Joseph Curran was one of two recipients of the CCNWT Post-Secondary Grant recipient in the 2024-25 school year and ski season.
In his words, here’s how his season went:
I am super grateful to have received the CCNWT post-secondary funding for the 2024-25 ski season. Training in Canmore/Calgary, I had access to some of the best training opportunities in all of Canada including the Canmore Nordic Center, Winsport, Banff, etc.
As a result of the support from CCNWT and some hard training, I was able to train and perform at a level I never thought I could. Some of my highlights include 3rd place in CCUNC (Canadian College & University Nordic Championships) at Western’s (classic sprint), 3rd place CCUNC at Canmore Nationals (relay), and a 9th place in U20 men during the classic sprint.
These are some of the high points of my race season but I was also able to travel around Western Canada this year and attend a number of high-caliber ski meets I wouldn’t have had access to before. These included: Alberta Cups in Canmore and Calgary, Western’s in Kimberley, and COC Cup in Silverstar.
Much of the funding I received went directly into purchasing new ski gear including new sets of poles and rollerskis. As for many sports, there comes a point where having the right gear makes a difference and I could clearly see my performance improve when I got the right gear for the right discipline.
In terms of education, I was studying at the University of Calgary and completed my first year of Engineering. School was very difficult but having skiing as a bit of a break from all the academic noise was a refreshing break. I hope to build on a super successful year, and look forward to continue representing the NWT!