went over there and all I did was get coffee, or I drove the van. So we really wanted to shift the program to being learning objective based for those people that were coming in and aligned it with their coaching education and pathway. We wanted to offer them a true opportunity to say, ‘Yeah, this is what I want to get out of my experience – I’m really hoping to do XYZ,’ and then where that was possible, we’re able to give them that opportunity,” said Julie Beaulieu, Sport Development Director for Nordiq Canada. 

Andrew Brisbin was one of those coaches that took advantage of the program last season. The provincial coach for Saskatchewan, Brisbin joined Nordiq Canada’s Development Coach Matt Smider, and Anna Healy, a coach from the Wostawea Cross Country Ski Club in New Brunswick, at a three-week training camp in Canmore, Alberta and Sovereign Lake, British Columbia last November. 

Working with the top U20 athletes in the country and being able to learn and compare notes with Smider and Healy, was something that Brisbin wouldn’t have been able to do without being part of this immersion program. 

Andrew Brisban coaches Nordiq Canada Development Athlete Jérémy Lantz

“Having an opportunity to kind of see what those athletes that are there now, what they’re doing, and then just interacting with other coaches and athletes from across the country was a lot of insight. In Saskatchewan, we see athletes and coaches from our neighbouring provinces, but it’s a big country – there aren’t a lot of opportunities for Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada to interact,” said Brisbin who primarily works with U16 and U18 athletes in his day-to-day coaching. 

This year, Nordiq Canada has received 47 applications for the program which again includes several training camp opportunities for coaches, but also opportunities for both coaches and wax technicians to attend international competitions like the Junior/U23 World Championships and the FISU World University Games, both being held in Italy. 

Katherine Denis, a former competitive racer who now coaches at Nakkertok Nordic near Gatineau, Quebec, had the opportunity to attend the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea last January as part of the program and came home with a renewed confidence in her coaching abilities. 

“One of my biggest takeaways (from the experience) is that I’m actually pretty good at what I do as coach. Not to be arrogant or anything, but this experience gave me added confidence. I know what I’m doing. I have the skills. I have the knowledge. And I also have the ability to acquire more of both those things,” said Denis who was involved with logistics, coaching, and wax tech work in Gangwon. 

Katherine Denis, Eric Bailey, and Alison McArdle wax skis at the 2024 YOG

“The other thing that really stuck with me is how important the team environment actually is when you land. I worked with Eric Bailey, head coach for the event, and we got along so well. I learned so much from him.” 

It’s that learning that Beaulieu is so grateful for. “We couldn’t offer what we offer to our athletes if it weren’t for these coaches who volunteer for these opportunities. And because of them choosing to be better, we’re then able to offer better programming to our athletes.” 

Beaulieu also highlights the benefits of coaches and wax techs being able to share the knowledge gained from these experiences when they go back to their home clubs. 

“We’re in a decentralized system, so the opportunities for our coaches to get together from across Canada, to have time to learn, to share knowledge across the system are pretty limited. But what Andrew learned, he brings back to Saskatchewan, and what Anna learned, she brings back to New Brunswick – and they both teach it to the coaches there. So, I have massive gratitude, because (these coaches) are literally who are supporting our development pathway for our athletes which then creates opportunities to become stronger as a nation through shared experiences.”  

Providing more opportunities for women and non-binary coaches is also something that Nordiq Canada has made a commitment to and is something that Denis herself is working to promote.  

“I would say over the past couple of years that I have become part of that goal of trying to get more female coaches involved in the sport,” says Denis. “I don’t feel like I’m on the other side, seeing it happen anymore. I’m already an experienced coach and I’m part of that group coming up and I’m watching as other female coaches do it too – it’s really fun to see.” 

Denis hasn’t applied for another opportunity this year as she wanted to focus on preparing her club athletes for the competitive season, but said she will look for more opportunities in the future and encourages others to do so as well: “Everyone who can do so, should be looking too. Because that’s part of what these kinds of experiences give you – at the end, to be able to say to yourself: ‘yeah, I can do this.’” 

The 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Game Cross-Country Ski Team

For more information on coach and wax tech development and learning opportunities with Nordiq Canada, please click here. 

Written by Julie Forget

Schedule: 

November 13^th King Court’s Classic Sprints + Sit Ski

November 14^th 10 km Interval Skate

Race Notice 

Registration  

2026 Olympic Winter Games Selection Criteria (Internal Nomination Procedure) (click to view)

Submit Feedback (click to view)

The deadline for feedback is Friday, November 8th. We encourage you to offer your input before this date, to allow time to consider all perspectives.

