Yukon skier Natalie Hynes headed to world championships in Finland
20-year-old skier is one of 4 Canadians named to Women's under-23 team
Another young Yukoner is making waves in competitive cross-country skiing.
20-year-old Natalie Hynes from Whitehorse has been named to Canada's under-23 World Championship team competing in Lahti, Finland next month.
"I definitely wasn't expecting it. I mean, you always kind of hope," Hynes said.
She's one of four athletes named to the women's U-23 team. The team members earned their spots at a competition this past weekend in Canmore, Alta.
Hynes, who's also a student of health sciences in Anchorage, Alaska, missed one race last weekend, because of exams. But she made up for it with strong results in two other races including her favourite, the 15-kilometre classic race.
She says even though she's studying in Alaska, she enjoys coming back to Canada for competitions.
"You don't always know what to expect and what the competition is like, but it's kind of more exciting that way, almost. And they also don't know if you're coming, half the time," she said.
Hynes knows she's following in some big footsteps, or ski tracks — Canadian Olympic skiers Dahria Beatty and Emily Nishikawa also call Whitehorse home.
"They're always looking out for me and each other, and it's great," Hynes said.
The competition in Finland runs from Jan. 19 to 27.
With files from Sandi Coleman