February 5, 2007 – Over 580 skiers left the start line in the second to last Haywood Canada Cup race weekend of the 2006-07 campaign. The record field showing up in Gatineau, Quebec on Saturday included the eastern contingent of Canada’s World Junior and World U23 Championship Team.

Brittany Webster of Caledon, Ontario, the current Leader of the Haywood NorAm Canada Cup Series and first year senior Chris Butler produced the fastest times over the classic, relatively flat course. Both skiers, members of the National Team Development Centre in Thunder Bay, have just returned to eastern Canada from an extended trip that took them to Europe and then back to Canmore Alberta for racing when the World Junior Championships were postponed in late January.

For Butler, it was déjà vu, as two years ago he picked up a win in the classic race of the Eastern Canadian Championships on the same Skinouk race course adjacent to the Gatineau Park. Webster meanwhile, continued domination of the distance events in the Haywood Series as she battled through two falls to pick up her 5th straight win in Haywood NorAm Canada Cup action.

The battle for second and third spots in the men’s event came down to Skeets Morel of Thunder Bay and junior Frédéric Touchette of the Centre National Equipe Pierre Harvey in Mont Ste-Anne. The two skiers ended up only 8 seconds apart but a full minute behind Butler. On the women’s side, Christine Bisson of Club de ski Mont Ste. Anne and Kate Brennan of Kanata finished 39 and 46 seconds behind Webster respectively.

The initial day of competition also produced leaders in the Club and Division Aggregate awards. Based on points awarded to the top 30 finishers of each age class, Ontario holds a 65 point lead, 819 to 754, over 2nd place Quebec. In 2006, Ontario squeaked out a 3 point victory over the 2 race days. Skielite of Montreal holds onto a 70 point lead over Nakkertok in the Club Challenge. Only a divisions best 3 results count in the Divisional Challenge while all skiers in the top 30 contribute to the Club standings.
The final day of racing on Sunday include mass start events with the Open class men and women going 30 and 15 km respectively in free technique.

Top 5 Open Men:

1. Chris Butler (Big Thunder, NTDC) 27:54.5; 2. Skeets Morel (Georgian Nordic, NTDC) +1:01: 3. Frederic Touchette (MSA, CNEPH) +1:09; 4. Ian Murray (North Highlands Nordic, NS) +1:10; 5. Jeff Cameron (Big Thunder Nordic, Lakehead U) +1:13

Top 5 Open Women:

1.Brittany Webster (Highlands Nordic, NTDC) 23:31.2; 2. Christine Bisson (MSA, CNEPH) +38.9; 3. Kate Brennan (Kanata Racers, NTDC) +46.4; 4. Karla Mika (Highlands Nordic, Indi2010) +1:05.5, 5. Sheila Kealey (XC Ottawa) +1:21.8

Top OUA Men & Women:

1. Jeff Cameron, Lakehead; 2. Gavin Hamilton, Carleton; 3. Harry Seaton, University of Waterloo;

1. Catherine (Rena) Bode, Lakehead; 2. Julie McVicar, Queen’s; Julie Porter, Laurentian University

Top Junior Men & Women:

1. Frederic Touchette; 2. Sven Neiderhauser, 3. Pate Neumann

1. Brittany Webster; 2. Kate Brennan; 3. Natasha Kullus

Top Juvenile Boys & Girls:

1. Louis-Etienne Garceau; 2. Patrick Stewart-Jones; 3. Jordan Cascagnette

1. Kara Jaspers; 2. Camille Pepin; 3. Camille O’Carroll

Para-Nordic Standing:

1. Alexei Novikov, Nakkertok; 2. Mikhail Gorbounava, Nakkertok; 3. Jerry King, Fit Company

Top Junior Boys & Girls:

1. Julien Nury; 2. Luke Viljakainen; 3. Scott Sullivan

1. Christina Grouls; 2. Virginia Lehoux Gagnon; 3. Danielle McVicar