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National Championships Interview Series: John Rennie
By:  Team XCOttawa   (2006/03/09)

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XC Ottawa managed to get in touch with a number of prominent skiers who grew up skiing in Ottawa. We asked them for their thoughts on the season just passed, their goals for next year, and their focus for the upcoming National Championships. We’ll post a new one every day as Nationals goes on!

Today we are talking to John Rennie. John is from Ottawa and grew up skiing with the Nakkertok Ski Club. He now lives in Thunder Bay where he trains with the NTDC.

Question: How has your season progressed up to this point? Have you been happy with the way things have gone? What were the highlights of you season?

Answer: My season had a slow and frustrating start, but it has been picking up ever since. I have been racing well since mid January and I had some great races at Easterns. Being able to watch the World Cups out west were a great experience and very inspiring.

Question: What are your plans for next season? Do you have any specific training or competition goals for the spring/summer, and for next winter?

Answer: Regardless of where I end up next year, I’m going to be training hard so that I can race my fastest in the winter. I’ve learned a lot about how my body responds to different types of training this year, and I hope to use this knowledge to make my training as effective as possible.

Question: Are you going to Nationals this year? Do you enjoy racing at Nationals, and if so, why?

Answer: I’m certainly going to be at Nationals. Nationals are a bit of a mixed bag for me, because I always look forward to the races and leave with good memories, but I feel the pressure of having to perform at the biggest races of the year.

Question: What are your goals for Nationals? What race will you focus on at Nationals, and why?

Answer: The 10 km Classic and the Sprint are my best races. I hope to win a medal in the Sprint, and have a top 5 in the classic race.

Question: What was your favourite National Championships you’ve ever been to? Why?

Answer: My first Nationals, back in 2002 in Canmore, were quite an experience because it was my first time competing at the national level. When we finally got to race, I was able to put in some good results. Last year’s slush fest was pretty fun too, but the race cancellation was a bummer.

Question: Do you like Lappe Nordic Centre (host of this year’s Nationals)? If so, why?

Answer: I certainly do! I’ve been fortunate to be able to train at Lappe this winter and have come to love the flow of the courses, as well as the challenges of the (abundant) hills. Whether they were good races or bad races, I always have fond memories of racing at Lappe because of the atmosphere and hype that the place generates.

Question: Who are your picks to win the following races:

Men’s Club Relay: Foothills

Women’s Club Relay: Foothills

Men’s Sprint: Sean Crooks

Women’s Sprint: Dasha Gaiazova

Men’s 50k: Dan Roycroft

Women’s 30k: Milaine Theriault

 
Interesting Reading. . .
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