April 20, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Canadian youth taking their first tracks in cross-country skiing will begin pursuit of their Olympic dream fitted with the hippest headgear in the sport, thanks to a partnership struck between Sauce Headwear and Cross Country Canada on Wednesday.

Approximately 8,700 youth across the country enrolled in Cross Country Canada’s Jackrabbit program will receive a specially-designed Swift toque provided by Sauce Headwear. The Swift design is a lightweight hat created specifically for aerobic winter activities.

“Our team at Sauce Headwear has spent countless hours exercising in winter weather and we are thrilled to be outfitting our nation’s youth with one of the top performance toques that are fun and stylish,” said Shayla Swanson, founder, Sauce Headwear. “The Swift toque is functional, stylish and extremelycomfortable that meets the needs of winter athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. We are thrilled to have the future of our sport follow the track to their Olympic dreams in a our product.”

Swanson, a former Canadian cross-country ski athlete, launched Sauce Headwear in 2002 in an effort to generate financial support for her ski career. Frustrated withtraditional winter headwear that are too hot, itchy or ugly, Swanson created a functional and stylish toque that has many elite winter athletes scrambling to train and compete in.

“Sauce is a Canadian-designed product produced by one of our own national ski team members, and I can’t think of a better way to outfit our next generation of athletes,” said Davin MacIntosh. “The key to any youngster getting involved in sport is to make sure they have fun. The products at Sauce Headwear complement that goal. They are fun, but also proven performers. We are delighted to have them on our team.”

The Jackrabbit program is designed for skiers in the FUNdamental stage of CrossCountry Canada’s skill development model.

For more information on Sauce, please visit HERE.

Cross Country Canada is the governing body of cross-country skiing inCanada, which is the nation’s optimal winter sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. Its 51,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all ages and abilities, including those on Canada’s National Ski Teams and Para-Nordic Ski Teams. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Haywood Securities Inc., AltaGas, Teck Resources Ltd. and Statoil – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and Own the Podium, Cross Country Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic and world champions. For more information on Cross Country Canada, please visit us HERE.

For More Information:
Chris Dornan
Cross Country Canada
T: 281-703-4394
E-mail: hpprchris@comcast.net