FALL RIVER: One local cross-country skier had a summer to remember, improving her skills with athletes from Scandinavian countries.
Grace McIntyre spent some time with some big-name cross country female skiiers in Norway at a girls training camp. It turned out she was the lone girl outside of Norway or Sweden in attendance.
The 18-year-old, who also announced she has committed to University of Ottawa for cross-country skiing after being recommended by good friend and fellow Fall River athlete Emma Archibald, said the trip to Norway was important.
“Coming from Nova Scotia, and Canada in general, cross-country skiing isn’t the biggest sport out there, but in Norway, cross-country skiing is huge,” she said in a recent phone interview with The Laker News.
“Everyone has free access all the time so that people do it, everyone there does it, and I’m excited to.”
It all started by McIntyre seeing a post about the training camp and her taking the initiative to email one of the coordinators of the camp.
“She got back to me almost immediately and was in awe that I wanted to come all the way from Canada because I don’t think she knew how big of a deal it was for me,” she said.
She said the people organizing it were a ski coach who the best male skier in the world.
“His ski coach was running it, and the most decorated cross-country skier, she was leading the training,” said McIntyre, adding that skier was Marit Bjorgen.
McIntyre was among a group of 20 girls, all from the Norway and Sweden areas. The camp is typically all Scandinavian.
She had a good first impression of the camp after arriving.
“I’m sitting there eating dinner and then all of a sudden, this world-renowned skier walks in and sits down in front of me,” recalled McIntyre. “It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had.”
Switching gears, McIntyre spoke about Archibald and friends from N.B. helping her make the decision to go to University of Ottawa.
“Emma talked to the ski coach about me wanting to come and I was in conversation with both of them several times about it,” said McIntyre. “She definitely assisted my decision and a few friends from New Brunswick too.
“We have quite the crew of Nova Scotian skiers up in Ottawa. So it was an easy choice.”
McIntyre, who headed out on Aug. 27, said she was looking forward to getting to the University of Ottawa.
“It’s all new stuff to me, but it’s very comforting knowing that I’m going to know those people there and have a team that’s familiar to me,” said McIntyre. “I’m looking forward to it, but still a bit nervous.”
