April 24-27

Ottawa, ON, St. Paul’s College

Coaches often express that while coaching conferences provide valuable material, the content is not always applicable in daily training environments—particularly when working with large groups of 20-25 athletes without access to a fully integrated support team.

Building on the success of last year’s Communities of Practice, we remain committed to ensuring the practical application of the concepts presented. This year’s conference will focus on the theme: “How does this inform programming, and How can I apply it in my daily training environment (DTE)?”

We will explore the existing tools within our system that can be effectively utilized in a developmentally appropriate manner, ensuring they are adaptable to all levels and group sizes across the athlete pathway.

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Recognized as the most sought-after Canadian artist, Mad Dog Jones is adding Nordiq Canada to the list of global brands and high-profile athletes, including Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, with whom he collaborates. Jones’ work is known for its bold, futuristic aesthetic, and now, he’s bringing that same energy to Canadian cross-country skiing. Check out his Instagram here.

Before becoming a world-renowned artist, Michah was a cross-country ski racer in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and he remains an avid skier, still competing in local races. His deep connection to the sport and the team inspired him to take on this unique project—a first for a Canadian Olympic and Paralympic ski suit.

“I love cross-country skiing, so the opportunity to design a suit for Canada’s best athletes is incredibly special,” said Mad Dog Jones. “I want them to feel fast and strong every time they put it on.”

The 2026 race suit design will be a bold visual statement, reflecting Canadian heritage and the power and athleticism of Canada’s top cross-county skiers.

Nordiq Canada CEO Beckie Scott shared the team’s excitement: “To have an artist of this caliber, who is not only Canadian but also a cross-country skier, designing our Olympic and Paralympic suits is an incredible honor. We can’t wait to see our athletes race in a suit that blends art, sport, and national pride.”

Mad Dog Jones is giving back to the sport he loves, making this design possible for Nordiq Canada. His generosity ensures that Canadian skiers will stand out on the world stage.

Watch for the official unveiling of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games field of play uniform closer the Games.

The Athlete Directors (sometimes referred to as “Athlete Reps”) are full voting members on Nordiq Canada’s Board of Directors, and represent the perspectives of Nordiq Canada’s race license holder athletes in decision making at the Board level. They are crucial to ensuring the athlete’s voice is heard, and to Nordiq Canada’s success as an organization.

Nordiq Canada has three Athlete Director positions. Two positions are up for election this year.

1. Male Athlete Director (Can be an able-bodied or para athlete) The current male Athlete Director is Julian Smith.
2. Para Athlete Director (Para athlete of any gender)

This is the first year that we will elect a Para Athlete Director.

The two positions are both 2-Year terms, expiring at the Athlete’s Meeting at Canadian National Championships in 2027. Athlete Directors are eligible to serve up to 3 consecutive terms.

The third Athlete Director is the Female Athlete director, who can be either an able-bodied or para athlete, The current female Athlete Director is Katie Weaver. Katie was re-elected in 2024 to serve a two year term ending in 2026.

Who is Eligible

To run for these positions (as per the Nordiq Canada by-laws), you must:

• MALE ATHLETE DIRECTOR: be, or have been at some point during the prior eight years, an active Canadian cross-country ski racer and license member at the national or international level. This athlete may be an able-bodied or para athlete
• PARA ATHLETE DIRECTOR (any gender): be, or have been at some point during the prior twelve (12) years, an active Canadian cross-country ski racer and License Member at the national or international level. This athlete must be a para athlete.
• Both directors must also fulfill these requirements from the Nordiq Canada By-laws:
  • is eighteen years of age or older;
  • has the power under law to contract (in short, this means that the person or entity is legally capable of entering into and being bound by a contract)
  • is not declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country;
  • does not have the status of bankrupt;
  • is not considered ineligible to serve as a director of a registered charity under the Income Tax Act; and
  • is not part of the staff of the Corporation or a Division Member or a director of a Division Member

 The Election Process

• Candidates are required to declare their Intention to Run in advance and submit written materials for their “Pitch” by the deadline outlined below.
• Candidates will also be introduced and answer questions from fellow athletes at a
• National Athlete Meeting on March 20th (time will likely be 3 pm mt) at the Canmore Nordic Centre in conjunction with the 2025 Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals. This meeting will also be on Zoom. Details will be sent to all race license holders.
• The election will take place on an online voting platform called ElectionBuddy. The “pitches” will be posted on the ElectionBuddy site (and on a separate website so that people can see the profiles before logging into theElectionBuddy system).
• Race license holders from the 2024-2025 season will receive an email from ElectionBuddy with a link to candidate information and the voting process. ● All 2024-2025 race license holders are eligible to vote for both positions.

