January 24, 2013 (Toronto, ON) – The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is pleased to announce that Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (CTC) is now going for gold as a multi-year Premier partner supporting Paralympic athletes across Canada, through to 2016.

“Canadian Tire is an iconic brand and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Canadian Paralympic family,” said David Legg, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

“Not only will Canadian Tire’s investment in high performance sport help our athletes achieve excellence at the Paralympic Games, it will also help us foster the next generation of Canadian athletes through their support of our grassroots funding programs, helping make the benefits of sport accessible to more Canadians.”

As part of this partnership, the CPC will work with CTC to increase opportunities for Canadians with a disability to participate in organized sport and active living.

“At Canadian Tire, we believe in the power of sport to inspire greatness and change the lives of all Canadians,” said Duncan Fulton, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited and Chief Marketing Officer, FGL Sports, Ltd. “From playground to podium, we will play a role in helping Canadian families and amateur athletes succeed and are pleased to work with the Canadian Paralympic Committee in communities across Canada to promote participation in sport and active living.”

Benoit Huot and Summer Mortimer, multiple gold medallist swimmers from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were onsite for the announcement of the partnership, which will continue through the next two Paralympic Games – Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016.

“To achieve greatness requires commitment and Canadian Tire has shown its commitment in spades here today, to Paralympians and to the country itself, by helping ensure Canada’s strong and vibrant sporting heritage,” said Huot, a 19-time Paralympic medalist and Canada’s closing ceremony flag bearer at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Mortimer, who won four swimming medals in London, added: “It is thanks to the investment by corporate partners such as Canadian Tire that I can maintain my focus and ensure I am properly prepared to represent Canada on the world stage with my teammates at the next Paralympic Games in Rio.”

In addition to its agreement with the CPC, CTC also confirmed new and expanded partnership agreements with the Canadian Soccer Association, Skate Canada, Hockey Canada, Alpine Canada Alpin, Canada Snowboard, all designed to inspire Canadians and encourage lifelong healthy and active living through the ‘power of sport.’

CTC and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities also plan to work with Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Foundation to help more kids get in the game.

January 10, 2013 – Congratulations to all the athletes named to represent the USA at the U23 and World Junior Nordic Championships and the U18/J1 Scando Cup. Their hard work, dedication, and outstanding performance earned them the right to compete against the best skiers their age in the world while representing our country and our American Nordic community.

The NNF is contributing $93,000 in support of these trips ($81,000 XC, and $12,000 NC). Thanks to the support of this American Nordic community and the NNF’s Drive for 25 fundraising efforts we are sending these athletes to go up against the World’s best at a significantly reduced cost them. This ensures the athletes can afford to go and have the coaching support that is necessary to succeed. We thank all the NNF supporters for making this happen. Stay tuned to see how our young athletes do.

U23 and JR World Championship Cross Country Team Liberec, CZE (Jan. 20-27)

U23/World Junior Championships + PreCamp
– NNF will fund $45,600 of $64,025 total trip cost.
– Athletes pay $700 for the races and $200 for the 5-day pre-camp. (not including airfare).

Post Championship Continental Cups
– NNF will fund $17,000 of $25,000 total trip cost. Athletes pay $675

U23 World Championship Cross Country Team

Women
– Sophie Caldwell (SMS T2)
– Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project)
– Annie Pokorny (Middlebury College)
– Annie Hart (Dartmouth College)
– Elizabeth Guiney (University of New Hampshire)

Men
– Erik Bjornsen (APU/USST)
– Skyler Davis (SMS T2/USST)
– David Norris (Montana State University)
– Eric Packer (SMS T2)
– Sam Tarling (Dartmouth)

World Junior Championship Cross Country Team

Women
– Mary O’Connell (Dartmouth College)
– Corey Stock (Dartmouth College)
– Heather Mooney (Middlebury College)
– Anika Miller (Payette Lakes Sports)
– Sloan Storey (University of Utah)
– Emily Hannah (SSWSC/Harvard University)

Men
– Logan Hanneman (University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
– Ben Saxton (F.A.S.T. Performance Training)
– Tucker McCrerey (University of Utah)
– Kyle Bratrud (Northern Michigan University)
– Sawyer Kesselheim (Bridger Ski Foundation)
– Forest Mahlen (APU Nordic Ski Center)

World Junior Championship Nordic Combined Team

– NNF will fund $12,000 of $22,600 in trip costs. Athletes pay $1,108 (not including airfare).

