Ghislain de Laplante

Martha Sutton

Mallory Deyne

Bridget Yard

Ashley Kullas

Natasha Kullas

Brianna Yard

Bibiane Mahy

David Girard

Robb Martin

Veronic Massicotte

Chantal de Laplante

Coaches

Lorne Luhta

Susan Kaczmarek

Greg Deyne

Yvan Massicotte

Prepared by Diane Luhta, 2001

Since the club began in 1973, racing has been a part of its mandate. In the early years Lorne Luhta was the driving force behind the development of the club trails and a racing team. Lorne was a member of the Canadian Junior Team in the 1960s when it meant nothing except that you got a crest with a Maple Leaf on it. There were no coaches and few trails. In fact, most people did not even know what cross country skiing was. The Olympics were not shown on TV and cross country skiing was publicized very little, if at all, in Canada. (That has not changed much!)

There were a few communities in Ontario with Finnish or Scandinavian immigrants who promoted skiing through ethnic clubs in Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. Trails were packed by skiing or snow shoeing until snowmobiles were invented. Lorne introduced cross country skiing to Laurentian University and in 1969 Dr. Ron Wallingford, a physiology professor, became his mentor. From Dr. Wallingford Lorne learned a great deal about endurance athletics although Ron was a highly competitive and renowned world class marathon runner and not a skier.

Dr. Wallingford was very supportive of a ski team and together they developed a racing team and trails for training. Lorne laid out the trails and packed them with a snow machine. He made a wooden track setter to pull behind the snow machine. Ron talked the administration into financial support and Lorne was the coach, team manager and racer and was able to compete at the World University Games in Lake Placid in 1972.

When Lorne graduated with a Masters degree in Geology he moved to Timmins and started the Porcupine Ski Runners Club. At first he still had dreams of making the Olympic Team but it was futile without any support of any kind and no trails to which to train. Besides he now had a wife and son to support.

Because Lorne realized from experience how difficult it was to achieve and perform at a high level without support, he has been willing to help young athletes begin to reach their potential as athletes in this very demanding sport. The first requirement were good trails to ski on and that has always been a top priority for the club.

Over the years other people have also coached, either assisting Lorne or taking over when he needed a break. These include Gerry McNair, Diane Luhta, Frances Norlen, David Vodusek, Greg Watson, Jamie Kallio, Doug Barrett, Peter Greenaway, Joanne Bezzubetz, Susan and Stan Kaczmarek, Leanne and Erik Luhta, Keith Morin, Greg Deyne and Gerry Perreault. Since 1999, Lorne has been working near Sudbury and Sue Kaczmarek, Joanne Bezzubetz, Greg Deyne and Yvan Massicotte have been providing coaching support, with advice from Lorne, who tries to get to as many races as he can. Parents have also been very supportive in many ways. It takes a lot of people to produce good athletes! The club members have also generously contributed financial support.

Since Lorne had never had a cross country ski coach he had to learn how to coach by trial and error. He took courses whenever he could, even traveling to Norway for training in 1974 and over the years he has improved his skills and tried to pass this on to his athletes. The teams have always been small as it is a very demanding sport that requires a year round commitment from the athletes. Many teenagers quit when they realize how much hard work is involved.

·         Those that have persevered have brought honour to the club and themselves with fine performances over the years. Following is a listing of some of the racers and their achievements from Juvenile age to Senior, focusing on top ten placings at the Nationals and medals at Ontario Championships. If there are errors or omissions we apologize and ask you to please inform the webmaster.

The team of 7 was ranked 10th at the Nationals in 2002 in Canmore.

Mallory Deyne

·         Silver, 7.5 km skate, Juvenile Girls, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         8th sprints, Juvenile Girls, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         10th, 5 km classic, Juvenile Girls, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         4th overall Aggregate Points Juvenile Girls, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

Natasha Kullas

·         6th 7.5 km skate, Juvenile Girls but midget age, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

Rob Martin

·         Gold Medal , Canadian Championships , Juvenile Boys 10 km Classic, 2001

·         5th, Canadian Championships , Juvenile Boys Sprints, 2001

·         2nd Overall Ontario Cup, Juvenile Boy, 2001

·         Silver, 5 km classic, Juvenile Boys, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         Silver, sprints, Juvenile Boys, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         Second overall in Aggregate Points for Juvenile Boys 2002

·         Gold, Classic race, Ontario Championships 2002

·         Silver, Skate race, Ontario Championships 2002

Chris Martin

·         8th Sprints, Junior Men, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         10th 30 km classic, Junior Men, Canadian Championships, Canmore 2002

·         Third, Overall Ontario Cup, Junior Boy, 2001

·         5th, Canadian Championships, Junior Boy, 10 km Classic, 2001

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Challenge Boys Relay, 1999

·         Silver & Bronze, Ontario Championships, New Liskeard,1995

·         Silver & 2 Bronze, Eastern Canadians, Val Cartier, 1999

·         Bronze, Pursuit, Canadian Championships, Smithers, 1999

·         Third overall, Canadian Championships, Smithers, Juvenile Boy, 1999

·         Bronze, Ontario Championships, 1999

David Foster

·         4th place, 2001 Canadian Championships, Junior Boys Classic Sprints, 2001

