Yukoner Graham Nishikawa, a member of the Canadian national cross-country ski team, completed his first experience on the World Cup circuit recently with what are being called 'brilliant' results.

Nishikawa was able to compete in four World Cup races in the last two weeks. It was his first opportunity to represent Canada at this level of competition. He not only completed his races with personal bests, but managed to finish as a top four Canadian in all three distance events.

His first race was the 30-kilometre continuous pursuit in Vernon, B.C., where he finished in 46th, three minutes and 30 seconds behind the winner, World Cup leader Tobias Angerer. Nishikawa was ranked third as a Canadian skier in that event.

In Canmore, Alta. the following week, Nishikawa took part in two more distance races, finishing 40th in the 30-km mass start and 46th in the 15-km skate individual race. He was ranked fourth as a Canadian in both events.

These results in most other years may have been good enough to earn Nishikawa a spot on the Olympic Team, bu this year, with a large number of distance skiers on the men's team already qualified for the Olympics, Canada added only two sprinters to the men's squad for the 2006 Games.

Nishikawa proved this past month that he has what it takes to make it to the Olympic Games. So if he continues with this progression over the next few years, said Yukon head coach Alain Masson, he will surely become the first Yukon male skier to represent Canada at the Olympics.

Next up for Nishikawa will be a week of racing in early January in the Quebec City area, where the national team will host trial races for the world under-23 championships. He will compete in three races for a spot on that team.