December 07, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – For just $30, The Inside Track Rewards Program provides members with exclusive, year-round discounts on a variety of great products and services from Cross Country Canada partners. This program is designed with the cross-country ski community in mind. With benefits ranging from discounts on sporting goods and apparel (including ski gear!), travel and emergency roadside assistance, the Inside Track card will help members save money while growing our sport and providing critical program funding at both the national and local levels. For each card sold to a CCC member, $10 will be directed back to that member’s ski club. The balance of program proceeds will go towards providing critical funding for CCC development programs such as Jackrabbits and Track Attack, as well as the National Ski Team. Questions? Email us at rewards@cccski.com.

Join HERE today.

Our Partners – Your Benefits
Save on CCC merchandise: Inside Track Rewards Program members benefit from a 10% discount on all merchandise purchased at the Cross Country Canada store both online (www.cccski.com) and onsite at events across the country. Take advantage of this great discount on officially licensed CCC products and National Ski Team apparel from CCC suppliers such as One Way, Auclair, Eload, Smartwool, Suunto, EC3D and Bliz.

Get Roadside Assistance: Receive access to roadside assistance with no annual fee from Dominion Automobile Association. Drive with peace of mind knowing that you’re covered with comprehensive roadside protection anywhere in North America. This coverage, a $25 value, is available at no cost to all Inside Track Rewards Program members. For those times when you do need Roadside Assistance it’s available at a discounted rate of just $59.95 per call, negotiated on your behalf by Cross Country Canada. This service will be available to members approximately the third week of December, 2012. Members will be notified when it is available. Full details available HERE.

Save at Delta Hotels: Founded in 1962, Delta Hotels and Resorts has grown to become Canada’s leading first-class hotel management company. Today, Delta boasts a diversified portfolio of 46 city-centre, airport and resort properties. Inside Track Rewards Program members will earn 10% off the Best Available Rate (BAR) at participating Delta Hotels and Resorts. The discount applies only to the BAR rates and will not apply to any other rates that may appear on the Delta Hotels & Resorts website or to which the traveler may otherwise have access.

Save on Ski Trax Magazine: The Official Magazine of Cross Country Canada, SkiTrax keeps you up to date on all the latest Nordic news, ski gear, adventure and recreational skiing, including race reports from across Canada, the USA, and around the world – check out www.skitrax.com. Inside Track members will save 35% off regular subscription prices.

Save on sporting goods: Inside Track members will save 10% on regularly priced merchandise online (www.freshairexp.com) or in person at Fresh Air Experience’s Ottawa store. The official retailer of the National Ski Team, Fresh Air Experience has been providing Ottawa and area with high quality outdoor goods and service since 1969. They specialize in cross-country skis, bicycles, clothes, and many other great products.

Get Special Association Rates: Inside Track members have access to Special Pooled Association rates on Health, Dental, Critical Illness and Travel Insurance through Manulife Financial. Manulife Financial has been providing Canadians and Canadian skiers with “peace of mind” insurance solutions for 125 years. This fine tradition of cost-effective, comprehensive insurance coverage and customer confidence continues to grow even today as Manulife Financial becomes a proud partner of Cross Country Canada’s Inside Track Rewards Program through a Special Pooled Association Plan. More details available HERE.

November 28, 2012 – The National Nordic Foundation raised $218,000 from 1,300 donors to support our developing Cross-Country and Nordic Combined athletes. Seeing what our American Nordic community can do when we work together is truly amazing, humbling, and inspiring. We are so fortunate to have you as a part of it. In the coming weeks we will be announcing our funding for the 2012/2013 season. Stay tuned…. But you prepaid for this!

“The current US Team World Cup success is a product of the team work and cooperation between US Ski Team, Clubs, and NNF. Together we are strongest as a team.” – Erik Flora

Thank you all.

Top 10 D25 States by Dollar
– Idaho $42,552
– Colorado $26,320
– Minnesota $15,690
– Utah $10,990
– Alaska $8,134
– Vermont $6,655
– Wisconsin $6,060
– Washington $5,520
– New York $4,440
– Pennsylvania $4,325

Top 10 D25 States by number of donors
– Colorado 244
– Utah 127
– Minnesota 125
– Vermont 113
– Alaska 105
– Wisconsin 77
– New York 57
– Washington 53
– Idaho 52
– Massachusetts 52

October 24, 2012 – Already donated? THANK YOU – it’s just great to see everyone contributing, along with the supportive comments posted on our D25 page.

We’re a grassroots non profit organization that is asking OUR Nordic Community to come together from Alaska to Maine and donate for this cause. So if you feel inclined, please do pass this message on.

Lastly, our Juniors are stepping up to meet a $50k Challenge Grant. They need to raise $10k to get a $50k donation, yup a 5 to 1 match, it’s just a bit better match than your 401k, huh? So far they are at $7k… GO JUNIORS!

www.nationalnordicfoundation.org

March 30, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Canada’s sporting heroes remain hungry to deliver a return on the Government of Canada’s continued investment in high-performance sport following Thursday’s budget announcement that ensured the Harper Government’s ongoing commitment to driving podium performances.

