May 11, 2010 (Canmore, AB) – Canada’s most successful cross-country ski coach, Dave Wood, called it quits with Cross Country Canada (CCC) this week. Operations at national Olympic sport federations are notorious for organizational mayhem at the end of each Olympic cycle, and while Wood stepping aside after 12 years with the program is a bombshell within the tight-knit Canadian national racing scene, it’s far from surprising in the world of Olympic sport.

The turnaround of Cross Country Canada under Wood’s direction as national team head coach was palpable and impressive. He was the man who put Beckie Scott and  Sara Renner on the world stage and was at the helm during Chandra Crawford’s incredible gold medal performance at the Torino Games. But as much of a mainstay as Wood has been at the head of the program, murmurs of athlete unrest from Canmore trickled through the community in recent years. The job of senior team Head Coach was handed over to Norwegian Arild Monson in 2008 after a decade under Wood who assumed the title of Team Leader.

Monson’s tenure was a short ride as he was abruptly let go with less than a year to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and was replaced by Norwegian guru, Inge Braten. Braten left the Canadian program as planned after the Vancouver Games.

In April, Cross Country Canada hired long-time US Ski Team member, coach, and Beckie Scott’s husband, Justin Wadsworth, as the Canadian national head coach. Wood was given new responsibilities at that time as the “manager of National Ski Team operations and coach development.”

As contentious as such transitions can become, Wood paints an amicable separation. “It’s a personal life style decision,” said Wood by telephone. Wood’s girlfriend lives in Rossland, BC, from where he has commuted for some time to Canmore for National Team work. There are local coaching opportunities in Rossland which Wood is exploring and despite the now-formal separation, he says he will “still have contact with the national team” continuing to work with them on a contract basis.  “When you’re at the international level, life is run by the World Cup calendar. This (move) gives me flexibility. It’s better for my personal life.”

While amicable, Cross Country Canada executive director, Davin MacIntosh, felt the gravity of Wood’s decision on the national program, but said the move was not contentious. “We’re sad to see him go,” he commented. According to MacIntosh, CCC conducted a comprehensive analysis of the program after Vancouver. With the recent hiring of Justin Wadsworth, he said they had all their human resources in a good place for top international performances. “Dave was in an important piece (of the structure). It’s unfortunate he’s decided to move on. We have our work cut out for us to fill his shoes.”