Alex Harvey is ready to challenge for the FIS Crystal Globe and proved as much with a silver medal to lead Canada’s national cross-country ski team in the final tuneup race before the season kicks off on Friday (Nov. 27) in Ruka, Finland.
Harvey clocked a time of 32:40.4 in the 15-kilometre skate race on hard packed snow, 28 seconds behind Sergey Ustiugov of Russia, while Devon Kershaw finished a promising fourth overall. Ivan Babikov finished eighth (33:51.5), followed by Graeme Killick in 11th (34:19.8).
“It’s such a long season, but you have to really make sure your shape is in top form from Christmas onwards,” said Harvey. “My target this year is to win the overall title. I didn’t necessarily believe that I could do it in the past, but I do believe I have a shot at that title this year.”
Emily Nishikawa is the lone Canadian female on the team. She finished ninth overall in the 10-km skate with a time of 27:43.9. The result is a good sign for the 26 year old who wants to take a big step forward this year. On Saturday, she was sixth in the classic sprint race to lead the team.
“I’ve had a good summer of training and feeling strong coming into the race season,” Nishikawa said.
The team will race a classic sprint on Saturday and classic distance race on Sunday in Ruka, Finland, then travel to Lillehammer, Norway for sprint, distance and pursuit races.
The Canadian team is prepared for a season that should act in its favour, as Ski Tour Canada will bring eight world cup races to home soil from March 1-12. That includes four races in Canmore.
“Now it gets fun,” said Len Valjas. “We’re only three months in Europe this year and I’m excited to come back for these races. I race well in Canmore. If you are in shape, you will do well here.”
The towering surfer-turned skier said he has something to prove this year. On paper, he didn’t have the results he wanted last year on the sprint circuit, but he was still happy with his skiing. The margin between success and failure just keeps getting slimmer.
“Last season, I started getting better by the end. I was only one or two one hundredths of a second from moving on to the semifinals. When I get into the semis, I know I can make it to the final. It doesn’t get progressively harder. It just gets progressively more tactical. The hardest thing is to go from the quarters to the semis. The hardest,” Valjas said.
The Canadian team is counting on him to have a few of those tight races go his way.
“I might have had a podium if it weren’t for a boot length that I didn’t make the semis. Last year was good and better than the results showed,” Valjas said.
After a season cut short by the whooping cough, Kershaw is hungry to show he can return to form. The illness knocked him out for nearly half a year, but the unofficial captain of the team isn’t one to lay down for the 10-count.
Jess Cockney is also on the hunt for better results this year. A sprint specialist, he trained with Harvey over the summer in search of a boost.
“He’s a consummate professional when it comes to his craft. To watch him train is to learn what it means to be a high level pro in cross-country skiing. His focus is phenomenal,” Cockney said.
On top of adding a Fu Manchu to his mustache game, Cockney put on extra muscle this year, in hopes he can maintain more strength over the year. He was only able to spend about four days in Canmore this summer, as he squeezed in training days in Switzerland, northern Italy and Park City.
“Success is being top 12 in a couple of sprints this year. I want to show up at all the races in Canada and fight for an A final,” Cockney said.
Distance specialists Babikov and Graeme Killick worked on their weaknesses over the summer, and coach Justin Wadsworth said both have tested well. Killick is coming off his first full season on the world cup, which he said was an eye opener for him.
“I’ve been working on double pole finishes. In previous years, that’s where I lost everything,” Killick said. “I want to get into the red group (top 30) consistently. I had a great opportunity to race overseas last year and realized quickly what I needed to work on.”
Like the rest of the team, ensuring his best races are on the Ski Tour Canada is paramount.
“It’s gonna be huge. It’s been something in the back of our minds for a while. Our team is primed and ready for good results. It will be awesome to have our fans cheering. I’ll try to bring some more people down from (hometown) Fort Mac,” Killick said.
Babikov looked strong in early season and said the Canmore races this year will play to his strengths, as long as he can limit distractions. The harder the race, the bigger the performance from Babikov. He will again be one to watch in climbing courses and skiathlons.
“With such a big world cup coming to Canmore and Canada, I’m really looking forward to it. I really want to race fast here and do well in front of my family and friends,” Babikov said.
“It’s double sided. It gives me motivation and energy to race at home; on the other hand there is a bit more pressure. My Friends want to see me do well. But I love racing here with big uphills and altitude. It’s right up my alley.”
Wadsworth said he’s not looking for big results early in the season, but instead wants the team to focus on execution.
“We will see our podiums by Tour de Ski time. In the meantime, I want consistent training. I want people executing races well. I want to know the fitness is well,” Wadsworth said.
