The Sault’s Jasper Tchir is on an impressive winning streak as a young competitive cross-country skier.
Tchir, a Korah Collegiate Grade 9 student, won gold in the Open Division 5km individual cross-country event at the OFSAA Championships held in Sudbury on Feb. 20 and 21.
Tchir was the top junior boy among 170 Ontario skiers in that 5km race, finishing in just under 14 minutes.
He also won gold in the junior boys sprint relay along with teammates Cash Lajoie, Oliver Benac, Ryan Elgie and spare Cole Teresinski.
“It wasn’t my first medal, but it certainly meant a lot. I was very proud to represent not only my school but also the city,” Tchir said in an interview with SooToday, referring to his Open Division 5km individual cross-country race victory.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Tchir’s family moved to Sault Ste. Marie when he was four and has skied competitively for the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club since he was eight.
The 2024-25 school year is his first year competing for Korah Collegiate.
“There was a period where cross-country skiing wasn't in Sault Ste. Marie at the high school level, so I'm happy that it was brought back in time for me to compete and I'm proud to have won a gold medal for Korah and Sault Ste. Marie,” Tchir said.
As for his win with the relay team?
“We brought home a banner that we can hang in the school. It was a really great experience and I'm just really happy with how it went.
"The other guys on the team had outstanding performances, so I'm really, really happy about that. It was lots of fun,” Tchir said.
The next stop for Tchir will be competing in the Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals March 17-23 in Canmore, Alberta.
He will be there with Declan MacDougall, Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club head coach, and teammates Kate DeBeer, Myka Broad and Taylor Nieson.
“That’s very, very exciting. It's going to be super cool. There was a World Cup race held there just last year and so I'm really excited to get to race on some courses that pros race on. It'll be awesome,” Tchir said.
The young skier said he enjoys putting in the physical and mental effort that cross-country ski races require.
“It's awesome to be able to push myself. I like the challenge of taking myself to places where I can push my comfort zone, push my boundaries.
"I think that’s a thing about the sport that I really like. While I'm skiing I'm in a state of flow where it becomes my whole world and I'm able to just focus on my skis and the snow and the trail. I think that’s very calming even in the middle of a race. I can just focus on one task and everything else falls away.”
Tchir credits the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club’s Jackrabbit program - which introduces children to cross-country skiing - for getting him started in his cross-country racing career.
The teen said he intends to continue racing for many years to come, including his post-secondary education years.
“I'm going to try and ski for as long as I can and take my goals as far as I can.”
Tchir said he is grateful to high school teachers and coaches who brought Nordic skiing back to Sault Ste. Marie, including Greg MacLachlan, Shane Dunne, Cameron Wilson and Kevin Magill, along with many volunteers.
“Jasper is in Grade 9 and will be a force in the Nordic skiing scene not just in Ontario, but in Canada for the next few years,” teacher Greg MacLachlan told SooToday.