The Fernie Nordic skier Louison Dubief has helped make history for British Columbia at the World Junior Championships in Norway, delivering one of the strongest results ever recorded by a BC female cross-country skier.
Racing in the demanding 20-kilometre skate event, Dubief—representing the Fernie Nordic Society—finished an impressive 6th place, placing her among the top junior skiers in the world. The result came in a historic race for BC athletes, led by Ruby Serrouya of the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club, who finished 4th, just 0.4 seconds off the podium.
Together, the two skiers produced the best results ever achieved by BC women at the World Junior Championships.
Until now, the top result by a BC female skier at the event had been Jasmine Drolet’s 8th place finish in the 5 km classic in 2022. Serrouya’s 4th place result now ties the best individual performance by any BC athlete at the championships, matching Remi Drolet’s 4th place finish in the 30 km skate in 2020.
For Fernie, Dubief’s result is a milestone moment. The Elk Valley has produced strong Nordic skiers through the Fernie Nordic Society, but placing 6th in the world at the junior level marks a new benchmark for the local program.
The race also highlighted a remarkable surge in performances from BC athletes overall. In just the first two days of competition, BC skiers have already recorded five Top-10 finishes, compared to only three in the entire previous history of the championships.
Additional strong finishes from BC athletes in the same race included:
25th – Eamon Wilson, Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club
29th – Madeleine Wilkie, Larch Hills Nordic Ski Club (Salmon Arm)
For grassroots ski clubs across the province, these results reinforce how important local programs are to athlete development. Nearly every Canadian Nordic athlete begins in a community club—learning technique, building endurance, and discovering the sport long before reaching international competition.
For Fernie, Louison Dubief’s performance stands as both a personal achievement and a reminder of what small mountain communities can produce on the world stage.
Source: Cross Country BC