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Junior boys Skating Sprint, 2000

·         Bronze , Canadian Championships, Challenge Boys Relay, 2000

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Challenge Boys Relay, 1999

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1999

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, Junior Boy Classic, 2000

·         4th Overall Ontario Cup, Junior Boy, 2001

·         Silver & Bronze, Ontario Championships, New Liskeard,1995

Matt Copps

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy 10 km Classic, 1998

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy 7.5 km Classic, 1998

·         Fifth, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy 5 km Classic, 1998

·         5th Overall Ontario Cup, Junior Man, 2001

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Challenge Boys Relay, 1999

·         Silver, Ontario Championships, 1999

Andrea Dupont

·         4th, Canadian Championships, Junior Girl 10 km Classic, 1998

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Relay, 100 Mile House, 1996

·         2 Gold, Ontario Championships, 1999

·         Gold & Silver, Ontario Championships, 1995

·         Gold & Silver, Ontario Championships, 1996

Andrea Martin

·         Gold, Ontario Championships,

·         Bronze, Eastern Canadians, Val Cartier, 1999

Steven Greenaway

·         Bronze, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1994

·         Gold, Relay, Canadian Junior Championships, 1995

Mike Sloan

·         Bronze, Ontario Championships, 1992 & 1994

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1993

Leanne Luhta

·         20 Canadian Junior Championship medals

·         Won 2 Overall Age Group Championships as a Juvenile 1990 & 1991

·         Gold, World Junior Trials, 1991

·         Silver relay medal as a Senior 1999

·         member NCAA Champion University of Colorado Ski Team 1998

·         Second and fourth at the NCAA Championships in 1994

·         Gold & Bronze, Junior Woman, USA National Championships 1992

·         Competed in World Cup in Thunder Bay 1994

·         Earned scholar athlete honors at Northern Michigan University and University of Colorado

·         Competed at the World Juniors in 1990

·         Gold & Silver , Ontario Championships, Junior Women, 1993

·         Two Gold, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Two Gold, Eastern Canadian Championships, 1992

·         Gold, Ontario Winter Games, 1987

Erik Luhta

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1988

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1988

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Junior Men's Relay, 1992

·         Gold, Canada Winter Games, Ontario Relay Team, 1995

·         Ontario Cup Overall Champion, Junior Boys 1990

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Silver, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Bronze, Ontario Championships, Senior Men, 1993

David Vodusek

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1988

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Junior Men's Relay, 1989

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Junior Boy, 1989

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Junior Boy, 1990

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Relay, 1991

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Relay, 1992

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Silver, Ontario Championships, 1992

·         Gold, Eastern Canadians, 1990

Stephen Ferrari

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1987

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1987

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1989

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Juvenile Boy, 1989

·         Bronze, Canadian Championships, Junior Men, Relay, 1991

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, 1992

Jamie Kallio

·         Olympic Team Member, Biathlon, Calgary 1988

·         Silver, Canadian Junior Championships, Junior Men's Relay, 1985

·         Bronze, North American Championships, Junior Men, 1985

·         Ontario Champion, Junior Boy, 1983

·         Canadian Biathlon Team member

Frank Ferrari

·         seven Canadian Championship medals, 1 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze

·         Silver, Relay, Canadian Junior Championships, Flin Flon, Manitoba, 1982

·         Gold, Canadian Championships, Junior Men 15 km Classic, Sault Ste. Marie, On, 1983

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, Junior Men 10 km Classic, Sault Ste. Marie, On, 1983

·         Overall Canadian Junior Champion, 1983

·         Bronze, North American Championships, Junior Men, 1983

·         Ontario Champion, Junior Men, 1983

·         Silver, Relay, Canadian Championships, Junior Men, 1984

·         Member of the Canadian National Team for five years

·         30th at the World Championships in Lahti

·         competed at the World Junior Championships, Truncheon, Norway, 1984

·         Silver, Canadian Championships, 15 km Classic, 1986

Paul Quesnel

·         4th Canadian Championships, Junior Men 10 km classic, Burns Lake B.C. 1977

·         Silver, Relay, North American Championships, Fairbanks, Alaska, 1977

·         Gold, Ontario Championships, Junior Men 10 km, Sudbury, 1977

·         5th, Canadian Championships, Junior Men, 15 km classic, Burns Lake B.C.1977

·         Bronze, Relay, Canadian Junior Championships, Mont Ste. Anne, Quebec, 1978

·         Ontario Champion, Junior Men, 1977

Marcel Boudreau

·         Bronze, Relay, Canadian Junior Championships, Mont Ste. Anne, Quebec, 1978

Carol McKay