March 13, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – George Grey and Emily Nishikawa captured the first individual titles at the Haywood Ski Nationals at the Canmore Nordic Centre on Sunday. In what could quite possibly be the final national championships for the 31-year-old Grey, of Rossland, B.C., the two-time Olympian skied with the field before dropping the hammer on the final lap to win the men’s 10-kilometre skate-ski race by 15 seconds after posting a time of 23 minutes, 24.7 seconds.

“It was a bit of a weird day with people going out to hard and others coming from the back late to ski with the lead group, but I was able to get a comfortable lead on the final lap,” said Grey. “Part of the loop was the World Cup course and I absolutely love those trails so it was a fun day.”

Grey, who won a World Cup bronze medal at the team sprint relay at Whistler Olympic Park in 2009 with Alex Harvey, recently returned from the World Championships in Oslo, Norway, for one last crack at the nation’s Nordic festival at his home training centre.

“Nationals are a great opportunity to have the whole nation together including the juniors and the para-nordic athletes,” said Grey. “While I don’t feel I have changed, I do remember being young and looking up to the World Cup skiers. I know the next generation looks up to us athletes on the World Cup team so I really enjoy skiing this event when I can and hopefully give the next generation some motivation to dream big and chase their goals.”

The next closest competitor to Grey was Graeme Killick, of Fort McMurray, Alta., who skied to the silver medal with a time of 23:39.5. Calgary’s Kevin Sandau rounded out the men’s podium in third at 23:45.4.

Meanwhile, Chelsea Holmes of the United States was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 14:32.1 in the women’s five-kilometre skate-ski race, but it will be Emily Nishikawa, of Whitehorse, who will go in the history books as winning her second Canadian title in as many days as the top Canuck to finish.

The 21-year-old Nishikawa, who won the gold in Saturday’s team sprint with Janelle Greer, edged out fellow-Canadian, Brittany Webster of Caledon, Ont., with a time of 14:45.3. Webster was the third athlete to stop the clock at 14:46.8.

Ezekiel Williams, of Nakkertok Ski Club, was the top junior male with a time of 25:46.9. Quebec’s Cendrine Browne won the junior women’s race after posting a time of 14:12.1.

The Haywood Ski Nationals continue on Tuesday at the Canmore Nordic Centre.

Full results HERE.