December 4, 2005 – Canada’s Beckie Scott and George Grey will enter their first World Cup races of the season next week at home with another gold medal under their belt. The two Canucks won their respective races at the Haywood NorAm cross-country skiing event in Canmore, Alta. on Sunday morning.

A final tune up race before the Canadian squad competes in their first ever World Cup on home snow next week at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre near Vernon, B.C., Scott put the boots to the field in the women’s 10-kilometre classic event today. The Vermilion, Alta. native claimed her second title in as many days, crossing the line nearly two minutes ahead of the pack in a time of 32 minutes 28.1 seconds.

“I raced extremely well today, and feel really good heading into next week,” said the Olympic gold medallist who won the Madshus sprint race on Saturday. “This course is perfect for me with lots of long, steep climbs. It is great and I really enjoyed it today.”

Sara Renner, of Canmore, Alta., delighted the hometown crowd with a silver medal performance. Renner crossed the finish line of the newly renovated stadium area with a time of 34:18.1. Milaine Theriault, of St. Quentin, N.B., who was competing in her first race of the season, finished third after clocking a time of 35:23.7.

George Grey, of Rossland, B.C. didn’t have as easy of a time as Scott did en route to his golden performance. Grey duked it out with Ivan Babikov through the first five of six laps on the 2.5-kilometre track under sunny skies and perfect racing conditions at the Canmore Nordic Centre. While the duo exchanged leads several times throughout the race, Grey pulled away on his final lap to solidify the gold.

“It was really tough out there and a great race,” said Grey, who also got his first taste of the revamped Canmore Nordic Centre. “These hills take a lot out of you, but it is a really good course. I am happy with the way I skied today and look forward to the next couple of weeks.”

Babikov, who recently moved to Canmore to join the Canadian program, settled for second, while Drew Goldsack, of Red Deer, Alta., stretched out at the finish line to claim the bronze medal ahead of Spain’s Diego Ruiz.

The Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team now packs their bags for a short trip west to the interior of British Columbia to compete in two World Cup races at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, December 10-11, 2005. The team will then return home to Canmore for the Alberta Centennial World Cup, December 15-18, 2005.

The Alberta Government has financially supported a $23 million upgrade to the Canmore Nordic Centre to support holding a World Cup in Alberta. The trial run on Sunday proved the new track would provide a world-class test when the top racers on the globe return in two weeks.

“This is definitely a huge challenge,” said an exhausted Sara Renner after crossing the finish line. “They have replaced the short, steep climbs with long, steep climbs and it is extremely tough. They have done a great job getting it ready.”

Cross Country Canada is the governing body of cross-country skiing in Canada. Its 45,000 members are athletes, coaches and officials, including members of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team and Canadian Disabled Cross-Country Ski Team. Cross-country skiing is Canada’s optimal winter sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually.Complete Results: www.zone4.ca

Top-5 Men’s Results: Haywood NorAm – 15 Kilometre Classic
1.George Grey, Rossland, B.C.; 2. Ivan Babikov, Canmore, Alta., 3.
Drew Goldsack, Red Deer, Alta., 4. Diego Ruiz, Spain; 5. Dave
Nighbor, North Bay, Ont.

Top-5 Women’s Results: Haywood NorAm – 10 kilometre Classic
1.Beckie Scott, Vermilion, Alta., 32:28.1; 2. Sara Renner, Canmore,
Alta., 34:18.1; 3. Milaine Theriault, St. Quentin, N.B., 35:23.7; 4.
Madeleine Williams, Edmonton, 35:28.9; 5. Dasha Gaiazova, Montreal,
35:46.3.