Yukon cross-country skiers ready for their Olympic debut

They've been working towardit for years, and now DahriaBeatty and KnuteJohnsgaardarejust a few weeks away from theirfirst Olympic Games.

"It's starting to sink in," said Beatty. "It feels amazing. It's been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old at my first Arctic Winter Games."

Beatty, 23, and Johnsgaard, 25, are Olympic first-timers. They'll be joined in Pyeongchangnext month by fellow Whitehorse Olympian Emily Nishikawa, who will be at her second Olympic Games (afterSochi, Russia, in 2014). Nishikawa's brother Graham Nishikawawill also be in Pyeongchangasa ski guide at the Paralympic Games.

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Like Beatty,Johnsgaard says going to the Games will be the culmination of years of work and dreaming.

"I'm really ecstatic to be namedto the team, and just really excited to be going to the Olympics," he said. "Hopefully, I can be competitive,but for methe ultimate goal was just to make it there."

'Amazing ski community'

Beatty now training with the national team in Canmore, Alta. says she's often asked at international competitions how a small community like Whitehorse can produce so many competitive skiers.

"I always say it comes from the amazing ski community we have," she said.

Johnsgaardcredits the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, and its programs that allow young athletes to flourish.

"All of us that are going to theGames, we all graduated through the squad program at the WhitehorseCross Country Ski Club and it's definitely proven successful," he said.

"It's certainly quite amazing when you look at our small population, and how we're making up 30 or 40 per cent of the entire Olympic cross-country ski team."

Beatty says the Whitehorse club has always been incredibly supportive. She remembers when the national team was at the world championships, the Whitehorse club sent a signed Canadian flag, as a show of support.

"Just the little things like that, knowing that they're all there cheering and supporting and checking the results, and being proud no matter how you do, is such a nice feeling to have when you're on the start line," she said.

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