“The Government of Canada continues to lead the way in creating a new culture for winning, which Canada’s athletes and coaches fully support,” said Anne Merklinger, chief executive officer, Own the Podium. “This commitment reinforces the Canadian Government’s leadership in delivering the resources athletes need to climb onto the podium at Olympic, Paralympic and major international competitions.”

Own the Podium, which has been a driving force behind Canada’s continued evolution into a world-leading sport nation, is funded nearly exclusively by the Government of Canada. Originally launched in 2005 as a national initiative, Own the Podium is designed to provide medal-potential athletes with additional resources and high-performance programming to help them achieve podium success.

Canada’s 50 per cent increase in the Summer Olympic medal count from Athens to Beijing is in large part attributable to the Government of Canada’s leadership, according to one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians – two-time Olympic medallist in triathlon, Simon Whitfield.

“We simply could not have achieved what we did without the tremendous financial support from the Government of Canada’s investment in Own the Podium,” said Whitfield, who electrified the nation with his silver-medal triathlon triumph in Beijing. “From camp funding and staff support, to the heat chamber, and our satellite setup at the actual Games that included our own wonder chef Cosmo, OTP’s funding ensures we have the optimal conditions to excel.”

After five years of record investment, Own the Podium became a household name following the nation’s overwhelming success at the 2010 Games where Canadian athletes achieved their goals of finishing number one overall with an historic 14 Olympic gold medals, and in the top-three of the overall Paralympic medal count with 10 gold, including three by cross-country skier Brian McKeever.

“Before our program had access to Government funding through OTP, we were amateurs guessing our way through the results while competing in high performance sport,” said McKeever – a 10-time Paralympic medallist, who became the first winter-sport athlete to qualify for both the Olympics and Paralympics in 2010. “OTP is responsible for growing the program by developing young athletes, and also increasing the level of our team to where we now have every athlete hitting the start line with a focus on winning.”

Building on the success of 2010, Own the Podium’s $36 million annual investment in summer athletes has positioned Whitfield and his fellow Canadian Summer Olympians to accomplish the nation’s ambitious goal of finishing in the top 12 when the world meets in London for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Canada also has a goal of finishing in the top-eight in gold medal count at the 2012 Paralympics. Meanwhile, the $20 million of annual funding for winter sport programs has squarely placed Canada as the nation to beat at the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia; Canadian performances on the snow and ice this winter have elevated the nation’s ranking to number one with 35 medals – including 17 gold – in World Championship competition so far this season. Canada’s Paralympic athletes are also focused on finishing in the top-three in the gold-medal count at the 2014 Games.

“The Government of Canada has played a critical role towards ensuring Canadian athletes are amongst the world’s best through their support of the Own the Podium program,” said Merklinger. “Through Government support, Canada’s summer- and winter-sport athletes have come a long way in their pursuit of excellence. The support announced today sends a strong message that the Government of Canada believes in our athletes and coaches, and their performances on the world stage matter to Canadians. We are encouraged Mr. Harper has taken a lead in ensuring this success will continue well into the future, which in turn inspires a healthier and more active Canada.”

November 15, 2011 – Today is a very big day for us as we assemble all American cross country ski enthusiasts to stand up together to support our developing skiers. Please join us by making a contribution to the National Nordic Foundation.

Why? Today is about building our base of XC fans in the U.S. and showing our collective support by funding opportunities so our developing athletes can learn to race in Europe against the best in the world. The U.S. has improved from a nation that seldom put a single skier in the top-15 on the World Cup to a nation with Continental Cup, U23, World Cup and World Championship podiums. Yet as a nation, our developing athletes still struggle to afford the racing opportunities required to compete among the best. That, and because you’ll be supporting cross country skiers. The world needs more of them.

Donate HERE. Check back often to see our progress. Once you have donated the program will automatically generate a tax-deductible receipt. While donating, please fill out the comment box and also hit the “like” button to show your support. If you are uncomfortable with online donations, please mail a check to:

National Nordic Foundation
32 West 200 South #149
Salt Lake City 84101

How Much? Whether you can donate $25 or $100, 100% of your money will support over 40 elite U.S. development athletes age 15-28 this winter on racing trips in Europe. Please do what you can. Today is more about developing the total number of XC supporters in the U.S.

We hope you will continue to follow our skiers and support our nation’s pursuit of Olympic cross country success. You may follow these trips this winter at www.nccsef.org. This site is updated weekly with photos and motivating thoughts from the road.

Thank you for your role in XC development. The Drive for 25 is now! Spread the word.