Racing for Canada

Go Stell, Go! I remember my dad cheering me on to the finish line of one of my first ski races. 

Since I began skiing at the age of two, and racing at age six, competing on the world stage in cross-country skiing has always been a dream. But I also wanted to complete my undergraduate degree, so I moved to Calgary from my small-town home in Quebec to pursue high-level skiing with the National Training Centre at the University of Calgary. 

When I had the opportunity to compete at the 2025 FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire / International University Sports Federation) World University Games in Torino, Italy, in my final year, it was a dream come true, and the most memorable race trip of my ski career.  

FISU is a unique event because it’s designed for student-athletes. Balancing athletics and academics truly takes a village: professors who helped me manage missed weeks of classes, coaches who helped me balance training with my academic load, teammates who kept practices fun, and my parents who supported me since the start. This felt like a thank-you to them all. Organizations like Scholars Academy also went out of their way to make this possible. Their financial support translated into belief, which I carried with me every time I raced.

The opening ceremony still feels surreal. Each nation paraded into a buzzing stadium. The music and crowd were loud as we waved our Canadian flags, the lights sweeping over us. Everyone was beaming. I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of moment.  

During the games, I competed in three events: a sprint, relay, and distance race. The sprint was one of my best individual performances of the season (my body had never ached so much!). Our four-woman relay stood out too. We had the best Canadian relay result in FISU history, and there’s something truly meaningful about skiing for one another.

Canada, by the way, brought the energy! I may be biased, but our team was definitely the loudest, most fun and energetic of the games! A highlight was cheering on my teammate who made history by winning Canada’s first-ever para medal at FISU. The entire team came to the medal ceremony in Team Canada gear, and for almost two hours, we sang, danced and clapped for each awardee, even getting other nations to join in. 

FISU also allowed me to connect with other student-athletes. We met up many times to study at the local Pragelato café, where we sipped Italian coffees, shared pastries, and talked through assignments. We all understood the grit, sacrifice and drive it took to be there.

Balancing school and sport isn’t easy. It can be draining. Sometimes, it felt like I was digging a hole I wasn’t sure I could climb out of. But because pursuing both has always been my choice, I embraced the hard parts. Competing on the world stage reminded me that doing hard things is worth it, especially when I’m doing them for something I love, and have the right people supporting me.