It seemed an impossible dream.
Cross Country Canada has announced that Eliza-Jane Kitchen, former Larch Hills Nordics racer, has been named to the Junior National Ski Team.
“It’s something I never really thought possible or even really thought of,” she told the Observer Tuesday. “Then I had a really breakthrough ski season this year. My main goal was to make it to the Canada Winter Games and that happened. Then I continued to have an incredible season.”
She said partway through the season she realized her results could be good enough. Her selection was based on results at nationals in March.
“It was pretty exciting to hear because I never really thought of it before...”
Right now it’s the off season, so the team is not training much, but she expects to attend some ski camps and do some sporadic skiing. This weekend she’ll be heading to Vernon to ski.
Next year she intends to continue training and perhaps go to university or college – but she isn’t quite sure yet what being on the team will entail.
“It’s just exciting to be recognized nationally,” she says. “I’m really excited for next year; there could be new exciting opportunities come along with being on the junior national team.
Although her family has moved to North Vancouver, Kitchen still considers Salmon Arm her home.