Application Process for Candidates

Interested candidates must fully complete this form

(https://forms.gle/CDoyM8rfX7VAhQy47)  by 11:59 pm PT on March 17, 2025 to notify Nordiq Canada that you intend to run for one of the positions. This form includes candidate information, eligibility declarations as well as candidate information that will be posted prior to the election to inform voters about the relevant skills/experience you bring to the table and why you think you are the right athlete for the position .  

Key Dates

About the role

Focus on Governance

• The Nordiq Canada Board is a governance focused Board. Nordiq Canada employs a form of governance that separates governance from day-to-day operations. The Board sets long-term strategic direction for Nordiq Canada and then monitors the ongoing performance of the organization in achieving that direction on behalf of the Voting Members (the Divisions and the race license holders). Through the Ends (otherwise known as goals) the Board establishes the desired long-term results for the organization. The management team – led by the CEO – then uses that direction to establish the strategic plan and annual business plans.The CEO is responsible for the day-to-day operations in accordance with Board policies and within any limitations imposed by the Board. While the Board is accountable for all of Nordiq Canada’s activity, it delegates to the CEO the responsibility for carrying out the actual work of the association, empowering the CEO to execute the “how” of achieving the organization’s goals to the maximum extent that is consistent with maintaining the Board’s accountability.
• The Board develops and implements the Board Policy Manual which comprises the long term goals for the organization, any limitations that the CEO must consider and the procedures for the operation of the Board.
• The Board acts as a unit, not individually. The Board Committees assist in executing the responsibilities of the Board and advising the Board, however all decisions are taken as a group.
• The Board has committees or task forces of the Board to support it in its role. Athlete Directors are also members of approximately 2 Board committees at Nordiq Canada, based on availability and committee requirements. Board committees currently include:
  • Finance,Audit, and Risk Management
  • Governance
  • HR
  • Nordiq Canada Development Fund
  • Safeguarding Committee

Note that these are Board specific Committees that advise the Board and their mandate. These committees do not advise any operational areas, which are under the jurisdiction of the Nordiq Canada CEO.

Operational Input through the Athlete Advisory Committee

The Athlete Directors are Co-Chairs of the Athlete Advisory Committee, which brings together athlete reps from across the country to discuss issues and advise the Nordiq Canada CEO as well as advise the Nordiq Canada Board. The Athlete Advisory Committee is unique in that it provides both operational and governance feedback to the CEO and the Board respectively.

This committee meets approximately 6 times per year.

Time Commitment

• The Nordiq Canada Board meets monthly for regular meetings (currently the second Monday of each month), and occasionally for other special meetings. All Board members are expected to prepare for and attend all meetings, as well as Nordiq Canada’s AGM. The first Board meeting for the new Athlete Director will be in April 2025.
• The Board also meets in person 1-2 times per year including the AGM which involves 2-3 days of meetings
• All Board members also participate in a variety of Board educational activities throughout the year. The first education activity will be a governance education course for all new Board members which takes about 8 hours in total. All Board members are also required to take some Safe Sport training. These educational opportunities help to make the board more efficient and effective and are valuable personal development opportunities.
• Board committees meet 4-8 times per year.
• The Athlete Advisory Committee meets approximately 6 times per year.

Potential Athlete Director should familiarize themselves with Nordiq Canada’s

• Board Policy Manual
• By-laws
• Strategic Plan

Benefits of Being an Athlete Director – by Katie Weaver

Written by Katie Weaver

Through my experience in being the Female Athlete Director I’ve gained skills that have helped me develop as a person. I’ve gained: 

• Better critical thinking, open mindedness, and communication skills through working with the board. I’ve learned to communicate the voices and best interests of the athletes while keeping in mind the current barriers and constraints of the organization.
• Improved leadership, organization and initiative in chairing the Athlete Advisory Committee.
• The ability to take on special projects as an opportunity to contribute to meaningful change on topics I care about with my involvement with sub-committees.
• My ability to see things through a big picture lens and address them with detail oriented actions has improved because of this role.
• My interactions with senior board members has created mentorship relationships and opened up opportunities for greater personal development beyond this role.
• Sense of pride knowing that I’m representing the athletes and voicing their perspective to the best of my abilities.

These skills and opportunities will help me when I move on from ski racing. These same skills that you will gain in this position will show prospective employers and admissions committees that you are committed to leadership and growth beyond the competitive aspects of skiing, that you truly care about the community that you’re a part of. This position shows that you want to be a part of the positive culture, growth and accountability of Nordiq Canada to its members. 

