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The Way I See It – Birkie Dynamic Duo, Locke & Ski Tour Canada Selections

by Marty Hall
Marty Hall circa 1970s [P]
Marty Hall circa 1970s ©
February 29, 2016 – US Dynamic Duo – Way to go you two…how long has it been since the US has dusted the Euros in both races at the Birkie? Caitlin Gregg with a relentless push for a bunch of km and you could see her beat Aurelie Dabudyk (Fra) into submission. There was only a small push on Main St , which subsided very quickly, with Caitlin’s final push.

In the men’s race David Norris, a newbie to the Birkie experience, didn’t really factor into the  race until the last couple of km, when he took the lead and was in charge to the finish line with a cool one-legged finish and a big YAHOO!!!

Can’t wait to see next year’s race – love the final kms on the lake and up Main St. to the finish line of both races. Good call by Peter Graves and Jeff Ellis over those final kilometers.

Julien Locke & Ski Tour Canada Selections – Great to see that Ski Tour Canada is providing opportunities for aspiring young athletes in both Canada and the USA right here at home – can’t wait to see the show and how they do.

I know the selection process can be a go tough anywhere but how does a rising star like Canada’s Julien Locke from Nelson, B.C. not make the cut? I’m told he is undefeated in sprint events in Canada since Christmas and he was the top Canuck placing 16th in the sprint at the recent U23 Nordic Worlds in Raznov, Romania – the only Canadian with a top-20 result at these championships – hello ?

With all of the earlier hullabaloo over Kevin Sandau and Heidi Widmer does the selection process in Canada need to be revisited are perhaps overhauled ? I hear an official protest is in the works… but either way – do the needed back flips and get Julien Locke on the start line at Ski Tour Canada if you can – and let his skis do the talking.

Isn’t Julien just what CCC is looking for… a new young international talent, a new face breaking through? He stands to lose an 8-race international experience with all the best skiers in world right here in Canada!

This is a breakthrough for him and the help he needs to make the next step – instead he’ll be watching this show on TV – hope the powers that be can DO IT.

Talk to You Soon!!!!





1 Comments For This Post

  1. fitcat, British Columbia, Canada says:
    February 29th, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    Marty: as a member of the same club as Julien hails, as a parent of an up and coming star, as an athlete that knows about political decisions, (mine in ’78 w/Alpine Can), as a passionate Canadian about this quickly ascending sport, I am heart broken, sick as hell, reminded unnecessarily of the past, and supremely disappointed that an individual can make an important life decision for an star athlete that has poured heart and soul into every result and every minute he trains for those results. I am very much disappointed for the young ones who have been keeping their attention on Julien. Dimming their view of the sport isn’t the way to success in the future.
    Some clever person ought to start digging into the selection standards and protocol, because the current means is broken.

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