November 1, 2009 – At 18, Heidi is one of the youngest members of the World Cup Academy. She is also perhaps the loudest. The team makes fun of her a lot for her age and energy, but her strong personality allows her to dish it out just as quickly. When reminded of her relative age, she is quick to point out that the easier intensity sessions more than make up for it. She is affectionately known within the group as H.P. Once asked by someone what the initials stood for, she quickly replied, “high performance!” However, if you listen closely most race days, you will hear her mother cheering loudly for “Heidi Pops!” Heidi is always positive and is the team cheerleader – the loudest voice during intensities and races. Some of her strengths as an athlete include the ability to deal well with adversity and to look at the bright side of situations.

Heidi hails from Banff, AB, and it is not difficult to see where her inspiration comes from. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, the remarkable local backcountry holds a special place in her life. The past few summers she has worked at Assiniboine Lodge, operated by another legendary Swiss skiing family, the Renner’s. When on break from her duties, she can be found exploring the wonders of Banff National Park, retracing the steps of Canadian World Cup star Sara Renner. If that weren’t enough, her big brother Phil is a member of the Senior National Team, and competed in the 2006 Torino Olympics.

Heidi started out as a downhill ski racer like many in Banff. She quickly switched to cross-country skiing, finding the waiting around in downhill to be too much: she liked to be on the go all the time! She had an auspicious introduction to racing at age 9, entering her first 900m race on Dec. 9, 1999, wearing bib #9. Her career has rocketed skyward ever since, having claimed 15 National Championship medals to date (9 of them gold), which is an impressive achievement considering she is still in the junior woman category (age 18-19)!

Heidi loves to challenge others to play her chosen sport of XC, especially in her favorite event, sprinting. She had a great 2007-2008 season, highlighted by a trip to Italy for the World Junior Championships, which she repeated again in 2009. How does your typical 18 year old prepare for her biggest challenge to date? With three World Cup sprint starts in her own backyard. Most athletes would be thrilled to have such honors on their resume, but to do so 2 years shy of becoming a senior is unheard of. Her great season resulted in her selection to National Team 2018 for 2008-2009, and she continues to be a member of that team as well as representing the Alberta World Cup Academy.

Some of Heidi’s interests outside of sport include photography, filming/editing movies, hanging out with friends and listening to Jack Johnson. She can also be found enjoying one of the best meals in the Bow Valley at Ticino’s, her dad’s Swiss/Italian restaurant in Banff. When asked what she would be if not a skier, she replied, “a really good hip hop dancer in a crew or a surfer.” She graduated from high school last summer, and she has taken this year to focus on skiing with a few university correspondence courses on the side. Post skiing, she plans to stay involved in sport while pursuing a career in an environmental field. Regardless of where her talents lead, you can be sure HP will be at the centre of it!