Fischer Dominates the Canadian Championships

Fischer's presence as the dominant ski brand in the world was on display at the Canadian Championships from March 16th to 23rd. The Canadian Championships marked the first major test event heading into the 2010 Olympics on the new Callaghan Valley trails, and Fischer rose to the top in the tricky snow conditions.

Fischer brought home 60% of all medals on offer, for a total of 58: 22 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze. Fisher also claimed victory in 69% of all races!

Congratulations to all the Fischer athletes on their successful championshps:

Gold: Zach Holland (Banff Ski Runners), Marlis Kromm (Foothills Nordic), Catherine Auclaire (Club Nordique M.S.A.), Chandra Crawford (Canmore Nordic), Frederic Touchette (Club Nordique M.S.A.), Noémi Bérubé (Nakkertok), Sara Renner (Canmore Nordic), Janelle Greer (Whitehorse Cross Country), Devon Kershaw (Ona Wa Su), Riel Allain (Nakkertok), Joey Burton (Silver Star), Stéphanie Drolet (Tremblant Nordique);
Silver: David Greer (Whitehorse Cross Country), Patrick Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok), Sara Renner (Canmore Nordic), Mary Thompson (Team Hardwood), Graham Nishikawa (Whitehorse Cross Country), Geoffrey Richards (Overlander), Catherine Auclaire (Club Nordique M.S.A.), Lauriane Ouellet (Skibec), Noémi Bérubé (Nakkertok), Joey Burton (Silver Star), Perianne Jones (Nakkertok), Alysson Marshall (Larch Hills), Breanne McClusky (100 Mile Nordics), Robin McKeever (Foothills Nordic), Chandra Crawford (Canmore Nordic), Zach Holland (Banff Ski Runners);
Bronze: George Grey (Blackjack Nordic), Tasha Betcherman (Lappe Nordic), Mary Thompson (Team Hardwood), Patrick Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok), David Greer (Whitehorse Cross Country), Julie Boisvert (Skinouk), Heather Mehain (Athletic Directions QC), Geoffrey Richards (Overlander), Brent McMurtry (Foothills Nordic), Adele Lay (Highlands Trailblazers), Stéphanie Drolet (Tremblant Nordique), Tristan Flock (Silver Star), Riel Allain (Nakkertok), Chandra Crawford (Canmore Nordic), Catherine Auclaire (Club Nordique M.S.A.), Michelle Workun-Hill (Nakkertok), Geoffrey Richards (Overlander), Frederic Touchette (Club Nordique M.S.A.), Lauriane Ouellet (Skibec).

A chat with Canadian National Team skier Drew Goldsack

What is it about Fischer skis that have made them your choice for more than 10 years?
Well, put quite simply, they are the fastest skis out there. I have 'officially' been with Fischer for around 10 years but have actually raced on them for almost 20 years if you can believe it! My very first pair of racing skis were a pair of Fischer RCS universal skis (the white skis with the pink/purple florescent diagonal lines on them) and I've used Fischer skis ever since. I think the main reason that I have been with Fischer for so long is the availability of amazing race skis right off the rack in the store. Before I was sponsored by Fischer, I bought skis from the local shop like everyone else and it is amazing how good the skis were straight off the shelf. I'm lucky enough now to get World Cup stock skis straight from the factory but it still seems in many cases that the Fischer skis off the rack can be just as good as the World Cup stock.

You just had an individual break through at the Canmore World Cups. How much confidence has it given you, and has it made you change your goals for the remainder of the season?
The confidence is definitely high. I had a bit of a disappointing start to the season but my sprint in Canmore really turned things around. I think this season has been a good example of why you just need to keep working hard, do everything right and the results will come. When I returned home from the World Cup before Christmas I was not feeling great about my races so far but I got in a lot of good volume and intensity sessions, did a bunch of technique work with the coaches and really began to focus on the sprint races in Canmore. As for my goals for this season, they still remain the same as at the start of the year. I am shooting to make the semi-finals and finals more frequently in sprints and have my sights set on getting into the Sprint Red Group [World Cup overall top 30]. My goal at the start of the year was to prioritize sprinting but still race distance races as well. Even with the good sprint result in Canmore I still plan to race a few more distance races this year.

This was round 2 of World Cups in Canmore. Did you approach them any differently than in 2005?
This time around was a lot different. I focused strictly on sprinting where as last time I did the distance races as well. The schedule this time just wasn't in favour of someone looking to do all the races (although Devon made quite a good showing as one of the few who raced everything) and so I had to put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak.

How many skis do you travel with while in Europe, and what are the specs on your favorite pair of skate and classic skis?
I usually travel with around 18-20 pairs of skis, and more in the fall when I'm testing new skis to see how they compare to my best from the previous years.

My favorite pair of skate skis are number "995". They are a ski from the 2002/03 season, plus base-28, mould 310. They're still on the original Fischer factory grind. They're a great ski for Europe, best in 0C to -5C weather with new snow, but there are a very wide range of conditions that they work well in. They've also seen a lot of big starts: Holmenkollen, two World Champs as well as the Olympics!

My favorite pair of classic skis is a bit of a closer race but I'd have to say ski number "489". They are a ski from the 2003 World Champs ('03/04 season graphic). They're a plus base-28, mould 812 and again are the original Fischer factory grind. These have been an incredible ski - I could use them for any condition but they're best at around 0C to -10C on artificial snow as well as great in fresh snow around 0C. They're an easy kicking ski but still have good speed. I have yet to find another pair of classic skis that kick as well as this pair does!

What do you miss most about racing in Canada when you're on World Cup?
Ha, it's funny you should ask! I'd have to say I miss the great ski conditions the most. I'm in Estonia right now and it has been raining for three days straight. We've been racing on slush and ice that doesn't even begin to resemble snow. All they have is that last layer of ice before you hit dirt and they're holding a World Cup on it! Next we're heading to the Czech Republic where it's +10 and they are trying to truck in snow for the races next weekend. You just can't beat the bomb proof tracks you find everywhere in Canada. I think a lot of skiers in Canada don't realize how lucky we are to have such great conditions. When talking with Oystein Petterson [Norwegian World Cup skier] about Canada, he couldn't believe how great the skiing was. To quote him: "You live in Paradise!!!".

Thanks a lot for your time Drew and good luck through the rest of the winter!

Find the Fischer dealer nearest you by visiting the dealer locator at www.fischer-ski.com/en/dealer_locator.