“It feels fantastic to win a third consecutive Crystal Globe,” said Arendz. “Staying on the podium for three straight seasons is something I’m really proud of. There are always ups and downs, but consistent shooting and skiing have been the key to success.”

This season alone, Arendz raced to five World Cup wins and three world championship titles, never missing a podium.

For Arendz, winning is the result of a relentless drive to improve.

“I try to go into each season with the goal of learning as much as I can. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow as an athlete. Once you reach a certain level of success, you have to seek new challenges to keep progressing. That’s where I’m at in my career—taking in everything I can as I prepare for my fifth Paralympic Winter Games.”

Next year, the Hartsville, P.E.I., athlete will compete at the Milano 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, with his sights set on gold.

Arendz’s journey in Para sport has been defined by resilience and determination. After losing his left arm in a farming accident at age seven, he turned adversity into triumph, representing Canada on the world stage.

“My fourth career Crystal Globe is a great indicator of my consistency and ability to perform,” said Arendz. “The focus now is to fine-tune everything over the next 12 months—building the ability to perform on demand at the biggest event in Para sport.”

This latest achievement further cements Arendz’s status as one of the world’s top Para biathletes—and is hopefully just a preview of what’s to come at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

Click above to view the Selection Rationale

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the World Cup Period Four (4) Team with races in Oslo, Tallinn and Lahti from March 10 to 24, 2025. Athlete selections were based on the 2024-25 Nordiq Canada Competition Selection Criteria.

Selection details and factors:

• Provide appropriate competition opportunities to athletes that have demonstrated the ability to achieve a top-20 performance.
• Stated maximum team size of 12 with 6 athletes per gender.
• The men’s Team size was increased to field the best-performing athletes in a specific race. Athletes selected for a specific race will leave the competition upon it’s completion bringing the men’s team size down to six (6).
• Increase Olympic quota allocations. The deadline to appeal Team nominations is March 13, 2025, 11:59 PM MST.

Appeals must be submitted in writing to Nordiq Canada’s Appeal Manager, Stefano Mingarelli, at stefmingarelli@gmail.com. A $250 appeal fee must be paid to Nordiq Canada before an appeal can be reviewed. It is recommended athletes contact the selection authority (listed below) prior to submitting an appeal as issues can often be resolved outside the appeal process.

Summary of Nominations 

Katherine Stewart-Jones – Nakkertok Nordic, AWCA

Sonjaa Schmidt – Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, AWCA

Liliane Gagnon – Skibec, CNEPH

Katie Weaver (declined) – Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club, AWCA

Alison Mackie – Edmonton Nordic Ski Club, AWCA

Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt – Fondeurs-Laurentides, AWCA

Antoine Cyr – Skinouk, CNEPH

Tom Stephen – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AWCA

Xavier McKeever – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AWCA

Max Hollmann – Big Thunder Nordic, AWCA

Olivier Léveillé – Club de ski de fond Orford, CNEPH

Graham Ritchie – Georgian Nordic, NTDC T-Bay

Pierre Grall-Johnson – Nakkertok Nordic, CNEPH

Sasha Masson – Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, CNEPH

Rémi Drolet – Black Jack Cross Country Ski Club

Athlete nominations were made by the High Performance Committee (HPC) based on the 2024-25 Nordiq Canada Competition Selection Criteria. The HPC oversaw the selection process as per the Nordiq Canada Nomination, Selection and Announcement policy. Members of this committee are:

• Graham Nishikawa (athlete rep – Para)
• Devon Kershaw (athlete rep – Olympic)
• Maria Lundgren (BC)
• Pauline Nadlersmith (ON)
• John Lofranco (Athletics Canada)
• Julie Beaulieu (Nordiq Canada)
• Chris Jeffries (Nordiq Canada)

Final athlete selections were approved by Chris Jeffries, High Performance Director.

CANMORE, Alta.—Beckie Scott is back at the helm of Canadian cross-country skiing.

After an extensive national search led by the hiring committee composed of Division leaders and sport partners, Nordiq Canada tapped one of Canada’s most influential Olympians and successful leaders in their community to build a financially stable system for the sport she put on the map in Canada as the organization’s new chief executive officer.

“I am so excited for this opportunity and the chance to contribute in a positive way to a sport that I care deeply about, and ensure it continues to succeed well into the future. I will lean into my business development, leadership and high-performance experience with the goal of ensuring Nordiq Canada is both financially stable and achieves high-performance excellence long term,” said Scott.

