Season Update # 2

Rocky Mountain Racers

Racing Season: Part II

The second half of the 2014-2015 racing season was an exciting one for RMR. Many of the athletes were scattered around the world, having qualified in the early season for various international and national competitions. Here are some RMR’s exciting results from the season.

Cross-Country Competitions:

Western Canadian Championships

• RMR athletes Andrea Dupont, Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt and Ember Large worked together to bring home 4 silver medals for the team.
• Emma Camicioli and India McIsaac also posted top-10 results.

The races were an excellent opportunity for RMR athletes to prepare for next year’s World Cup events, which will be held on the same courses.

Eastern Canadian Championships

• Andrea Dupont, India McIsaac, and Ember Large brought the team 1 gold and 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals, while Ilona Gyapay, Stuart Harden, Andrew Brisbin, Michael MacIsaac-Jones, and Emma Camicioli also posted top-30 results.

• RMR up-and-comer Anna MacIsaac-Jones also competed in her first ever Eastern Championships, posting top-10 results.

FIS World Junior/U23 Championships

• Maya MacIsaac-Jones and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt travelled to Almaty, Kazakhstan in January to compete at the Championships. Maya had a top-25 result, while Olivia had consistent racing posting several top-20 and one top-12 result.

• Olivia’s performance at the World U23 Championships has also earned her a spot on this coming year’s Canadian Senior National Ski Team!

FIS World Championships

• Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt qualified for and competed at the Senior World Championships in Falun, Sweden. That Olivia was able to qualify for this event while still a U23 athlete is an indication of great things to come!

Lahti World Cup

• Andrea Dupont raced for RMR and for Canada in World Cup races in Lahti, Finalnd. She finished 41st in the skate sprint, the top Canadian of the day!

Canada Winter Games

• Maya MacIsaac-Jones, Ember Large, and India McIsaac competed for Team Alberta in Prince George, B.C.

• Maya won a bronze medal, and all three girls posted top-10 results during the event. The three RMR girls were also a part of Team Alberta’s relay, which finished 4th.

  National Championships

• Andrea Dupont and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt posted several top-10 results throughout the week, with Andrea winning an individual bronze medal.
• Maya MacIsaac-Jones and Andrea Dupont won the Women’s Team Sprint, an exciting moment for RMR. Maya also won 2 individual gold and 2 individual silver medals, earning her the overall Aggregate title for Junior Women.
• Olivia’s results earned her 3rd place overall among U23 women, while Andrea finished the season as NorAm Sprint Leader.
• Ember Large also posted several top-10 results throughout the series.

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Biathlon Competitions:

International Biathlon Union Cup

• RMR’s Guillaume Bertrand qualified for and competed for RMR and Team Canada at the IBU events in Italy.

World University Games

• Evan Girard represented RMR and Team Canada at the 2015 World Universiade in Slovenia. 

Western Canadian Championships

• William Poffenroth, Kai Skinstad, and Beau Thompson brought home 2 silver and 2 bronze medals for the team from Grande Prairie, Alberta.

World Junior Championships

• Stuart Harden and Pearce Hanna both qualified to represent Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Minsk, Belarus.
• While there, Pearce Hanna raced to an outstanding 13th place in the Youth Men’s Pursuit.

Canada Winter Games

• Racing for Team Alberta and RMR, Nate Gerwing posted top-15 results in each event in Prince George.

National Championships

• Gillian Gowling and Stuart Harden brought home 1 bronze medal and 1 gold medal for the team
• Pearce Hanna and Stuart Harden narrowly missed the podium several times with top-5 results.
• Kai Skinstad, William Poffenroth, and Guillaume Bertrand claimed top-10 results for the team.
• Evan Girard and Nate Gerwing achieved top-15 results.

After a relaxing month of rest and recovery for both athletes and coaches, RMR training has just started for the upcoming season! On the calendar this summer and fall include dryland camps in Creston, B.C., Canmore, AB., and Park City, Utah, as well as on-snow training at the Haig Glacier and Sunshine Meadows.

RMR would like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank-you to all of its sponsors. Each and every one of you helps contribute to the team’s success; we would not function without your support.