Hard work, Gold Medals and generous hometown fans: meet the Thunder Bay skier chasing his Olympic dream
When you catch Max Hollmann after a long day of training, chances are he’s exhausted, but smiling. This last month has been a blur of double threshold sessions, long hours, and gym work: a training block designed to push him right to the edge. “It’s been a big month,” Max laughs, “the training load is full-on right now.”
It’s the kind of grind few people would willingly sign up for. But for Max, a 23-year-old rising star in Canadian cross-country skiing, it’s all part of the path toward the Olympic Games.
Thunderbay Roots
Raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Max’s story with skiing started long before he was chasing World Championship podiums. “I’ve been skiing ever since I could walk,” he says. Growing up he was surrounded by trails, friends, and a community that lived and breathed skiing. The trails of Kamview and Lappe nordic centres became a playground for him.
Training with the Big Thunder Nordic Ski Club, Max shared the trails with athletes at the National Development Training Centre in Thunder Bay. Seeing the older athletes train, push themselves, and quickly beginning to understand what it takes to be a high-performance athlete. “It wasn’t always about loving every workout,” he admits. “But I like to work hard. I like the process of being tired and knowing I gave everything.”
Max Hollmann Sking at the Kamview Nordic Centre
First Taste of the World Stage
That work ethic first paid off at the selection trials for World Juniors, where Max earned a coveted spot to represent Canada in Lygna, Norway in 2023. It was his first time wearing the maple leaf overseas, lining up against the world’s best juniors. He finished 17th in his debut race; a result that signaled he belonged, even if he didn’t fully grasp it at the time.
“I didn’t really understand at the time what 17th meant, in the moment I was more inspired by my teammates like Xav, Tom, Sasha, and Derek”
That inspiration carried him west to Canmore, where he joined the Alberta World Cup Academy and reunited with his teammates. Training daily at altitude, Max locked in with a team who pushed one another to new levels. Together, they set their sights on the U23 World Championships in Planica, Slovenia.
Gold in Planica
By the time the team arrived in Planica for the 2024 U23 World Championships, Max and his teammates were eager to measure themselves against the world’s best. The mixed relay was a big target, but no one was really thinking about making history. A strong performance would have been a success on its own.
When Jasmine Drolet tagged Max in, Canada was sitting in sixth place and 15 seconds back from the lead pack. Witnesses say he took off “like a bat out of hell,” sprinting away from the exchange zone and clawing Canada back into contention. Max remembers the moment clearly. “I knew Liliane had some strong results this year and I just needed to get her back into the pack so she could do what she does best.”
By the time he handed off to Liliane Gagnon for the last leg, a podium suddenly felt within reach. Liliane surged to the front in the final meters and crossed the line first, sealing an unforgettable gold medal for Canada. You can watch the race here: U23 World Championship Relay Gold.
“We couldn’t believe it,” Max says. “It took a couple of days to set in. It was the peak of my athletic career so far, but I’m treating it like a stepping stone.”
Derek Zaplotinsky, Liliane Gagnon, Jasmine Drolet, Max Hollmann (L-R) celebrate Gold
Breaking Through
The momentum from Planica carried into Max’s first season on the World Cup this year, where he found himself lining up against the very best in the world. At the senior World Championships in Norway, he helped Canada’s men’s relay team to a fifth-place finish; a breakthrough that signaled Canada is on the edge of history heading into the Olympics this year.
The Men’s Relay Team celebrate fifth place in Trondheim Norway.
For Max, moments like that don’t come from raw talent alone. He points instead to the work. His philosophy is straightforward: show up, do the hard sessions, trust the process.
“I don’t know if anyone loves the grind,” he says. “But some people respond to it better than others. For me, I like the challenge. It all adds up.”
That relentless approach has already taken him from Thunder Bay trails to fighting for top spots on the world stage. The biggest test is still to come with Olympic trials in Prince George this December.
“I want to qualify for the Olympics, but my real goal is to have my best race at the Olympics, not at trials. Trials are just a step — I need to be fast enough to make the team, but it’s not the whole picture,” Max explains.
“Qualifying will feel like a huge relief because there’s so much pressure around it…I still need to train hard, stay healthy, and be ready for the big stage.”
$20, a Nissan, and Thunder Bay Spirit
When the pressure is on, Max knows he’s not racing alone. The support of his family, teammates, and community back in Thunder Bay gives him strength and focus.
At the start line, “I think about every single person from there who’s supported me. It’s like a bunch of hands holding me up so I can get on the start line.”
That support shows up in powerful ways. Last year, Max returned home to meet young athletes. “I try to keep them updated when I’m back in town, come out to practices, and give back to the community with the knowledge I’ve picked up over the years.”
Soon after returning to Canmore, he received a simple envelope in the mail: 20 dollars and a note from a young skier wishing him luck. “It blew my mind. Like wow, this kid believes in me enough to send me this. It was so nice.” Max sent back a signed World Cup bib, a gesture that meant the world to the young fan.
Months later, that same family won a one-year car lease in a raffle from the Thunder Bay Nissan dealer. Max, who had car that’s on its last legs, needed reliable transportation. In a huge act of generosity, the family gifted him their car lease.
Today, he drives a Nissan Kicks, a reminder of the kindness that flows both ways between athletes and their community. “Every time I get in that car, I think of them. Like, okay, I better make today count. Because there are people back home who believe in me that much.”
“It’s moments like that that remind you this journey is bigger than yourself,” Max says. “That family didn’t have to do that, but they did. That’s what makes Thunder Bay so special.”
At the end of the day, Max knows every hard session, every race, and every start line is about more than just him. “It’s not just me out there,” he says. “It’s all the people behind me. That’s who I’m racing for.