Waterville, Maine – Junior Jack Young of the Colby Nordic Ski team has caught the eyes of more than just the skiers and coaches on the EISA circuit.  With top performances in sprint events in December and January, Young's results generated an invitation from US Ski and Snowboard to compete for the US team in February's World Cup, hosted at Canmore, Alberta.

"This is special," said Head Nordic Ski Coach Tracey Cote. "Jack is an incredible athlete. He's one of the most motivated athletes I've ever worked with and extremely goal driven, but also really positive and a great leader. As far as a current skier getting a World Cup start, it doesn't surprise me at all that Jack could make this happen. When he told me his goal of getting a World Cup start this year, I really believed that he could do it."

Young will be joined by recent graduate Erin Bianco '22 in Canmore.  Bianco has been racing competitively since she graduated, making World Cup starts this season in Oberhof, Germany and Goms, Switzerland.  She has competed in sprint events as well a mixed relay, and at Canmore she plans to compete in all four days of sprint and distance events.

"To have Jack and Erin together at a World Cup event is so special" Cote continued.  "I can't think of better ambassadors for Colby College and our ski program.  We will be cheering so hard back on campus, we hope they can hear us all the way to Canmore!"

Developing athletes at these heights puts the accomplishments of Cote's group at the level of eastern institutions Dartmouth and UVM, and scholarship schools Colorado, Utah, Denver, and Montana State, more traditional locations for skiers with such high aspirations.  While constantly battling with that core of Division I teams in the EISA and across NCAA Division I, Colby skiers are proving that what happens in the Nordic program on Mayflower Hill is working.  Exceptional world class coaching and training (nearby Quarry Road) allows the best and brightest skiers in the world to realize a path to their competitive dreams through Waterville, Maine and Colby College. 

Young will kick off racing on February 10^th with the first sprint qualifier in the morning before the first sprint race later that same day.  A second sprint qualifier and sprint race will occur on February 13^th to close the four day event. 

The races can be followed free live via fis-ski.com live timing, or streamed through skiandsnowboard.live with a subscription.