Graham Ritchie | Olympic Cross-Country Ski Team

Graham Ritchie | Canadian Olympic Cross-Country Ski Team

A special edition of, Pete's Ponders, for Peter Istvan Photography, because Nordiq Canada revealed the cross-country skiing team for Beijing Winter Olympics and Parry Sound's Graham Ritchie is heading to the Winter Olympics, representing Team Canada.

I live in Parry Sound and our community is very excited for Graham and his team, for their upcoming competition at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Parry Sound is known for some great athletes such as Bobby Orr, Aidan Dudas, Mark Ideson, and Megan Oldham. Add Graham to the list!

Graham Ritchie, was born and raised in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. He skied with the Parry Sound High School (PSHS) Nordic team and trained at the Georgian Nordic Activity Centre.

My daughter was also on the PSHS Nordic Ski Team, and probably much to her dismay, I started following the PSHS Nordic Ski Team to various events to cheer them on and photograph the skiers in action. I had the opportunity to capture some photos of Graham, in his early days of competitive skiing.

Another skier that I was able to watch was Shaylynn Lowen, who we will also likely see in the Winter Olympics, one day.

Here is one of my daughter, she will love this.....NOT! 

Videos

PSHS Nordic Ski Team - Mass starts at OFSAA 2016 (Check out Graham's hair)

Some of Graham Ritchie's coaches in Parry Sound.

After high school, Graham joined the National Team Development Centre in Thunder Bay and it was a thrilling 12th place finish in a sprint skate at the 2018 Nordic Junior World Championships that earned Graham a spot on the Nordiq Canada Ski Team.

In 2016, Graham's classmates at the PSHS, voted him to be the student....

They were right. 

In January 2022, Graham, 23, was officially named to Canada’s Cross-Country Ski Team - Winter Olympics.

Career highlights for Graham Ritchie:

• 2021 – World Cup, Ulricehman, SWE: 17 (Sprint F)
• 2021 – World Ski Championships, Oberstdorf, GER: 10 (4x10km Relay), 7 (Team Sprint)
• 2021 – Under-23 World Championships, Vuokatti, FIN: 9 (4x5km Relay), 20 (15km F), 29 (Sprint C)
• 2020 – Under-23 World Ski Championships, Oberwiesenthal, GER: 13 (15km C), 26 (Sprint F)
• 2019 – World Cup, Quebec City, CAN: 69 (Sprint F)
• 2019 – Haywood NorAm, Red Deer, Alta.: 1 (Sprint F), 3 (10km F)
• 2019 – Under-23 World Ski Championships, Lahti, FIN: 52 (15km F), 26 (Sprint C)
• 2018 – World Junior Championships, Goms, SUI: 12 (Sprint F)
• 2018 – German Nationals, Obersdtorf, GER: 2 (15km F mst)
• Full results 

Recent media about Graham:

• Parry Sound North Star
• CTV interview with Graham Ritchie:
• CBC article on announcement of Canadian Olympic cross-country ski team
• Official announcement from Nordiq Canada
• Ritchie, Stewart Jones earns Olympic skiing berths

Olympic Cross-Country Ski Overview

What are the 2 styles of cross-country skiing? Traditionally, Olympic cross-country skiing events alternate between classical and free technique from Games to Games. The classic technique is the stride-and-glide motion and skis move parallel to each other. In comparison, the free technique has more of a skating motion and often referred to as skate skiing.

What are the Olympic Cross-Country Skiing Events?

For Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, there are six categories:

Canada's Cross-Country Skiing at the Olympics

Cross-country skiing originated in Scandinavia over 5000 years ago, and was  introduced to Canada in the 1890s.

Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympic Games started 1924 in Chamonix, France. In 1924, legendary Norwegian skier, Thorlief Haug, won all three skiing events, the 18 km, 50 km, and combined. The women's events were added at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics.

Canada has won three Olympic medals in cross-country skiing, all by women.

First medal: In 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Beckie Scott won Canada's first GOLD medal in the pursuit event.

Second and third medals: At the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, Sara Renner won Canada's first SILVER medal in the classic team sprint event. Chandra Crawford won Canada's second GOLD medal the free sprint event.

One of the more notable performances for the men was at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. In the free team sprint, Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw skied to a fourth place finish, just missing a medal! 

In the 50 km classic mass start event, Devon Kershaw, after skiing for 2 hours, finished a six-tenths of a second, out of bronze medal position.

Ivan Babikov also placed fifth in the skiathlon.

At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Alex Harvey skied to a fourth place finish in the 50 km classic mass start.

Check out these thrilling and nail-biting finals of Cross Country Skiing from the Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer 1994, Nagano 1998, Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010

Check out Team Canada’s Olympic Winter Games flag bearers

Beijing Winter Olympics 2022  

At the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, Graham is joined by:

• Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse, Yukon)
• Cendrine Browne (Saint-Jérôme, Que.)
• Antoine Cyr (Gatineau, Que.)
• Laura Leclair (Chelsea, Que.)
• Olivier Léveillé (Sherbrooke, Que.)
• Katherine Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.)
• Rémi Drolet (Rossland, BC)
• Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (Morin Heights, Que.)

Best of luck to Graham, Dahria, Cendrine, Antoine, Laura, Olivier, Katherine, Rémi, and Olivia, as you ski for 🥇GOLD🥇, at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics! The Olympic competition schedule shows the first cross-country ski event is Saturday, February 5th, 2022.

