Canada's top cross-country skiers continue to cut their first competitive tracks at Callaghan Valley this week in the Haywood Ski Nationals - the 81st edition of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Championships from March 16 to 23. The country's highest-profiled cross-country ski event was waxed and ready for opening day Sunday as nearly 300 athletes paired up for team sprints. The week-long race series, which included the classic short distance on Tuesday, free technique medium distance Wednesday and continues with technique sprints today and technique long distance Sunday, is ideal for priming Canada's best skiers for the 2010 Winter Games, said Chief of Competition and VANOC Cross Country Manager Rob Bernhardt."The athletes love the course," he said. "These national championships have always been used by the sport for developing Canada's home field advantage for both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The more opportunities they have to become familiar with the competition's course the better they can prepare for the Games themselves."Bernhardt moved to Squamish from the Interior more than a year ago in preparation for the Olympics - it's part of a trend."That's what an Olympic Games does - it draws a lot of people. With the facilities here it starts to draw a community of people interested in those sports and it's really exciting to see that happen."The first Haywood medal went to Canmore Nordic duo Phil Widmer and Stefan Kuhn in the men's classic team sprint. It was their first race at Callaghan Valley's new Olympic venue, said Kuhn."The whole vibe here is all about the Olympics and everyone is discussing the trails," he said. "I definitely thought it was cool that we'll be doing this in two years here for the real show."Kuhn claimed three silver medals this year while racing on the Haywood NorAm Series among his stops on the World Cup and powered his team to the top of the podium while skiing the anchor leg. With 24-year-old Widmer tagging off to him in fourth spot after crashing in his final trip around the new Olympic sprint course, Kuhn took control on a course that's fit for his strengths."The course suits me perfectly with long diagonal uphills where you have to stride well and the steep downhills with sharp corners which I also like," said Kuhn. "We had great skis. It was a great team effort and an excellent day."Widmer, who competed forCanadaat the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, racked up four medals including two golds and two silvers on the Haywood NorAm race series this season."It was a beautiful course... It has everything you look for as a skier with good climbs, steep downhills and a fast finish," said Widmer, who is the points leader in the men's Teck Cominco sprint series. Chris Jefferies of Chelsea, Que. teamed up withToronto's Gord Jewett to win the silver, Calgary's Brent McMurtry and Robin McKeever of Canmore, finished third.Meanwhile, two Americans made the trip north of the border and stole the first national crown in women's racing. Laura Valaas and Kikkan Randall joined forces to win gold in a hard-fought women's race over Perianne Jones of Almonte, Ont., who rejoined her junior teammate Devon Spika ofOttawa. "After my first time on the trails, the excitement to race here in 2010 is definitely building," said Jones of her silver medal performance.