“I am totally inspired and excited by the current and upcoming athletes in the pipeline and throughout the pathway. I was part of the sport’s system when it worked for athletes, and I was successful because of the support I received. I really look forward to rolling up my sleeves and doing the same for this generation.”

Poised to add another chapter in her already epic story in Canadian cross-country skiing history, Scott exemplifies sporting excellence. North American women had never reached the podium in the quintessential winter Olympic sport until Beckie Scott defied odds in 2002, accomplishing what was once unthinkable, winning Olympic gold. Four years later she teamed up with Sara Renner for a silver-medal triumph at the 2006 Games. Scott retired later that year, having re-written the record books. In addition to her two Olympic medals, she skied onto the World Cup podium 15 times. Her fourth career victory in her final race in Sapporo, Japan secured her second spot in the overall World Cup standings.

“Beckie Scott is a proven performer who immediately garners respect and knows what it takes to achieve excellence in the office and on the trails while working within an under-resourced system,” said Morgan Rogers, chair, Nordiq Canada Board of Directors. “Beckie is a trailblazer who has achieved several goals never reached before. She had the courage to imagine it was possible and the fire in her heart to make it happen. I look forward to her bringing that same tenacity to this role.

“Moreover, Beckie exemplifies everything the Nordic community in Canada requires in a leader. She is a beacon of integrity, collaborative, compassionate, selfless, and a true role model for Canadians across the country. She has always been a spokesperson for our entire sport – a responsibility she bears modestly – and has been an experienced leader of one of the nation’s most successful charities. We could not be more thrilled to welcome Beckie back to Nordiq Canada in this key leadership position.”

Scott’s business acumen and Board experience off the trails is international in scope.

After competing in her third Olympics in Turin 2006, she was elected by her peers to the International Olympic Committee where she served an eight-year term as a member of the Athletes’ Commission. A true icon for clean sport, Scott became a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Executive Committee in 2012 and went on to chair the WADA Athlete Committee from 2013-2019.

“I have lived the power of sport at virtually every level – from being a Jackrabbit in a rural community to becoming an Olympic champion; from navigating high-stakes discussions with the world’s most powerful sport policymakers to leading games for Indigenous youth in remote communities. The knowledge and perspective I’ve gained through all of these experiences are invaluable and will serve me well in this role,” said Scott.

“I’m a huge believer in teamwork and the incredible things that can happen when people unify around a common goal. I know that by working together and setting a gold standard across governance, operations, financials, coaching, and programming, we can build the best-in-class organization our athletes need to be successful on the world’s stage.”

A model of decency, humanity and humility, Scott’s community influence has extended far beyond the trails and her fight for fair play.

She founded Spirit North in 2017, an organization committed to improving the lives of Indigenous children through the transformative power of sport and play. Under her leadership as chief executive officer of the organization until 2024, Spirit North grew from a small charitable endeavour serving four communities and 300 youth in Northern Alberta into Canada’s largest sport-for-development organization, working in partnership with more than 100 Indigenous communities across Canada, and reaching more than 16,000 Indigenous children and youth annually with sport and play programs.

“Spirit North was born out of a passion for sport, and with the belief that sport can change lives, inspire individuals, heal and teach. And, that this is an opportunity that should be available to all,” said Scott, who was responsible for leading the strategic direction and all operational activities of Spirit North, including financial oversight, stakeholder management and fund development. “I am very proud of the work we did as a team, raising more than $6 million to grow Spirit North into one of the most successful sport-for-development organizations in the country. Through this journey, I learned about the complexities and nuances of running a non-profit organization that will benefit me at Nordiq Canada.”

Scott will officially take the reins of the national sport organization, March 17, on the opening day of the Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals at the Canmore Nordic Centre.

“My immediate priority will be to embark on a listening tour, meeting with as many members of the community as possible to gather input, ideas and perspectives,” said Scott. “The ultimate goal is to get the organization on solid financial ground and ensure we’re set up for long-term success. To do this, we must work together – united in our efforts to create a stronger organization that best supports our athletes.”

Scott lives near Nordiq Canada’s headquarters in Canmore, Alberta with her husband – an Olympian, former national cross-country skiing coach and current national biathlon team coach – Justin Wadsworth, along with their two children who all enjoy cross-country skiing and an active lifestyle.

An officer of the Order of Canada, and an inducted member of Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame, Scott holds an Honourary Doctor of Laws from the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia and Mount Royal University. She has received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and the Meritorious Service Medal. She has remained a passionate volunteer in her community, donating her time to many charities including UNICEF, Right to Play, and frequently works for CBC Sports as a broadcast analyst.