A Town Hall discussion with High Performance Director Chris Jeffries, is scheduled for November 12th 12:30 pm MST/14:30 EST to discuss the following topics:  

• 2026 Olympic Winter Games Selection Criteria (Internal Nomination Procedure) 
• 2026 Olympic Winter Games Long List 
• Nordiq Canada 2026 Olympic Winter Games Selection Trials 
• Friends and Family Tickets  

Join Zoom Meeting 

Meeting ID: 832 2825 9563 

Passcode: 056548 

The final version of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Selection Criteria (Internal Nomination Procedure) will be published on the Nordiq Canada website.  

Questions: Cjeffries@nordiqcanada.ca 

Thank you, we look forward to your feedback. 

Please share this information within your offices and with your members as appropriate.

Weekly Division Update October 31

Table of Contents: 

• Introducing the Canadian Masters Ranking List
• Concept2 SkiErg Sprints

Learn more

Concept2 SkiErg Sprints

Draft 1 2025-26 Para Nordic Athlete Assistance Program Selection Criteria (click to view)

This is your opportunity to send us your comments and thoughts, which will contribute to developing the final version of the criteria. 

Submit Feedback 

The deadline for feedback on Draft 1 is November 7th. We encourage you to offer your input before this date, to allow time to consider all perspectives.

The final version will be published on the Nordiq Canada website.  

Questions: Cjefferies@nordiqcanada.ca

Thank you, we look forward to your feedback. 

Please share this information within your offices and with your members as appropriate.

Weekly Division Update October 18

Table of Contents: 

• Nordiq Canada Thanks Matt Smider, and Welcomes Jouni Pitkänen as the New Development Team Coach
• Open Call for Para Nordic Guides

Nordiq Canada Thanks Matt Smider, and Welcomes Jouni Pitkänen as the New Development Team Coach

After 3 years as the Development Coach, Matt Smider has made the difficult decision to leave Nordiq Canada to spend more time with his family. Matt is an exceptional coach and employee and we greatly appreciate the time he has spent working with our Development programs and coaches. We support his decision and he will be greatly missed.

We continue to value our Development program and welcome Jouni Pitkänen as the new Development Team Coach for the remainder of the season. As a former coach with the Alberta World Cup Academy athletes, the Finnish National Team, and experience leading Nordiq Canada Development Team Projects we are looking forward to the winter season.

Please share this information within your offices and with your members as appropriate.

Weekly Division Update October 24

Table of Contents: 

• 2024-25 World Cup Period 1 Team
• 2024-25 Nordiq Canada Events Primer
• Draft 1 2025-26 Para Nordic National Ski Team Selection Criteria
• Save the Date: Nordic Sports Coaches Conference

2024-25 World Cup Period 1 Team

Selection Rationale

2024-2025 Nordiq Canada Events Primer

Draft 1 2025-26 Para Nordic National Ski Team Selection Criteria

The deadline for feedback on Draft 1 is October 28th. We encourage you to offer your input before this date, to allow time to consider all perspectives.

The final version will be published on the Nordiq Canada website.

Questions: Cjefferies@nordiqcanada.ca

Thank you, we look forward to your feedback.

Draft 1 2025-26 Para Nordic National Ski Team Selection Criteria (click to view)

This is your opportunity to send us your comments and thoughts, which will contribute to the development of the final version of the criteria. 

Submit Feedback (click to view)

The deadline for feedback on Draft 1 is October 28th. We encourage you to offer your input before this date, to allow time to consider all perspectives.

The final version will be published on the Nordiq Canada website.  

Questions: Cjefferies@nordiqcanada.ca

Thank you, we look forward to your feedback. 

Click above to view the Selection Rationale

Summary of Nominations 

Sonjaa Schmidt – Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, AWCA

Max Hollmann – Big Thunder Nordic, AWCA

Antoine Cyr – Skinouk, CNEPH

Graham Ritchie (Declined) – Georgian Nordic Outdoor Activity Centre, NTDC Thunder Bay

Olivier Léveillé – Club de ski de fond Orford, CNEPH

Xavier McKeever – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AWCA

Liliane Gagnon – Skibec, CNEPH

Pierre Grall-Johnson – Nakkertok Nordic, NTDC T-Bay

Katherine Stewart-Jones – Nakkertok Nordic, AWCA

Sasha Masson – Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, CNEPH