TORONTO, ON – 12 Canadian biathletes will make their way to Lake Placid at Mt. Hovenberg for the Lake Placid 2023 World University Winter Games, with many set to represent their country for the first time. 

On Thursday, Biathlon Canada and U SPORTS announced the athletes that will compete in the five events, the individual races, the sprint, the pursuit, the mass start, and the mixed relay, on the former Olympic tracks from Jan. 14-21, 2023. 

uOttawa Gee-Gee Shilo Rosseau headlines the Canadian women’s team and is one of the returning athletes from the Lucerne 2021 team nomination. As a member of Biathlon Canada’s Senior Development team, the biology major will look to take the next step in her international career. Alongside her is uOttawa teammate Zoe Pekos of Richmond, BC.

Pekos and Rosseau never got to compete for Canada in Lucerne due to the Games being cancelled last minute. However, Rousseau represented Team Canada at the most recent World Junior Championships and is a Canadian Next Gen team member.

Meanwhile, Canadian U24 athlete Zoe Pekos’ sister Cara (McMaster) joins the group, rounded out by Danika Burke (Calgary), Isabelle Caza (Cégep de l’Outaouais) and Anna Perry (Calgary.)

On the men’s side, the Canadian team is sending a much larger contingent than they nominated for Lucerne, as four are set to make their FISU World University Games debut. 

Canadian U24 development athlete Zachary Demers (Cégep Garneau), nominated to last year’s team, will finally get a chance to take on the World University Games, as will William Moineau (Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon) and Simon Gauthier (Laval), both former members of the U20 team. Romero Champagne (Calgary) and William Ng (uOttawa) round out the Canadian contingent. 

A Canadian has yet to win a medal in biathlon at the World University Games since the sport debuted at Sofia in 1983. However, the coaching staff of Krasnoyarsk 2019 athletes Allie Dickson and Tim Hurley wil hope to guide them to glory, as they’re joined by wax technician Charles Pépin. 

The Lake Placid 2023 University Winter Games begin on Jan. 12, 2023, and events are based out of many of the former Lake Placid Olympic venues, as well as surrounding areas before the Games wrap up on Jan. 22.