Check out this link for all things Olympic from Nordiq Canada

Also, cheering on two other Parry Sounders, Megan Oldham, going to the Olympics, competing in the Freestyle skiing, and Mark Ideson, competing in the Paralympic Games Beijing 2022, in Wheel Chair Curling.

Local Athletes are representing Canada and we need your help!

• Megan Oldham: Beijing Olympics Profile | CBC Sports 
• Mark Ideson on how he went from able-bodied athlete to a wheelchair curling champion | CBC Sports 

Results from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Cross-Country Skiing Races

Feb 5th - Women's 7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon

 Feb 6th - Men's 15 km + 15 km Skiathlon

• 1st - Alexander Bolshunov
• 2nd - Denis Spitsov
• 3rd - Livo Niskanen
• 31st - Olivier Léveillé 
• 42nd - Antoine Cyr 
• DNF  - Remi Drolet 
• Full results

Feb 8th - Men's/Women's Sprint Freestyle

Feb 10th - Women's 10 km Classic Results

• 1st - Therese Johaug
• 2nd - Kerttu Niskanen
• 3rd - Krista Parmakoski
• 18th - Dahria Beatty 
• 36th - Katherine Stewart-Jones 
• 48th - Cendrine Browne 
• 61st - Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt 
• Full results

Feb 11th - Men's 15 km Classic Results

• 1st - Ivo Niskanen
• 2nd - Alexander Bolshunov
• 3rd - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo
• 29th - Olivier Léveillé  
• 33rd - Remi Drolet  
• 37th - Antoine Cyr  
• Full results
• Video Replay of Cross-Country Skiing Men's 15 Classic Final

Feb 12th - Women's Cross-Country 4 x 5 km Relay Classic 

• 1st - ROC
• 2nd - Germany
• 3rd - Sweden 
• 9th - Canada 
• Full results

Feb 13th - Men's Cross-Country 4 x 10 km Relay Classic 

• 1st - ROC
• 2nd - Norway
• 3rd - France
• 11th - Canada 
• Full Results

• Women's Sprint Classic Semi-finals Results - Olympic Cross-Country Skiing
• 1st - Germany
• 2nd - USA
• 3rd - Austria
• 6th - Canada 

• Women's Sprint Classic FINAL Results - Olympic Cross-Country Skiing
• 1st - Germany
• 2nd - Sweden
• 3rd - ROC

• Men's Sprint Classic Semi-finals Results - Olympic Cross-Country Skiing
• 1st - Germany
• 2nd - USA
• 3rd - Austria
• 6th - Canada 

• Men's Sprint Classic FINAL Results - Olympic Cross-Country Skiing
• 1st - Norway
• 2nd - Finland
• 3rd - ROC
• 5th - Canada 

From Nordiq Canada

Antoine Cyr and Graham Ritchie ski to a historic 5th place in the Men's Team Sprint Classic!

The pair again showed confidence as they would lead on the climbs, and fight for the podium positions up until the second last exchange. Norway, Russia, and Finland would go off the front creating a gap. Ritchie would do his best to close the gap on the anchor leg but would come across the line in 5th place behind Sweden. This is Canada's second-best ever Men's Olympic Team Sprint result, and the best ever in the classic discipline! This result shows the promise of things to come for the two young skiers, who at the age of just 23 have achieved a historic result!

Media: Thunder Bay skier races to historic cross-country Olympic finish in Beijing

Feb 19 - Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 30 km Mass Start Free Final

• Note, race was reduced from 50 km to 30 km, due to weather
• 1st - Alexander Bolshunov 
• 2nd - Ivan Yakimushkin
• 3rd - Simen Hegstad Krueger
• 27th - Olivier Léveillé  
• 42nd - Remi Drolet  

Feb 20th - Cross-Country Skiing - Women's 30 km Mass Start Free Final

• 1st - Therese Johaug
• 2nd - Jesse Diggins
• 3rd - Kerttu Niskanen
• 16th - Cendrine Browne 
• 30th - Katherine Stewart-Jones 
• 39th - Dahria Beatty 
• 51st - Laura Leclair 

Results from the Free Ski Big Air

• Finals
• 4th- Megan Oldham 
• 8th - Olivia Asselin 

Feb 14 - Women's Freeski Slopestyle Qualification Results - Olympic Freestyle Skiing

• 11th - Olivia Asselin 
• 13th - Megan Oldham  

Update on Meg Oldman, January 2023

Megan Won Gold in the Women’s Ski Big Air at X Games in Aspen while making history as she becomes the first woman skier to land a triple, taking home X Games GOLD!

Canada's Megan Oldham lands 1st triple cork in women's events to claim X Games gold - January 2023

Paralympic Wheelchair Curing Beijing Olympics 2022

 Friday, March 11, Semi-Finals

• Canada   5, China 9 

Friday, March 11, Bronze Medal Match

• Canada   4 , Slovakia 3 

Late 2023, Graham had injury and has been working hard to to get back on the skis. He did a fun video with Collin. 

Graham Ritchie tries out for the Para nordic team?

Peter Istvan Photography

Peter is a professional headshot photographer. Available in studio, or on location. Serving Parry Sound, Muskoka, Sudbury, North Bay, Barrie, Toronto, and surrounding areas. View pricing and scheduling.