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Two Yukon cross-country skiers received an early Christmas present courtesy of Team Canada this week.

Dahria Beatty (U-23) and Annah Hanthorn (junior) were two of the four Canadians named to Team Canada鈥檚 cross-country ski teams on the first ballot by Cross Country Canada鈥檚 high performance committee.

Quebec skiers Philippe Boucher and Raphael Couturier were named to the men鈥檚 team with Whitehorse skier Knute Johnsgaard finishing behind Boucher in the selection committee鈥檚 findings.

The 2015 world championships will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan from Feb. 1 to 8. The rest of the 16-member team will be filled out with race results from January.

鈥淚鈥檓 really pleased to get this early selection,鈥� said Beatty, 20. 鈥淚t takes a bit of the stress off the later qualifiers. The U-23s were definitely a main goal for me this season, so I鈥檓 really happy to have a spot on the team already and be able to focus and prepare for it now.鈥�

Beatty鈥檚 selection to the team came a few days after her first NorAm gold medal last weekend in Silver Star, B.C., where she skated to an impressive win in the women鈥檚 senior open 15-kilometre free event with a time of 48:50.1.

鈥淕oing into the race, I stopped thinking about what the result would be and focused on how I was going to ski the course,鈥� she explained of her gold-medal win. 鈥淚 focused on technique and whenever I鈥坒elt my mind slipping, I would go back to technique and I was just happy because my body was actually responding.鈥�

Beatty added she was surprised that her first NorAm victory came in a skate race, as she is widely regarded as a stronger classic skier.

Beatty has previously represented the Yukon and Canada at the world juniors three times. This season marks her first time as a U-23 skier, a category in which she will be one of the youngest competitors.

鈥淚t will be tough competition, but I definitely have some good goals set for it,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his is a necessary step for where I want to get to, and I was expecting to make this team this year. ... I鈥檓 looking forward to the experience.鈥�

Beatty will compete in all three races available in Kazahkstan 鈥� a sprint, skiathlon and distance race.

Meanwhile, Hanthorn has re-joined her family in Fort McPherson, N.W.T., and could not be reached by the Star for this story.

The 19-year-old started the NorAm season by stringing together the best two races of her life in Rossland, B.C., two weekends ago.

She won junior women鈥檚 gold in both the 11- and 7.5-km races, even beating Beatty to the finish line in the latter race.

In an interview following her performance, she said making the junior worlds team was one of her goals this season.

Hanthorn was an alternate for last year鈥檚 Canadian junior team.

Yukon ski coach Alain Masson said news of the early selections was 鈥渧ery exciting.鈥�

With their selections to Team Canada, both skiers can now focus on preparing for the world championships, as opposed to current race results.

鈥淭hey can now focus their training to do well in early February, rather than January, so it鈥檚 a real bonus,鈥濃�圡asson explained.

This is only the second year Team Canada has named athletes to the world championship teams using a pre-selection format, Masson explained.

鈥淚t鈥檚 to alleviate the stress to allow the dominant athletes a chance to train and get ready for the event which is always a month later,鈥� he said.

Sending multiple Yukon athletes to represent the country on the world stage is nothing new for the territory. In 2012, five Yukon skiers represented Canada at the world championships in Turkey.

But the selections confirm that three of the top young skiers in Canada are each part of the Yukon program.

Alongside Beatty and Hanthorn, Olympian Emily Nishikawa is only 25.

鈥淚t reinforces the quality of the programs and the ski community,鈥� said Masson.

Alongside Beatty and Hanthorn鈥檚 Team Canada appointments, several other Yukoners also got good news last week regarding the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., in March.

Female skiers selected to represent the Yukon at the 2015 Canada Winter Games are: Beatty, Hanthorn, Kendra Murray, Natalie Hynes and Hannah Deuling, with Adrienne Hynes to serve as first alternate.

Those making up the men鈥檚 roster are: Knute Johnsgaard, Marcus Deuling, Caelan Mclean, Simon Cash and Mac Prawdzik, with Hudson Lucier named first alternate.

NOTES:鈥圱he Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club honoured the Nishikawa family and other longtime volunteers yesterday. See Monday鈥檚 Star for coverage.