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Knute Johnsgaard is breathing a sigh of relief today.

While the official announcement is pending, the 22-year-old is reportedly the third Yukon cross-country skier to crack Team Canada鈥檚 ski roster for the 2015 world championships.

The top junior skiers on the planet will gather in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Feb. 1 to 8. Team Canada鈥檚 roster will also include locals Dahria Beatty and Annah Hanthorn.

Johnsgaard鈥檚 selection didn鈥檛 come easily, and according to Yukon ski coach Alain Masson, it may have come down to a judgement call by Cross Country Canada brass.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big relief,鈥� Johnsgaard said from the airport in Calgary this morning. 鈥淚 came pretty close to qualifying for the team in a lot of the earlier races, but in the end I鈥坵asn鈥檛 sure if I鈥坵as going to make it or not. I was kind of chewing my nails ... Now there鈥檚 kind of no stress now that that鈥檚 over with.鈥�

Racing on the NorAm circuit last weekend in Duntroon, Ont., Johnsgaard posted two runner-up finishes in the 30-kilometre pursuit race and classic sprint.

Johnsgaard decided to leave it all on the table in his final race of the event Sunday 鈥� a 15-km skate race.

Near the end, however, his body failed him and he began to fade rapidly, coasting to a fourth-place finish among Under-23 skiers.

鈥淚 knew I鈥坖ust had to go for it that day because I still hadn鈥檛 made it,鈥濃�圝ohnsgaard explained. 鈥淚鈥坘ind of just pushed myself right over the edge. But it all turned out OK.鈥�

If Johnsgaard had won any of his three races in Duntroon, he would have automatically made Team Canada.

Masson said Johnsgaard 鈥渏ust exploded鈥� around the 12-km mark of his final race Sunday.

鈥淗e was racing really well, just five seconds behind (the leader),鈥� the coach explained.

鈥淭hen he ran out of energy basically ... ran out of gas and saw stars. Within a few kilometres, he had lost minutes.

鈥淗e was devastated and thought his chance was lost. We didn鈥檛 have much hope and left thinking that was it.鈥�

But then the national team committee came calling for the second straight year.

鈥淭hey decided to take Knute because he was always right there in the distance races, and also sprinting,鈥� said Masson.

The flamboyant member of the Yukon Elite Squad said he feels like his best is yet to come this season.

鈥淚鈥檓 confident that it will come,鈥� Johnsgaard said. 鈥淣ow that I鈥檝e finally got the trials over with, it will be easier going ahead.鈥�

The skier also gave props to Yukoner Kendra Murray, 21, who just missed out on a U23 national roster position in Duntroon when Canada decided to go with just three women.

Meanwhile, Yukon Olympic-level skier Emily Nishikawa won gold in the 10-km interval race Sunday, gliding to victory in 33:30.5.

In total, nine Yukon skiers competed in Ontario.