Nordic World U23 Championships
Donation protected
My name is Alannah MacLean, and I am a cross-country skier from Sudbury, ON. Currently, I ski with the National Development Centre (NDC) in Thunder Bay. Recently, I qualified for World U23 Championships in Rasnov, Romania on February 22nd-28th. This has been a long-standing dream of mine, and it is still surreal that I will be representing Canada on the world stage in a few short weeks.
It is also my goal to qualify for the Ski Tour Canada, which is a series of eight World Cup races starting in Gatineau, QC, then moving to Montréal, Québec City and finally finishing in Canmore, AB. The best Nordic skiers in the world will be in attendance, vying for overall World Cup titles. As the host nation, Canada has been given 12 quota spots for women to compete in the event. After a strong start to the season on the NorAm circuit, I hope to be in a solid position to earn a spot with the National group that will be representing Canada in the Ski Tour.
However, the combined cost of World Championships ($3500) and Ski Tour Canada (approximately $3000) exceeds my current budget. My goal is to raise $6000 to cover the costs of these two trips.
My passion for cross-country skiing and the absolute joy of competition has made me the person that I am today. I have experienced so many highs and lows on my journey as an athlete, but it has never deterred me from my path. I still feel butterflies every time I stand on the start line. That is what has, and will, keep me going.
Racing at World U23s and the Ski Tour Canada are necessary steps towards my ultimate dream of racing in the Olympics, but I will not be able to realize those goals without support. From my early years as an athlete, I have been told that "it takes a community to raise an athlete", as the saying goes. Now, more than ever, this rings true for me. I've always felt a very strong sense of community support. From invitations to Christmas dinner when I was away from home for the holidays, to the sheer volume of people that have reached out to me after qualifying, to having an integrated support team that keeps me from falling apart. Now, more than ever, I must rely on my community to support me in earning a spot on the Olympic start line.
To read more about my journey, check out my article at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4KZ3rp8YbTRU2tXSDh6Rlc2OFk/view?usp=sharing.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns!
It is also my goal to qualify for the Ski Tour Canada, which is a series of eight World Cup races starting in Gatineau, QC, then moving to Montréal, Québec City and finally finishing in Canmore, AB. The best Nordic skiers in the world will be in attendance, vying for overall World Cup titles. As the host nation, Canada has been given 12 quota spots for women to compete in the event. After a strong start to the season on the NorAm circuit, I hope to be in a solid position to earn a spot with the National group that will be representing Canada in the Ski Tour.
However, the combined cost of World Championships ($3500) and Ski Tour Canada (approximately $3000) exceeds my current budget. My goal is to raise $6000 to cover the costs of these two trips.
My passion for cross-country skiing and the absolute joy of competition has made me the person that I am today. I have experienced so many highs and lows on my journey as an athlete, but it has never deterred me from my path. I still feel butterflies every time I stand on the start line. That is what has, and will, keep me going.
Racing at World U23s and the Ski Tour Canada are necessary steps towards my ultimate dream of racing in the Olympics, but I will not be able to realize those goals without support. From my early years as an athlete, I have been told that "it takes a community to raise an athlete", as the saying goes. Now, more than ever, this rings true for me. I've always felt a very strong sense of community support. From invitations to Christmas dinner when I was away from home for the holidays, to the sheer volume of people that have reached out to me after qualifying, to having an integrated support team that keeps me from falling apart. Now, more than ever, I must rely on my community to support me in earning a spot on the Olympic start line.
To read more about my journey, check out my article at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4KZ3rp8YbTRU2tXSDh6Rlc2OFk/view?usp=sharing.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns!
Organizer
Alannah MacLean
Organizer
Thunder Bay, ON