January 09, 2013 (Canmore, AB) – The CCC has announced its list of qualified athletes for the Junior and U23 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, January 20-27, 2013. The following athletes are selected to represent Canada at the event. Find out more about the event HERE.

Junior World Championships

– Frédérique Vézina Club Nordique M.S.A – CNEPH
– Maya MacIssac-Jones Rocky Mountain Ski Racers
– Cendrine Browne Fondeurs – CNEPH
– Katherine Stewart-Jones Nakkertok
– Anne-Marie Comeau Club Nordique M.S.A – CNEPH
– Raphaël Couturier Skibec – CNEPH
– Alexis Turgeon Skinouk – CNEPH
– David Palmer Black Jack
– Ezekiel Williams Nakkertok
– Scott Hill Team Hardwood – NDC TBay

U23 World Championships

– Andrea Lee Strathcona Nordic – NDC TBay
– Marlis Kromm Foothills Nordic – AWCA
– Heidi Widmer Foothills Nordic – AWCA
– Annika Hicks Canmore Nordic – AWCA
– Andy Shields Lappe – NDC TBay
– Patrick Stewart-Jones Nakkertok – AWCA
– Russell Kennedy Canmore Nordic – AWCA
– Colin Abbott Whitehorse

Selection Synopsis
The following athletes are selected to the World U23 and Junior World Championships in accordance with 9.8 of the criteria.

1. Criteria 9.b: In accordance with the criteria the race winners in each event, including each of the four categories (U23 men and women; Junior men and women) were selected as follows:

– Frédérique Vézina Junior Women – 10K skiathlon
– Maya MacIssac-Jones Junior Women – sprint
– Cendrine Browne Junior Women – 10K fr
– Raphaël Couturier Junior men – 20K skiathlon, 10K fr
– Alexis Turgeon Junior men – sprint
– Andrea Lee U23 women – 15K skiathlon
– Marlis Kromm U23 women – sprint
– Annika Hicks U23 women – 10k fr
– Andy Shields U23 men – 30K skiathlon
– Patrick Stewart-Jones U23 men – sprint
– Russell Kennedy U23 men – 15K fr

3. Criteria 9.8.c: The remaining positions up to four men and 4 women for each class were selected considering on the balance between sprint and distance athletes based on consideration of the ranking lists (refer to 6.8.c) for men and woman from the designated selection events.

Junior Women
– Katherine Stewart-Jones was selected considering her third overall placing on the distance ranking list(172.11 CPL) including a 2nd place finish in the pursuit and 2nd place finish in the skiathlon10K;
– Anne-Marie Comeau was selected based on a force majeure. Due to illness, Anne-Marie did not race at the trials event. Anne-Marie was selected based on her demonstrated international potential to achieve the objectives in the criteria based on her results at the Canmore World Cup, NorAm events in December 2012 and her 18th place finish at the WJC 2012.

Junior Men
– David Palmer was selected based on being second on the distance ranking list (184.14 CPL) including 2nd place finish in the pursuit and15K.
– Ezekiel Williams was selected based on being third on the distance ranking list (183.75 CPL) including a 2nd place finish in the sprint, a 3rd place finish in the pursuit and a third place finish in the 15K.
– Scott Hill was selected based on being 4th on the distance ranking list (183.34) including 6th in the pursuit and 4th in the15K.

U23 Women
– Heidi Widmer was selected based on force majeure. Due to a significant fall in the sprint heats, Heidi was eliminated from the sprint competitions and was diagnosed with a possible concussion. Due to this mishap and based on medical advice, Heidi did not race in the 10K free event. Heidi was selected based on her demonstrated international potential to achieve the objectives in the criteria based on her previous international and domestic results. Consideration was also given to Heidi’s 2nd place finish in the pursuit and 2nd place qualifier position in the sprint,

No other U23 women were selected from the distance ranking list due to not being able to meet the U23 IPB distance standards(refer to 9.7 in the criteria) and being too far behind the distance ranking leaders in total CPL.

U23 Men
– Colin Abbot was selected on being 3rd on the distance ranking list (186.44 CPL). Colin placed 3rd in the skiathlon and 4th in the sprint.

Best Wishes from the selection committee to all the selected athletes and staff for a successful Championship in Liberec.

– Michael Badham CCC High Performance Committee
– Lisa Patterson U23-WJC Trip Leader, CCC HP Coordinator, Eastern Canada
– Stéphane Barrette CCC Director of Coach and Athlete Development
– Godefroy Bilodeau participating under a Level 5 coaching assignment
– Thomas Holland CCC Director of High Performance