Sudbury native named to Canadian Nordic team

Recently named to the Canadian Under 23 Nordic Ski team that will participate at the World Championships next month in Rasnov (Romania), Sudbury native Alannah MacLean is sure to look fondly upon the 2015-2016 season.

Yet there may still be more big news to come from the 22-year-old Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School graduate.

First things first, as MacLean managed to stroke one important item off her "nordic ski career to-do list" a few weeks ago.

"It's kind of been my goal, for the past five years, to qualify for the U23 Worlds," said MacLean this week.

"It's something where I have been close to qualifying in the past two years." But as with any age-related endeavour, the clock was ticking. "I'm in my last year (of U23 competition)," said MacLean.

Thankfully, early season success paved the way for the current member of the National Development Centre in Thunder Bay. "This year, I would say that I'm definitely at my fittest. I've been a podium threat at most of the NORAM races this year."

She followed up with a strong showing at the 2016 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton (Michigan), finishing ninth in the skate sprint event, but first among the U23 competitors.

Unfortunately, another hurdle would be thrown her way, just before Canadian Trials.

"I knew my form was really good going into Trials, but then I got sick right before the competition," said MacLean. "I was actually very surprised that I was selected, in the sense that I was sick, and wasn't racing as well as I had hoped."

"I was a bit of a discretionary pick, but they knew that I had been racing a lot better than I was at just the two days of Trials. I had one of the hottest starts to my season ever, and that played out to my benefit."

All of which means that MacLean will join Jennifer Jackson (Team Hardwood), Sophie Carrier-Laforte (Skinouk), Kendra Murray (Whitehorse) and Frédérique Vézina (Club Nordique MSA) in representing the Canadian U23 ladies from Feb. 22 to 28.

Still, her stint in Romania might well be cut short, but for very good reason, according to MacLean.

"There is another very big event, the Ski Tour Canada," said MacLean. "This is very unique. Usually, all of the top Canadian skiers compete in Europe all season."

This March, however, the best in the world of nordic skiing come to Canada. A series of eight races, beginning in Gatineau, moving on to Montreal and Québec, and wrapping up in Canmore (Alberta) will assemble a bevy of former Olympic medal winners and world champions.

"Because Canada is hosting, we get to qualify 12 women and 14 men," said MacLean. "I think I am in a very good spot to qualify for that series of races. If you qualify, you have to travel with everyone who is competing, taking the same bus rides as all of the big names in nordic skiing, which is pretty cool."

The roster for the Ski Tour Canada host team is expected to be announced some time mid-February. Until then, Alannah MacLean will keep herself busy, training in anticipation of her first visit to World Championships, and hoping that her inaugural World Cup race will follow shortly thereafter.

A season to remember, indeed.