Date of Birth:  November 19, 1983
	Place of Birth: Canmore, AB
	Residence: Canmore, AB
Years on National Team:  2	Height:  N/A
	Weight: N/A

There's no doubt Beckie Scott and Sara Renner are Canada's best shots for medals in women's cross-country skiing in Turin, but don't forget about young up-and-comer Chandra Crawford. Originally projected as a candidate for the 2010 Vancouver Games, Crawford's emergence over the past two years gave the national team no choice but to include her on the 2006 Olympic team.

Born in beautiful Canmore, AB, Crawford started out as a serious biathlon competitor. Then at age 16, she had a change of heart and decided cross-country was the direction she wanted to go in.

In 2001, she wasn't even on the national radar when she came out of nowhere to win the sprint event at the national trials in her hometown. The following year, she would join the junior national team.

With a win in her signature event, the sprint, at the 2003 Canada Winter Games, Crawford was beginning to establish herself on the national stage. However, it was her dominating performance at the U-23 World Championships in 2004, where she won a gold and a silver, that would really separate her from the pack.

Since then, it's been upward and onward. She won gold and silver at the 2005 Nationals, and has followed that up with four Top-35 finishes early in the 2005-06 World Cup season, including a career-best 10th place.

Although she plans to ski competitively for the foreseeable future, Crawford spends as much time as she can helping out young skiers at her home club in Canmore, and speculates about a future in coaching sometime down the road.


Related Headlines:
February 25: Crawford celebrates
February 24: Living with 'total passion'
February 24: Crawford a golden interview, too
February 23: Sunrise surprise
February 23: Out of nowhere!
February 23: Crawford idolized Bedard
February 23: Good-luck charm garners gold
February 22: Unexpected golden girl

2006 Xcountryskiing Coverage