There乌鸦传媒檚 a reason why Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Paralympic Nordic Team is currently training for Beijing 2022 at Nickel Plate Nordic Centre near Penticton 乌鸦传媒� the elevation at the site is identical to where the team will compete in China this March.
But to the centre乌鸦传媒檚 general manager Tricia Wilson, it乌鸦传媒檚 much more than that.
It has to do with the pride she has in her centre and where the country乌鸦传媒檚 Paralympic team arrived from 乌鸦传媒� Canmore, Alta.
乌鸦传媒淭hese are all my friends from Canmore,乌鸦传媒� she explained. 乌鸦传媒淚 just want to share this place (Nickel Plate Nordic Centre). We乌鸦传媒檙e a small club that not a lot of people know about and I just want to let the world know.乌鸦传媒�
Wilson came to the South Okanagan from Canmore and has since found herself managing the ski track 45 minutes southwest of Penticton, above Apex Mountain Resort. Her connection with Canmore has resulted in her developing friendships with the Para-Nordic team乌鸦传媒檚 coaches.
That乌鸦传媒檚 why the arrival of the Beijing-bound squad on Feb. 1 couldn乌鸦传媒檛 have made Wilson happier.
乌鸦传媒淥ur elevation is great and we have one of the longest ski seasons in the Western hemisphere,乌鸦传媒� she said when asked about what makes Nickel Plate Nordic Centre an appealing destination for the Paralympic team. 乌鸦传媒淲e have a good variety of green and blue trails but we also have these beautiful longer outer loops that make it feel like you乌鸦传媒檙e on an adventure.
乌鸦传媒淏ut also the people乌鸦传媒he people here are amazing. We have a core group of volunteers and members that make this a cozy place.乌鸦传媒�
For the rest of the week, Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Para-Nordic Team will be preparing for the 2022 Paralympics.
Even though the team has only been training in the South Okanagan for a few days, Canada乌鸦传媒檚 coaches are already praising the location of the ski hill.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e at 1,800 metres here and we need to be at a similar altitude for what the Beijing Paralympic race courses will be,乌鸦传媒� said Team Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Para-Nordic head coach Robin McKeever. 乌鸦传媒淐oming to ski in an area that is close to those altitudes is very hard to find in Canada, there乌鸦传媒檚 really only a few places (like this).乌鸦传媒�
Among those athletes training at Nickel Plate is one of Canada乌鸦传媒檚 most successful Olympians Brian McKeever.
He is the country乌鸦传媒檚 most decorated winter Paralympian with 17 medals including 13 gold and is one of the top visually impaired cross-country skiers in the world.
Beijing 2022 will be McKeever乌鸦传媒檚 sixth Paralympic Winter Games and he will be once again in the medal hunt.
The team is leaving for Beijing on Feb. 25 and will have 乌鸦传媒渟ix or seven days on the ground乌鸦传媒� before the competitions begin.
Para-Nordic athletes representing Canada on the world stage will be competing in both cross country skiing events and biathlon events.
McKeever乌鸦传媒檚 hope is that his team can come home with several medals.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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