Katherine Stewart-Jones, a 29-year-old Canadian cross-country skier and Olympian, recently delivered a career-best performance at the Tour de Ski.

Placing 16th overall, Stewart-Jones also achieved an outstanding 4th place in one of the stages, marking a major highlight in her career.

“My fourth place was definitely a highlight for me,” she shared. “My previous best result was 10th in Val di Fiemme at the Tour de Ski in 2023, so it had been a while since I had had a good result. I was feeling confident in my shape going into the Tour, but my first few races were tough. In the first distance race, I broke a pole in the first lap, lost the main pack, and ended up skiing alone trying to close the gap. So for the 20km, I was on a mission to make up some time for the overall standings, and when I saw that Slind was starting 30 seconds behind me, I knew it was the perfect opportunity.”

Her fourth-place finish boosted her confidence, even though her original goal of a top-15 finish was narrowly missed. “I knew before the 4th place that I was in good shape, but obviously delivering such a great race boosted my confidence for the rest of the tour. My original goal was to finish in the top 15, and I ended up 4 seconds from that. But I am still very happy with my tour,” she said.

This success comes after a challenging 2024 season where Stewart-Jones faced illness and burnout. Reflecting on the changes she made, she explained, “Last season was really rough for me. I started the season but ended up getting sick at the first race in the Tour de Ski. After that, I couldn’t seem to get healthy. I think it was a result of being overtrained and burnt out. So this training season I was much more cautious. I took a longer break in April and May and was more strategic with where I put my energy in training.”

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, Stewart-Jones has her sights set on the World Championships in Trondheim. “My goal going into the season was to focus on the 10km Classic in Trondheim. I raced it last year, and I think the course suits me. I would be very happy with a top 10,” she said with determination.

Despite her recent achievements, Stewart-Jones is candid about the challenges of being a Canadian athlete competing in Europe. “Being Canadian definitely has its drawbacks. I spend most of the season away from home, travelling on the World Cup. And a lot of the racing opportunities are self-funded, and the time between World Cup periods is self-organized. You have to be very motivated to compete at a high level. This is also partly what led to my burnout last year. Thankfully, we have started to send more women on the World Cup, which makes it a lot more fun and less lonely!” she said.

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Mental Challenges

Stewart-Jones also opened up about the mental challenges she faced over the summer, grappling with the uncertainties of her sport. “This summer I was especially struggling mentally. After a tough season, I felt uncertain about the amount of time, energy, and money I was putting into the sport with very little in return. I often compare skiing in Canada to gambling; you spend a lot of money and time in hopes that it will pay off long-term, both in results and financially. But being a high-level athlete in this type of situation is extremely mentally draining.”

To create balance, Stewart-Jones focused on other aspects of her life. “This summer, I put a lot more energy into other aspects of my life, like my online school (I study psychology), spending time with my friends and family, and on my hobbies. I wanted to feel more well-rounded and to make sure my identity didn’t revolve around skiing and being an athlete. Also, I wanted to make sure that I was truly enjoying the process of training and ski racing, without a huge focus on performance. I also have an incredible group of female training partners in Canmore, and I honestly don’t think I would still be skiing if it weren’t for them,” she said.

Read More: Breaking the Silence: Jessie Diggins Opens Up

FACTS Les Rousses World Cup Season 2024/2025

• When: Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19, 2025
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Les Rousses, France
• What: FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Les Rousses, France

PROGRAM

Friday, January 17: 10km Interval Start Freestyle (More details can be found HERE)

• 13:30 CET: 10km Interval Start F, Men
• 15:45 CET: 10km Interval Start F, Women

Saturday, January 18: Sprint Classic (More details can be found HERE)

• 12:15 CET: Sprint Qualify C, Women
• 12:15 CET: Sprint Qualify C, Men
• 14:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 14:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Sunday, January 19: 20km Mass Start Classic (More details can be found HERE)

• 11:20 CET: 20km Mass Start C, Women
• 15:45 CET: 20km Mass Start C, Women

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.