Winters might not be longer than they once were in Sudbury, but it certainly seems like winters have shifted, just a little.
Where snow, at one time, seemed to be a permanent fixture in these parts by mid-November, giving way to heavy melting by mid-March or so, the more common standard cross-country ski season these days in the nickel city seems to run about a month or so further along.
For as much as one might expect to still be enjoying favourable ski conditions easily into April – the first day of which, in 2023, delivered one of the largest snowfalls in decades – the truth is that a good number of the competitive nordic ski events have now come and gone.
A couple of weeks ago, Walden Cross-Country welcomed well over 200 young skiers to the area, playing host to the Ontario Youth Championships, with some 40 or so young racers on hand representing both local clubs.
Though Cameron Hodgins is a proud member of the Sudbury Laurentian Nordic Ski Club, the 11 year old does enjoy an affinity to the trails in Naughton, site of the weekend festivities. “I like that this course is flat, with no many hills,” said Hodgins. “And I also like the downhills here, because that kind of gives you a break.”
That said, Hodgins is also an avid downhill skier, representing the Adanac Ski Club at various events. And for as much as there are some cross-over elements, technically speaking, moving swiftly downhill in a cross-country race is not exactly akin to bolting down the slopes at Searchmount or Mont Antoine.
“It’s different going down a hill than doing downhill,” he explained. “The skis are skinnier, you’ve got to balance more - and you can’t really turn.”
The downhills might well be an enjoyable part of the course, but the uphill is where Louie Dubien nailed it. “I think I did well on the rise because I overtook four people,” said the 10 year youngster who attends Notre Dame de la Merci in Coniston. “I did offset while they were doing one skate.”
“That helped me a lot with speed.”
Interestingly enough, Walden Nordic Ski Club teammate Reuben Stringer Jenner actually tries to find time to work on multiple techniques on race day. “Usually, on a race weekend, I am trying to split the course in three different bits to try and make things easier,” he said. “For each section, I will try and focus on something different.”
“If one section is most a gradual downhill, I will try and focus on two-skate.”
Hodgins (3rd) was joined by Audrey Côté (2nd – Walden), Ryan Pineau (5th – LNSC), Olivia Luoma (7th – LNSC) and Caitlin Kerckhoff (7th – Walden) in the group that posted top ten placements in divisions with at least 15 skiers.
Just a few days later, local high-schoolers were off to Orillia, site of the 2026 OFSAA Nordic Ski Championships which featured outstanding results for SDSSAA athletes, both individually and in a team setting.
Top ten placements individually came courtesy of Gord Farrell (1st - Lockerby – SB – HS), Julian Luoma (2nd - Lo-Ellen – JB – Open), Megan Pineau (4th – Lo-Ellen – SG – HS), Ewan Duncan (4th – Lockerby – SB – HS), Oliver Tremblay (5th – ESMC – SB – HS), Misaki Diavolitsis (5th – Lockerby – SG – HS), Callum Wiss (5th – Lo-Ellen – SB – Open), Eden Abols (6th – Lockerby – JB – Open), Raphael Belzile (6th – ESMC – SB – HS), Ewa Breckon (6th – Lo-Ellen – JG – HS), Maxime Belzile (8th – ESMC – JB – HS), Cameron Young (9th – Lockerby – SB – HS) and Jaxon McMahon (9th – Lockerby – JB – HS).
The Lo-Ellen Park Knights quintet of Hector Loiselle, Lucas Graham, Julia Masters, Alex Hann and Luke Thomas were not all that far off that standard, all placing between 11th and 20th. From a team standpoint, the Lockerby Vikings senior boys earned silver in the overall team distance aggregate scoring, with Lo-Ellen two spots back in fourth.
On day two, Lockerby placed fourth in the sprint relays, 14 seconds back of Nepean High-School.
Also taking place over the same time period were the OUA Championships hosted in Gatineau, with Laurentian senior Margot West earning a bronze medal in the 9km freestyle event. Lo-Ellen Park graduate Kaedan Ward (Carleton Ravens) keeps working towards the podium, finishing 5th in his second year in the same event.
Ward not only added an eighth place finish in the 15km classic event but also helped the Ravens relay team to a silver medal performance while Lauren Pineau finished 10th in the 15km classic while representing the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
Now in his second year as head coach with the Laurentian Voyageurs, long-time local nordic ski fixture Thomas Gore suggested that there has been a shift in focus as he crossed over after serving for four years as an assistant coach under Erik Labrosse.
“When I was working as an assistant coach, I was really doing more on-ski training with the athletes, almost like a training partner,” noted the 30 year-old multi-sport athlete. “I don’t have quite as much time to do that any more as head coach.”
For as much as the podium finish for Margot West was the highlight for L.U. this year, it is what the future holds in store that most intrigues coach Gore. “Our team, by and large right now, is relatively young,” he said. “We’re looking at building from our successes this year.”
“Cross-country skiers are made in the summer,” he continued. “We’re setting some goals for our returning athletes and developing a training plan that will work best for them to achieve those goals.”
L.U. Nordic Women: Margot West; Grace Thomas; Isabelle White; Kate Osborne; Annabelle Luckett
L.U. Nordic Men: Jack Anderson; Jamie Brian; Laydon Bursey; Owen Claridge; Fin O’Brien
