January 16, 2005 – Christine Bisson from Universite Laval was the top Canadian female on the first day of the cross country skiing competition at the 2005 Winter Universiade, finishing 20th in the one-kilometer sprint.

Skeets Morel of Parry Sound, Ont. had the best result in the men’s event with a 30th-place finish.

Canada’s flagbearer at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday, Bisson missed qualifying for the finals by just 33 hundreds of a second. The Quebec City native finished with a time of 2:44.38.

“Obviously I was hoping to be in the top 16,” said Bisson. “But just missing the next round by less than a second, I would say I’m happy with that.”

“It was good to get that first race out of the way,” added the 2004 Madshus Canadian Sprint Series champion. “We have seen who we’re up against and now we’re looking forward to the rest of the Games.”

Slovenia’s Vesna Fabjan, who qualified with a time of 2:37.17, was the eventual winner of the 80-participant field.

In the men’s event, Morel, a Lakehead University student was 2.5 seconds from qualifying for the finals. Yevgeniy Koschevoy of Kazakhstan captured the gold.

The cross country skiing competition resumes on Sunday at the Casino Arena in Seefeld with the women’s 5-kilometer race and the men’s 10-kilometer event.

Canada’s only medal at the Winter Universiade in cross country skiing came in 1985 in the men’s 4 x 10-kilometer relay when Alain Masson, Wayne Dustin, Owen Spence and Benoit Létourneau captured bronze.

Women’s Sprint Results

20th Christine Bisson, Quebec City, 2:44,38

32nd Sarah Daitch, Fort Smith, NWT., 2:48,60

37. Shayla Swanson, Calgary, 2:49,47

40. Margaret Scallion, Wentworth, N.S., 2:49,81

62. Claire Rennie, Ottawa, 2:57,40

69. Marcia Birkigt, Athabasca, Alta., 3:04,19

Men’s Sprint Results

30. Skeets Morel, Parry Sound, Ont., 2:23,30

41. Michael Argue, Yellowknife, 2:24,93

47. Timo Puiras, Kaministiquia, Ont., 2:25,86

68. Carl Skinstad, Camrose, Alta., 2:29,07

77. Stephen Hart, Peterborough, Ont., 2:30,96

81.Cyrus Kangarloo, Calgary, 2:33,33