Gabe's 2020-21 Race Season for Team Great Britain

Hi, my name is Gabriel Gledhill, I’m a competitive cross country skier. I was born in Suffolk, England, but left before I turned one-year-old. I have spent the last 15 years growing up in Cumberland, Vancouver Island, only 30 minutes from the magical trails of Mount Washington. After joining the Strathcona Nordic Ski Slub at a very young age, my joy and love for skiing expanded exponentially. Each year my involvement intensified in the club along with my training under the supportive and watchful eye of coach, Andrea Stapff. She has given me a lot of confidence and a belief that I should always be striving to be the best athlete I can be.

                          Classic Sprints in Sun Valley, Idaho at the US Super Tour


Over the past years, I have gradually climbed up the Canadian standings with the dedicated support of my race team, coach and club. After my podium performance at the 2018 Thunder Bay Nationals, I was selected to be part of the BC Ski Team. I have been a member of the team for the last 3 years. Due to my dual Canadian/UK citizenship and international rank, I was lucky enough to be selected for the Great Britain National Performance Squad for the 2020/2021 year. This means I will be living and training with Team GB under the guidance of the Junior National Team coach Alex Standen, in Edinburgh, Scotland. As Scotland doesn't have world-class snow conditions, in the winter months, I will be based in Lillehammer, Norway with Team GB. Lillehammer is a world-famous centre for Nordic skiing and conveniently located for travel to races throughout Europe.


I am creating and starting this campaign to help cover the costs of travelling and racing across Europe this coming season, in total, my 2020/2021 season will cost at least $6000. This total is made up of over 10 race trips around Norway and Sweden, 1-2 training camps in Scotland, 1-2 race trips to Central Europe and ski equipment.

         Photo finish in Whistler, BC at the 2020 Canadian Western Championships


After an abrupt end to last season, with the latter part of the winter racing season being cancelled, it was not possible to reach my seasonal goal of podiuming in the distance events at the Canadian National Championships in Vernon, BC. Nonetheless, I was able to achieve a top 10 result in the 2020 U.S. Junior Nationals distance events and a couple top 5 results on the Noram race circuit. With the confidence gained from this past racing season, in addition to the results of my intensive dryland training this spring and summer I am feeling stronger and faster than ever before, ready to achieve my goals for the 2020/2021 ski season.


Goals for this coming year: 

-To qualify for and have a top 30 finish at the World Junior Championships in Zakopane, Poland

-Finish within the top 10 in aggregate on the Norweigan and Swedish Cup race circuit

-Qualify for the Elite Nordic Squad in Team GB 

-Compete in FIS World Cups by 2021/2022


In these unprecedented times, it is tough to plan and organize for the future, however, I am starting my trip to Scotland in September. There will be financial stress on top of training and racing. At the same time, I will have the academic demands of my online course load through Dalhousie University. Any contribution to this fundraiser will be greatly appreciated! 

Thank you very much. Gabe


p.s. If you would like to send a cheque It can be marked as an offline donation. The cheque can be sent to 2697 Ambleside Ave, PO Box 1265, V0R1S0, Cumberland, BC. Also, you may have remarked that this fundraiser is ''on the behalf of Emma Gledhill''. This is because I am not yet 18 years old, my birthday is in late November, so the donations will go through my mother and then directly into my account. 




          Sprint Podium in Thunder Bay, Ontario at the 2018 Canadian Nationals