For Katie McQuiggin of Cambridge, there’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of going fast, flying through the air on fresh, powdered snow.
Later this month, the 18-year-old snowboarder will represent Canada at the 2025 the FISU Winter World University Games in Italy.
“I found out that I was a member of the team in early fall. I was really surprised and I am so excited. This is my first competition where I am officially representing Canada,” McQuiggin said.
“I’m so happy and so grateful that I can. It really means a lot to me to have been given this opportunity to compete.”
Canada Snowboard and U SPORTS announced McQuiggin will be among seven snowboarders to represent Canada at the games in Torino, Italy.
From Jan. 13 to 23, the FISU Winter World University Games will showcase some of the best university athletes worldwide, as they compete in a variety of winter sporting events, including five in snowboarding.
The FISU Games return to their birthplace of Torino for the first time since 2007. Six municipalities will host 11 sports over the course of 11 days of competition.
As one of three members on the ‘snowboard cross’ team, McQuiggin said she can’t wait to hit the slopes in the picturesque ski town of Bardonecchia, which hosted the snowboarding competitions during the 2006 Winter Olympics.
“To be in Athlete’s Village and to watch the other sports as well, I’m looking forward to the whole experience of it, ” she said.
“It’s a really big event. I’m excited to see how it runs and to see what it will be like, especially the opening ceremonies. I can’t wait to be a part of that.”
Snowboard cross is a competition in which four to six competitors race down a course.
Courses can be quite narrow and include cambered turns, various types of jumps, berms, drops, rollers, steep and flat sections designed to challenge riders to stay in control while maintaining maximum speed.
And it's not uncommon for racers to collide with each other mid-race.
“Snowboarding is so peaceful, but at the same time, when you race, you get that adrenaline rush and excitement. So, it really is the best combination,” McQuiggin said.
The Preston High School graduate began skiing when she was eight years old.
“I started snowboarding seven years ago. My brother, who is two years older than me, was also a snowboard cross racer,” McQuiggin said.
“I saw what he was doing and so I switched over from skiing to snowboarding. I just fell in love with it.”
McQuiggin is currently a first-year student at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, studying landscape architecture.
“I love working with animals. I used to work on a farm, so being around animals, and being outside, that’s definitely what I love to do most. Because I love being outside, that's a big reason why I got into landscape architecture,” she said.
Last year, McQuiggin travelled to Austria and Switzerland to compete. But the upcoming FISU Winter World University Games will be her first to represent Canada.
Training typically takes place at Blue Mountain Ski Resort.
“There’s a team there that I train with. I just got off of a five-day Christmas camp training. That was about eight hours for five days in a row,” she said.
“But normally, it’s about an hour to a day, four days a week. Off days are just stretching and focusing on visualizing the course and preparing for races.”
McQuiggin is grateful for all of the support she has received through the years, especially from her parents.
“They have travelled with me everywhere and helped get me to where I need to be,” she said.
“They are my number one supporters. And they are very happy to come out to Italy with me too.”
The FISU Winter World University Games provides an opportunity for young snowboarders to gain valuable international experience.
As a key stepping-stone competition, it offers the chance to compete at a high-level multi-sport event, helping riders prepare for future events such as the FIS World Cup and the Olympic Winter Games.
“I say find what you love in snowboarding and don’t be intimidated by anybody else doing it,” McQuiggin said.
“There’s a lot of competition out there especially throughout all of the fields, and with snowboarding becoming more popular, find what you love, stick with it and really work at it.”
Next year, McQuiggin plans to continue to race wherever she can.
“After Italy, I will still do races in Ontario and hopefully in Nova Scotia. I really want to see what kind of races I can get into while in university,” she said.
“I just want to keep on doing what I love, whenever I can.”
