Amelia Wells, 20-years old, will be heading to the World Ski Championships to represent Canada later this week.
Wells, who graduated from Reynolds Secondary School in Saanich, is the first ever Vancouver Island resident to qualify for the Junior/U23 competition to be held later this week, Friday, Jan. 27.
The event will gather 530 athletes from over 38 different countries to compete in several skiing events, ranging from ski jumping to a cross-country race and a Nordic combined event.
“She has worked so very hard,” said Andrea Stapff, head coach of the Strathcona Nordic Ski Club. Stapff has been coaching Wells for 11 years and says this is an amazing feat. The club is the only cross-country skiing club on the island.
Canadians from across the country competed in three trial races in Prince George last week, with 24 moving on to Whistler Olympic Park this Friday. The event runs until Feb. 5, 2023.
Another Islander will be present at the games, but will be representing the British Nordic Ski Team.
Gabe Gledhill, 20, is a competitive Nordic skier from the Comox Valley who also previously trained with the Strathcona Ski Club.
Each day the races will be live-streamed through CBC Sports and CBC Gem and an international feed will be delivered to European broadcasters.
The wait is over…we finally get to find out who will be representing Canada in U23 Cross-Country Skiing!!! 🇨🇦
Congratulations to all the athletes 👏 https://t.co/5yJJPXw7EO— Black Tusk Nordic Events Society / WJC2023 (@BlackTuskNordic) January 23, 2023
Roger Collins
