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 - Don Weixl, Cross Country Canada
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Date of Birth: 01/08/74 |
Place of Birth: Vegreville, AB |
Residence: Bend, Oregon |
Height: 5'7" |
Weight: 140 lbs |
Years on National Team: 8 |
The world of competitive cross-country skiing is a world few Canadians know
anything about. But in that world, Beckie Scott is a star. She even has a
facility named after her: the Beckie Scott Nordic
Center at Panorama Mountain Village in Invermere, B.C., and there's also the
Beckie Scott Loppet in her hometwon of Vermilion. More Canadians may get to
know her better, at least for one day, at the Salt Lake City Games where she
is considered a serious medal contender.
Scott has been a trailblazer for women's nordic sport in Canada.
Last season she posted Canada's best ever result in women's cross country
skiing placing 11th in the pursuit and won Canada's first World Cup medal in
more than 10 years placing third in the sprint.
"There hasn't been one thing that I can pinpoint that explains why I've had
such strong performances the last few years," said Scott, who'll race the 10
kilometre classic, the pursuit, sprint race and relay at the Olympics. "It
probably all comes down to my training and preparation. This year I feel
confident that I can challenge for a medal at the Games. It's certainly not
impossible."
She currently lives in Bend, Oregon and her coach resides at Park City, Utah
which for the past three years has allowed her to train on the Salt Lake
City Games Olympic course at Soldier Hollow, Utah. Scott says her knowledge
of the course should give her a mental advantage over the competition.
Scott began to cross country ski around the same time she began to walk. By
the age 12 she was already winning medals at the junior nationals. A
three-time Canadian junior overall champion she competed at four world
junior championships, the first one at age 16.
Off the trails, Scott is leading the charge in an anti-doping campaign in
her sport after a scandal rocked last year's world championships. She's
calling for the International Ski Federation to be more aggressive in its
efforts to catch the cheats.
"We started a petition after the worlds pointing out that the governing body
wasn't doing all it could to stamp out doping," Scott said. "We got over a
hundred signatures and I think it was an eye-opener for FIS (the
International Ski Federation). I think athletes are only half of the
problem the other is coming from our own governing body."
In addition this year Scott spearheaded a Canadian team challenge to their
U.S. counterparts to donate all prize money won from a recent Continental
Cup competition in B.C. to the UNICEF relief efforts in Afghanistan.
What Canada Did
Feb. 21 - Women's 20-km relay: Jaime Fortier and Milaine Theriault, both Canmore, Alta.; Sara Renner, Golden, B.C., and Beckie Scott, Vermilion, Alta., finished eighth in a field of 13.
Feb. 19 - Women's sprint: Beckie Scott, Vermilion, Alta., won consolation final, finished fourth overall
Feb. 15 - Women's pursuit: Beckie Scott, Vermilion, Alta., won bronze medal after placing sixth in classical and eighth in freestyle
Feb. 12 - Women's 10-km classical: Beckie Scott, Vermilion, Alta., placed sixth of 61 finalists
Beckie Scott Photos
Scott skis the fourth leg of the relay
Beckie Scott powers up the hill
Scott celebrates after tying for the bronze
Medalists celebrate their vistory
Beckie Scott is embraced by a friend
Scott celebrates after winning the bronze
Beckie Scott celebrates on the podium
Beckie Scott compete in the women's 10Km classical
More Beckie Scott Stories
Scott second in Olympic warmup event
Canada's cross-country skiers have high hopes
Canuck skiers finding stride
Scott wins N. American cross country opener
2002 Games Cross Country Skiing Coverage
