The Sault’s Trysten Kahtava is currently giving it his all as an Algoma University student athlete.
As a first-year student in the post-secondary institution’s bachelor of computer science program, Kahtava is also a member of the Algoma University Thunderbirds Nordic skiing and cross-country running teams.
Kahtava is looking forward to Algoma University and the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club hosting the 2025 Ontario University Athletics Nordic Ski Championships at Hiawatha Highlands from Feb. 20 to 23.
“It’ll be great to have that home trail advantage. I know those trails like the back of my hand,” Kahtava told SooToday.
The Korah Collegiate graduate has cross country skied for 14 years and is a member of the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club.
Kahtava has competed as a skier at both NOSSA and OFSAA Championships as well as the Meijer Michigan Cup 2022 where he placed third. In 2023, Kahtava won the Rotary Sports Award for Cross Country Skiing.
He started learning to ski at the age of four.
“I learned to ski the same time I learned to walk,” Kahtava said with a laugh.
He started skiing competitively in Grade 7.
“I was competing in Grades 7 and 8. Overall I did pretty good. I was always in the top three for elementary school,” Kahtava said.
He travelled and competed in events with the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club.
“I competed in Gatineau during high school. That’s a hot spot for cross country skiing races,” Kahtava said.
“It’s great. It’s a really good team,” he said of the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club.
“It’s amazing because you get a group of friends you train with all the time. You see them in and outside of school. It's a great feeling. It’s a community.”
His career has not come without serious challenges.
“This year has been a pretty good season for Algoma but two years ago I had surgery on my legs. I had compartment syndrome,” Kahtava said.
Chronic compartment syndrome builds up slowly over time, especially after intense physical activities or exercise.
“For me that was terrible. I could barely finish a race when I was running.”
The young athlete had to undergo surgery.
“I feel great now but before I was able to run only six kilometres. I’ve run a marathon before and then I thought ‘six kilometres and I’m done?’"
His marathon run - 42 kilometres, or 26 miles - was a non-competitive, spur-of-the-moment event.
“I just went out one day and I thought ‘you know what? I’m going to run a marathon.’ So I started out from the John Rhodes Centre and kept going. My brother was with me. He was on his bike. He kept stopping and saying ‘my legs hurt’ but I just kept going,” Kahtava recalled.
As an Algoma University Thunderbird cross-country runner, Kahtava ran a personal best Sept. 28 at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo, running six kilometres with a time of 23:47.
As a Nordic skier for Algoma, Kahtava most recently had an eighth place overall finish in the men's 17 kilometre race and a fourth place finish in his division at the Muskoka Loppet in Huntsville.
“I love running in the summer and skiing in the winter. They’re two different things but they blend together. It’s great to have the satisfaction knowing I can run or ski the distance. Skiing is such a calming thing. You go out and ski, look at the trees around you and enjoy nature.”
Competitive skiing is of course different from a recreational ski through the woods, but Kahtava competes with cool concentration and effort, one stride at a time.
“There’s always pressure with competing but you’ve just got to focus when you’re in a race, like ‘I’m going to do my best going around this corner, I’m going to really do this climb and pass as many people as I can, then I’m going to cruise down this hill.”
As with all student athletes, Kahtava said sports helps with his studies.
“It definitely helps with school. It helps you focus. You go for a ski and it prepares you for your assignments. I try to train every day - whether it’s in the gym, on the trails or running in the summer. It feels good. You not only stay fit but it feels good to represent the university.”