Local cross-country skiers from Thunder Bay, Ontario, are heading to Alberta this week for the final national selection races. The Nordiq Canada World Junior/U23 Selection Trials begin Jan. 29, 2026, at the Canmore Nordic Centre in Canmore, Alta., and serve as the last-chance qualifier to name Canada’s teams for the Junior and U23 worlds.
The trials are the final step to select 24 athletes — 12 Junior (U20) and 12 U23 — who will represent Canada at the 2026 FIS Nordic Junior & U23 World Ski Championships in Lillehammer, Norway (March 2–8, 2026). The event in Canmore is listed on Nordiq Canada’s domestic race calendar as the Nordiq Canada World Junior/U23 Trials & Western Championships (Jan. 29–Feb. 1, 2026).
The push for the national team follows a major regional event held earlier this month at the Lappe Nordic Ski Centre (hosted by Lappe Nordic/LSNA). Between Jan. 2 and Jan. 4, 2026, Thunder Bay hosted Ontario Cup #2 at Lappe, giving local racers a chance to test their form on home trails before the national trials. Organizers and local coaches say these high-level, regional events help younger athletes develop without travelling long distances for every competition.
Young athletes from Lakehead University and Lappe Nordic programs are among those aiming for selection. The four-day race series in Canmore will feature Interval Start Classic, Freestyle Sprints and Mass Start Freestyle events; selection is determined by a points system that aggregates athletes’ best finishes across the disciplines to name the Junior and U23 teams. Nordiq Canada CEO Beckie Scott has noted that the domestic circuit ‘‘plays a vital role in the development of athletes, but also of coaches, officials, organizing committees, wax technicians and volunteers.’’
Thunder Bay has a long history as a hub for cross-country skiing, having hosted the 2025 national junior/U23 selection trials at Lappe and continuing to supply athletes, volunteers and organizers to the domestic circuit. This season the final trials are being held in the west at Canmore, but the local ski community remains a major contributor of talent and support for the sport.
