麻豆社区

Emily Nishikawa is in top form heading into the world championships.

The Whitehorse cross-country skier put together her best skate result in a World Cup race Sunday in Ostersund, Sweden, placing 36th out of 71 racers.

Nishikawa, the lone Canadian competing, crossed the finish line of the 10-kilometre course in 26:02. In comparison, Swedish skier Charlotte Kalla took gold in 23:26.1.

The result has the 25-year-old in good spirits heading into the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden. The event begins today and runs until March 1.

鈥淚鈥檓 really happy with this race,鈥� she told Cross Country Canada officials Sunday. 鈥淎fter a long break from the World Cup, I鈥檓 happy to be back and racing well.

鈥淚 think I am in a great place heading into the world championships,鈥� she added. 鈥淭here is room for improvement in a few areas, but I鈥檓 so excited for the world championships to start.鈥�

Meanwhile, Nishikawa鈥檚 31-year-old brother, Graham, is doing some good work of his own in Asahikawa, Japan.

Back in front of blind skier Brian McKeever as a guide, the duo hammered the field in the men鈥檚 20-km visually impaired classic-ski race en route to gold yesterday.

Nearly one year after winning three Paralympic titles, McKeever remains unbeaten this season with his second gold in Japan.

The Canmore, Alta., skier won Tuesday with a time of 1:00:15.5.

鈥淭he course and ski conditions were very tough today,鈥濃�圡cKeever said. 鈥淐hanging track conditions and a very long, steep hill could have been a rough mix, but the servicemen gave us perfect skis.

鈥淕raham was awesome today,鈥� he added. 鈥淗e was so strong on his climbs, and his work really laid the foundation for a good result today.鈥� Norway鈥檚 Erik Bye was more than five minutes behind, claiming second place in the 20-km event.

The IPC Nordic World Cup continues today in Japan with the skate-ski sprint races.

The Nishikawa siblings aren鈥檛 the only Whitehorse skiers making an impression on the world stage.

Twenty-year-old Dahria Beatty continues to race in Latvia, choosing to remain on the European ski circuit rather than attend the 2015 Canada

Winter Games in Prince George, B.C.

On Saturday, Beatty finished second in the classic sprints at the Latvian championships.

With temperatures hovering around zero, the race was a rare chance for the Canucks to ski in klister and variable conditions 鈥� uncommon in Canada.

This weekend, Beatty will be racing in Madona, Latvia, where she will complete four races in five days.

Beatty and the rest of Canada鈥檚 development squad will spend a total of three weeks competing in Scandinavian Cup races.

The tour is pegged as a chance to race against top-level competition as a means to gain more experience.

Whitehorse ski coach Pavlina Sudrich is helping to lead the trip.