Nordiq Canada: Advancing Canadian Winter Sports with a Commitment to Diversity
With the incredible landscape and stunning ski resorts of Canada, it’s no surprise that the nation is at the forefront of the winter sports scene. However, to sustain this status in a competitive world, skiing requires a strong governing body.
Nordiq Canada has served this role well since its inception in 1969. Its mission is simple – get all Canadians on skis and put more athletes on podiums. Nordiq Canada’s initiatives are helping to drive grassroots skiing along with high performance competitions. And the best thing – they’re committed to inclusiveness and diversity.
Strengthening Canadian Performance on the World Stage
When it comes to the winter sports rankings, there are a few nations that give Canada some tough competition. Austria, Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland can give the North American country a run for its money, to name a few. Indeed, Canada doesn’t currently have any skiers in the top ten of the World Cup standings for Alpine Skiing.
James Crawford is currently the men’s top ranked skier from the country in 23rd place, while Valérie Grenier is leading the way for women from Canada in 19th place among the world’s best. One of the most promising Canadian talents currently is Antoine Cyr, who has achieved multiple top-10 finishes in cross-country skiing events.
Nordiq Canada aims to develop skiers from the grassroots level and give them a chance to climb up the rankings to a professional standard in the country. By focusing more on nurturing talent, it can ensure that it churns out worthy competitors continuously in the future. Canada has shown some promising progress in biathlon in recent years, with athletes from the country expected to do well in the 2024 season. There’s increased interest in the event as well, with sports betting Canada sites offering odds on the events. Indeed, bettors can stake on the biathlon World Cup, with Johannes Thingnes Boe currently listed as favourite at odds of -286 at the time of writing.
Expanding Inclusivity in Nordic Sports
One of the best things about Nordiq Canada from an LGBT perspective is the fact that the program aims to celebrate diversity and ensure that everyone who wants to ski can get involved. It welcomes people from all backgrounds and identities to its ski community and celebrates cultural events such as pride month.
Nordiq Canada has made a strong effort to understand all the diverse aspects of what it means to belong to the LGBT community, and lists some of the definitions on its site. It has various initiatives such as the Instructor Stream Program, which is designed to break down barriers in the sport. Nordiq Canada has also established a Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Committee that focuses on promoting inclusivity and safety within their organization, including for LGBTQ+ individuals. Their approach emphasizes creating a welcoming environment for everyone in their sport, regardless of background, and they have integrated these principles into their policies and practices.
There’s no doubt that the future of winter sports in Canada looks promising for people from all backgrounds and identities. With Nordiq Canada pushing for improved performance across all levels of the sport, the country is likely to challenge at the top echelons of winter sports for many years to come.
