When it comes to nordic skiing, Sophie Tremblay is not all that fussy.
Sure, there is a unique excitement that comes part and parcel of a sprint race setting – though there remains a very special feeling that comes with crossing the finish line after being out on a 20- to 30-kilometre course or more.
And when it comes to having a style preference, be it classic or skating, well, that could easily come down to the day and time of the question.
“It changes every week depending on whether I am having good workouts with either,” said Tremblay recently. “I wouldn’t say that there is one that is more of my specialty. I like them both equally.”
The 20-year-old Laurentian University student athlete is excited to have qualified for the Team Canada delegation that will be competing at the FISU (Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire) World University Games, being held in in Lake Placid, New York, from Jan. 12 to Jan. 23.
As for distances, the eldest of four kids in the family is equally as varied.
“I love sprinting,” she said. “It’s intense and you have a lot of races during the day. It’s fun because there are more spectators and it goes really fast. I like that. But I’m also a big fan of the mass starts, skiing with lots of people. When you are done a distance and you cross that line, that’s just a different kind of feeling.”
Albeit one that she has known for almost as long as she has known to walk.
Her father, Steve**, skied during his high-school days at Collège Notre-Dame as well as with the Ottawa Gee Gees.
“He kind of got everyone on skis early,” said Sophie, who was born in Sudbury but moved with her family to Ottawa early on and graduated from E.S.C. Béatrice-Desloges before making her way to Lakehead University for the past two years of Covid.
With the full family now making their way back to Sudbury, the university talent jumped aboard, making the transfer and currently in her second year of Psychology studies at LU.
Still, there is little doubt that she owes much of her foundation to both her father, who initially coached her for years, as well as the crew at Nakkertok Ski Club, the group that she joined midway through high-school.
“When I went to Nakkertok, it was kind of a shock,” said Tremblay. “There were six coaches now and everyone had different ideas about technique and how you ski and what’s good for training. It was really cool to pick up on everyone’s opinion and knowledge and apply that to my training, to go home and talk with my dad about it.
“When you ski with other people, you pick up a lot on their technique or things that they do that can make you better – and that’s kind of fun.”
With a fifth-place finish at the OUA (Ontario University Athletics) championships already to her credit (the 2022 event ironically actually hosted by Laurentian in Sudbury, with Tremblay still competing for Lakehead), the well-spoken young woman is now looking to hit the podium in her sophomore year.
The upcoming FISU meet should provide a nice step in that direction.
“I’m really excited,” said Tremblay. “It’s a chance to race internationally – and it’s going to be a really big race. I wanted to gain more international racing experience and build some confidence on that scene.”
All of this kind of hits to the heart of where she sees the potential for improvement, well beyond simply improving every single detail of her technique and fitness.
“I think for me, it’s racing more and building confidence in my abilities, especially in the sprint format, being more tactical.”
In the end, however, whether it’s sprint or distance, classic or skate style, Sophie Tremblay knows that she is meant to be out on the snow, with plenty of dreams still ahead.
“Skiers on the national team are pretty well-rounded,” she said. “Some are better at distances or better at sprinting, but in general, you have to be able to do it all.
“Someday, that would be awesome.”
**Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Sophie Tremblay's father as Yves. That has been corrected.
Randy Pascal is a sportswriter in Greater Sudbury. Pursuit is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
