Athletes & Coaches

Colin Acker 

pERFORMANCE pROGRAM

Bio to Follow!

Colin will join the WNDC in summer 2022.

Sean Benson

Performance Program

Born January 7, 2003 in Vancouver, BC

Sean started biathlon in 2013/14 with the Sea to Sky Nordics. He enjoys the thrill during races when he pushes himself to work as hard as possible, and loves just getting out on the trails on his skis. In 2019, he placed fifth in the National Championships’ individual race. During his time with WNDC, he hopes to focus on his technique and improve his efficiency. When he is not training for biathlon, his favorite pastime is mountain biking, be it downhill, enduro or cross country. Apart from his biathlon achievements, Sean is most proud of his anti-bullying work at his high school, leading Pink Shirt Day activities and supporting initiatives to spread awareness of bullying. On his bucket list are traveling to Botswana and Namibia for a safari, spending a year in France and learning Spanish.

Sean has been part of the WNDC since spring 2021.

Ryan Elden

pODIUM pROGRAM

Born November 8, 1999 in Quesnel, BC

Ryan has been involved in biathlon since 2009. In his sporting career, he already had the opportunity to represent Canada at multiple IBU junior competitions and the IBU Youth/Junior World Championships. His season highlights from 2018/19 were a gold medal in the 2019 Canada Winter Games pursuit race and a bronze medal at the Canadian National Championships 2019. He is passionate about biathlon because he finds it both challenging and rewarding, and he loves the community and how the sport helped him grow as a person. While his athletic ambition is to represent Canada at the 2022 Olympic Games, his recreational bucket list includes sky diving, contributing to nature conservation by cleaning a beach and traveling to at least 15 different countries.

Ryan has been part of the WNDC since summer 2017.

Dan Gilfillan

pERFORMANCE pROGRAM

Bio to Follow!

Dan will join the WNDC in summer 2022.

Ciara Mitchell

International Visiting athlete

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Ciara will join the WNDC in summer 2022.

Lucas Smith

pODIUM pROGRAM

Born March 15, 2000 in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Lucas started off with biathlon as a ten year-old in Winnipeg. The sport fascinates him because of the many facets that can contribute to winning or losing a race, and that every athlete has the potential to do well if he or she puts it all together. His most recent achievements were being part of the 2019 Youth World Championships Team, and winning a gold medal in the pursuit and a silver in the sprint races at the Canadian National Championships 2019. His athletic goal is to make it onto the national team and to compete on World Cup level, as well as racing at the Olympic Games. Both on and off snow, the passionate photographer takes his camera everywhere to document his adventures, and he dreams of having one of his photos featured by National Geographic.

Lucas has been part of the WNDC since summer 2018.

Meaghan Smith

pERFORMANCE pROGRAM

Born April 2, 2002 in Winnipeg, MB

Meaghan used to be a cross-country skier, and moved to biathlon in 2013. She loves the complexity of her new sport, and major results were her title win of Manitoba Provincial Champion in the sprint race, a tenth place in the National Championships’ individual race, a fifth place at the Western Canadian Championships, and she was awarded a “Women to Watch” grant from Coaching Manitoba and Sport Manitoba. Her athletic goal is to race internationally. Outside of sport, she loves to listen to and create music, and some of her goals are to complete a six week canoe trip (she has already mastered a 4-week trip), backpack the world and open her own restaurant.

Meaghan has been part of the WNDC during the summer program in 2019, and full-time since summer 2020.

Alfie Sprake 

International Visiting athlete

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Alfie will join the WNDC in summer 2022.

Hanne Stadnyk

pERFORMANCE pROGRAM

Born March 29, 1998 in Saskatoon, SK

Hanne got introduced to biathlon through the Air Cadets program, and one year later at the age of 13, she decided to join the sport. She loves the community around biathlon, the fact that everyone is supportive of each other, and the equally fierce but friendly competition. Her athletic goals are constantly changing and evolving, from small fitness improvements to huge Olympic dreams. She represented Saskatchewan at the 2015 and 2019 Canada Winter Games, placed third in the World Youth Trials in 2018 and represented Canada at IBU junior races in Germany and Austria. Her biggest strength is finding the positive side of any situation, and she always tries to keep her teammates in good spirits. The book lover dreams of traveling all over Italy one day.

