West Kelowna’s Finn Redman Makes Canadian History in Norway Before Winning Multiple Medals at Nationals

LILLEHAMMER, Norway / MONT-SAINTE-ANNE, Que.—Finn Redman, a teenager from West Kelowna, B.C., has etched his name into the Canadian cross-country record books after becoming the first Canadian ever to win the sprint qualification at the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Lillehammer, Norway. The 18-year-old backed up the milestone by finishing ninth overall in the U20 sprint, a result that places him among the planet’s elite junior skiers.

Less than 48 hours after racing in Norway, Redman boarded a trans-Atlantic flight bound for Quebec and the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Championships, held March 9-14 at Mont-Sainte-Anne. Jet-lag proved no obstacle: Redman stormed to gold in the Senior Men’s Sprint and, together with Telemark Nordic Club teammate Adam Heale, captured victory in the Senior Men’s Team Sprint Relay. He added two silver medals in distance events to complete a dazzling week that saw him stand on the podium four times in five days.

Redman’s exploits headlined a banner nationals for Telemark Nordic. Jake Ulansky contributed a silver in the Mass Start, while 15-year-old Annika Heale collected a pair of bronze medals in the U16 division. A deep contingent of Telemark athletes scored points in nearly every race, pushing the club to a seventh-place finish in the overall club standings.

“Despite a record-low snow season, the Telemark Nordic race team had a very successful year, showing the strength of our athletes and the incredible support from our club and community,” head coach Emily Young said.

With the domestic season now closed, Redman’s historic winter has vaulted both himself and Canadian cross-country skiing onto the international radar.