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Cross Country Canada Recognizes Retiring Academy Athletes |
Jul 30th, 2010
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 Photo by CCC Cross Country Canada wrapped up a memorable 2010 competitive season by honouring a group of retiring athletes at a reception in Banff, Alberta earlier this month. Some of the greatest names to hit the start line at Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship and World Cup cross-country skiing events over the last decade were in attendance.
With a goal of celebrating long-standing commitment to the sport of cross-country skiing in Canada, CCC hosted this event, which was sponsored by the spectacular Juniper Hotel and Bistro in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, to commemorate some remarkable feats. This includes the dominant triple gold medal performance by Brian and Robin McKeever, along with Colette Bourgonje’s silver and bronze medal finishes at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
Among those recognized for their storied careers were Academy athletes Rhonda Jewett, Dan Roycroft, Madeleine Williams and Gord Jewett. Also recognized was new Academy coach Chris Jeffries who retired from competitive racing after representing Canada at the 2006 Olympics in Tornio, and Shayla Swanson who was a member of the Academy team in it's inaugural year before moving on to the National Ski Team program last season.
What was unique was that almost all of the retiring Academy athletes had their best seasons ever in 2010. Rhonda enjoyed breakthrough performances throughout the last winter, becoming a consistent performer in both sprint and distance races and coming within seconds of qualifying for the Olympic team. Madeleine and Gord qualified for their first Olympics in Vancouver after years of chasing that goal through careers which also included multiple World Championship performances. Dan Roycroft, a 2006 Olympian, came up just short in his quest for a second Olympic birth but was an absolutely instrumental factor in the success of his teammates.
Joining these four in retirement from ski racing from the Academy are Terrell Stephen and Lucas Jungmann, both of whom will turn their focus to academics in the coming year.
The Alberta World Cup Academy wishes all of these athletes great success in their future endeavors and is looking forward to working with them as pillars of the ski community in the coming years.
Career Highlights
Rhonda Jewett
- 2010 World Cup Classic Sprint, Canmore Alberta - 34th
- 2008 World University Games Team
- 11x Canadian Championships Medalist
- 2006 Canadian Championships Skate Sprint - 2nd
- 2002 Canadian Championships Overall - 3rd
Dan Roycroft
- 2006 Olympic Team
- 2003, 2005, 2007 World Championship Teams
- 2007 World Championships 50km Classic - 29th
- 2005 World Championships 50km Classic - 31st
- 2009 World Cup 30km Pursuit, Whistler Olympic Park - 15th
- 2008 Swedish Vasaloppet 90km Classic - 24th
- 4x Canadian Champion
Madeleine Williams
- 2010 Olympic Team
- 2009 World Cup 15km pursuit, Whistler Olympic Park - 22nd
- 2009 NorAm Series Overall Winner
- 2010 World Cup Classic Sprint, Canmore - 35th
- 2006 World U23 Championship Team
- 2001, 2002, 2003 World Junior Championship Team
Gordon Jewett
- 2010 Olympic Team
- 2003, 2005 World Championship Teams
- 2009 Canadian Champion 50km Skate
- 2003 Canadian Champion Skate Sprint
- 2010 World Cup 15km Skate, Canmore - 32nd
- 2003 NorAm Sprint Series Overall Winner
Terrell Stephen
- 2008 World University Games Team
Lucas Jungmann
- 2009 Canadian Sprint Champion, Junior Boys
- 2009 Western Canadian Sprint Champion, Junior Boys
- 2008 Alberta Cup Overall Champion, Junior Boys
- 2006 & 2009 Canmore Nordic Male Athlete of the Year
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