Hanne has been part of the WNDC since summer 2019.

Graham Benson

Next Gen Program

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Graham joins the WNDC Next Gen Program from summer 2022 to spring 2023.

Lucas Clements

Next Gen Program

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Lucas joins the WNDC Next Gen Program from summer 2022 to spring 2023.

Josie Clifford

Next Gen Program

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Josie joins the WNDC Next Gen Program from summer 2022 to spring 2023.

Sophie Firth

Next Gen Program

Born August 24, 2005 in Vancouver, BC

Sophie got involved in biathlon only three years ago, in 2018 with the Sea to Sky Nordics, and loves the outdoor sport and the people she gets to train and progress with. Since 2018 she has raced to many top results, with her highlight being the 2020 BC Winter Games (silver in Mixed Relay, fourth in Individual, fifth in Sprint, fifth in Girls Team Relay). The determined athlete’s goal for the near future is to podium at the Nationals. Aside from skinny skis, downhill skiing is her biggest passion. She loves to bring her camera along with her and hopes to travel the world, to learn to speak Norwegian, and to watch a biathlon World Cup event in Europe.

Sophie was part of the WNDC Next Gen Program for 2021-22 and joins again for 2022-23.

Jasper Fleming

Next Gen Program

Born July 5, 2005 in Edmonton, AB

Jasper has been cross country and downhill skiing since he was a child, and got involved in biathlon at the age of nine in Edmonton. He is now a Sea to Sky Nordics member. He was the youngest athlete to compete at the Nationals in 2018, raced to a bronze at the Canmore NorAms in 2019 and came in first in his age group’s sprint race in the Western Canadian Championships 2020. In his training, he wants to make every day count, and put in whatever it takes and more. His athletic goal is to represent Canada in the Olympic Games. If he is not on skis, he loves mountain biking, guitar, photography, art and seeking adventure with his friends.

Jasper was part of the WNDC Next Gen Program for 2021-22 and joins again for 2022-23.

Alexander Hatloe

Next Gen Program

Born July 15, 2004 in Sechelt, BC

Sea to Sky Nordics athlete Alexander has been involved in biathlon since summer 2017 when he tried it for the first time at Whistler Olympic Park. He has been very successful in recent trial races, for example the winter 2021 national team test where he came in seventh overall and third in his age category nationally. He loves the constant challenge and reward cycle in the sport of biathlon. Alexander is proud of the progress he has made as an athlete, and hopes that the time with the WNDC will help him achieve his athletic goal of racing to the podium in national competitions. Three things on the music and book lover’s bucket list are to experience Japan, to go skydiving and to go exploring.

Alexander was part of the WNDC Next Gen Program for 2021-22 and joins again for 2022-23.

Sofie Hill

Summer Program

Born November 13, 2004 in Vancouver, BC

Sofie tried biathlon for the first time when she was nine. Her most recent major race results with the Sea to Sky Nordics are a silver and bronze at the 2018 BC Winter Games, a gold at the 2020 BC Championships and a first place at the 2020 BC Cup in Burns Lake. She is most proud of qualifying for the U20 National Team for the 2020/21 season. She enjoys that biathlon allows her to be outside in nature, and she loves that anyone at the start line has the chance to win. The determined athletes’ goal is to place in the top three at National Championships and to eventually race in Europe in a Youth/Junior World Cup. Apart from biathlon, she loves downhill skiing and traveling. Three things on her bucket list are going to the Arctic, skydiving and hiking in the alps.

Sofie was part of the WNDC Next Gen Program from summer 2021 to spring 2022 and joins the Summer Program 2022.