Born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Colin Abbott chose to come to Carleton largely because of its varsity ski team.
Abbott placed fourth at the 2015 ski nationals in March.
Now finishing up his environmental science degree, Abbott spoke to the Charlatan about his upcoming plans and reflect on his time at Carleton.
The Charlatan (TC): Tell me a little bit about the sport, and how you started competing at Carleton.
Colin Abbott (CA): Nordic skiing is another word for cross country skiing. It’s more of an endurance sport than downhill and alpine skiing, where you move because of gravity. The equipment is a lot lighter. The beauty of Nordic skiing is a lot of the training that you do can take the form of a lot of different activities like biking, running, hiking, and strength training. Carleton’s Nordic ski team is what drove me to come to Ottawa all the way from Yukon.
TC: When did you start skiing?
CA: My parents got me on skis when I was four or five years old, and I’ve just been skiing since then. So it’s been about 20 years.
TC: What has it been like skiing with the Carleton team?
CA: I’ve been involved with a large number of teams over the years, and the team spirit at Carleton has been fantastic. What you get for being on the varsity team is amazing compared to a number of clubs across the country. The services are great, and it’s got a lot of potential to open up training possibilities for a broader spectrum of athletes.
TC: What has been your biggest challenge?
I was originally at Carleton for three years, then I left to train full-time. I wasn’t able to train and race as much as I wanted while taking a full course load. I wound up getting sick/injured in the 2010-11 season, and I realized I needed to commit full-time to skiing. So I did that for three years, doing school part-time.
TC: What are your plans after graduation?
CA: I’m going back to Whitehorse for the winter, and plan on racing out there. I’m not going to ski professionally, but I’m going to continue nationally competitive training and continue being a part of the Canadian Nordic skiing community. I’m hoping to be at the 2018 Olympic tryouts, but at the moment it’s not a major focus. I’m also an athlete director with the board of the national Nordic skiing community, so I’m going to continue with that.
TC: What will you miss about Carleton?
CA: Definitely going to miss how positive everyone on the Carleton team has been, and how inclusive the team is. No matter what your background is, everyone has been a really awesome contributor to the team. Their sense of spirit is amazing.
