The 2006 Northwestel Western Canadian Cross Country Ski Championships, which will be held in Whitehorse this spring, should be one of the most competitive western events in years.

The championships, which are a test event for the 2007 Canada Winter Games, have been named part of the prestigious Haywood Noram Canada Cup series by Cross Country Canada.

The Haywood series attracts top skiers from across the country, as they compete for prize money and international (FIS) points.

The 11-event series also includes races in P.E.I. and B.C this year. And since being included in the Haywood series, the Westerns have also been added to the Canadian ski team's official trip schedule.

That means the Canadian team will bring 10 skiers north to compete.

'It's important just to have the recognition and it's important because it will increase the participation in the event,' said Alain Masson, head coach of the Yukon ski team. 'Also, the national team will have 10 athletes here, so that's a huge bonus. It will attract lots of other skiers from across Canada.

'It will probably be the most competitive western championships in a long time.'

Masson said with the calibre of skiers taking part in the competition, it will be a really good test for the trails at Mount McIntyre and the volunteers, who will be gearing up for 2007. A lot of people don't get the chance to go Outside and see the best skiers this country has to offer compete, but now they will be able to see them right at home, he pointed out.

'To see it on TV is one thing, but to see it live ... it will give people a real appreciation of the sport on a national level.'

Claude Chabot, the Chief of Race for the western championships and the president of Cross Country Yukon, said the announcement from Cross Country Canada is 'pretty exciting news.'

'We already expected an extremely high level of competition at our races, but being part of the Haywood series. and having the national team commit to coming to Whitehorse, will make the event even more competitive,' he said. 'There is a certain amount of synergy involved, as racers seek out the strongest possible competition to test their mettle.'

In addition to the top skiers in Canada, as well as athletes from the Yukon and N.W.T., Chabot expects a fair number of Alaskan athletes will also show up at the Westerns. Whitehorse, he said, has always had a reputation as a strong racing club that can put on great events on a great trail system.

The Northwestel Westerns run from March 18-20 and will include a sprint race, an individual-start class technique race, and a mass-start free technique race.

Some of the athletes who will probably represent the Yukon at the championships include: Brittany Greer who is currently training and attending university in Anchorage Emily Nishikawa, Bryn Knight, John Parry, David Greer and Ray Sabo.

Those six skiers recently travelled with Masson to Canmore, Alberta and Vernon, B.C., for Canada Cup races and a training camp.

While they've all competed on the national scene before, it was the first time they faced much older athletes in the open categories, getting a taste of the competition they will experience in 2007. The Canada Games categories are 22-and-under.

The Yukoners competed in two Canada Cup races in Canmore Dec. 3 and 4, one classic and one sprint. Then they moved to Silver Star, near Vernon, for an invitational sprint race on Dec. 6.

The rest of that week consisted of a training camp and this past weekend, they had the opportunity to watch Canada's best in action at the World Cup races in Sovereign Lake, B.C.

'It was a great experience for everybody,' said Masson. 'It was the first time for these kids to compete in the open category, so they did quite well just to finish the distances (10 kilometres for women and 15 km for men), which were longer than they're used to. They were on tough courses too, the courses which will be used for the World Cup races this weekend in Canmore.'

Brittany posted the best results for the Yukoners, as she was the top junior skier in the knockout sprint. She was 20th overall, 'so it was a really good result for her,' said Masson. In the sprint race at Silver Star, the six athletes were the only junior skiers entered.

Masson picked a good weekend to take the skiers to watch the World Cup races, as Canadian Becky Scott picked up two medals a gold and a silver while fellow Canuck Sara Renner claimed a bronze.

'It was so nice to be at home in Canada and see the Canadians do so well,' said Masson. 'I think the results this weekend (in Canmore) will be good, too, just because of the shape Becky and Sara are in.'

Masson will also be hoping for good results from the Yukon skiers this weekend, as a dozen of them travel to Alaska for an annual race series. Brittany will be competing with her University of Alaska team at the races.

After the Alaska trip, the skiers will take a Christmas break and then it's off to the national trials in the New Year. Only the best skiers from the territory will compete at the trials, explained Masson, as Canada looks to field teams for the senior world and world under-23 championships. Graham Nishikawa, who is currently a member of the national team and is set to compete at the World Cup races in Canmore this weekend, will join the Yukoners at trials in January.

From there, two separate Yukon ski teams will prepare for the Canadian championships and 2006 Arctic Winter Games. The AWG conflict with the nationals this time around, as they have been scheduled for the same week in March. It will be a challenge to Cross Country Yukon's resources, as they will have to support up to 30 athletes out of the territory that week, and will need at least five experienced coaches.

Masson will lead the team at nationals, with a group of older and more experienced skiers, while the younger skiers will compete in the AWG.

Cross Country Yukon has selected Mary Waddell, who was hired this fall as an assistant sport co-ordinator, to lead the team at AWG. Waddell brings with her many years of experience at the national level as a coach.