Athlete Profile: Werner Schwar

 Athlete Profile: Werner Schwar in the M6 category from Thunder Bay ON

Although in the sunny days of August, skiing seems far away, it will be here before we know it. Ontario Masters was able to catch up to Werner Schwar, one of our few northern Ontario competitors and ask a few questions.

How did you get into cross country skiing?

When I was 10 years old our family moved to 2 acres of property in rural Burlington. I had an old pair of downhill skis that I didn’t get to use much, so I just started skiing around our mostly flat property with them. I wore my heels raw trying to do this in downhill boots. My parents then got cross country skis for me to save my heels and at the same time for the whole family. I would ski after school making my own loop on our property and on weekends with my Dad in Bronte Creek Provincial Park when there still used to be snow in southern Ontario.

2. When did you start racing?

I actually started ski racing pretty late compared to many kids now. I went in the Burlington winter carnival ski race in 1978 (I think), hardly anyone else there so I won the youth category. The next year I went again and there were lots of other people racing including the Halton Ski Club. These other kids would blow by me on uphills, but I would catch up on flats and downhills. I thought that was odd, until I found out there was such a thing as grip wax that made it easier to go uphills. The summer after at the age of 15, I saw the same kids roller skiing and I said to my parents I want to do that too. So I gave Ernie Roth the coach of the Halton Ski Club a call asking if I could come out to their next practice. That practice was a mix of running, ski striding and strength – all things I had not done much before. I was so tired and stiff for days after, but was hooked and the team welcomed me in. My first real southern Ontario race was in the 1981/82 season at Mountainview in Midland, what a treat that was racing as part of a team with grip wax in real tracks – made it so much more fun and faster. I was addicted after that and was blessed to have an amazing first coach in Ernie and a great group of teammates that I am still friends with to this day.

3. Which is the first Masters World Cup that you attended?

My first World Masters was in Quebec City in 2002. I have been to the subsequent ones held in Canada - Sovereign Lakes BC and Canmore AB last year. Also was at Minneapolis, but contracted pneumonia the day of the first race. Tried to race the 10km and was green after, so my teammates forcibly put me in the car and sent me home.

4. How do you train for the Masters World cups?

I am really fortunate to belong to the Lappe Nordic Ski Club and again have a great coach in Eric Bailey and amazing young teammates aged 13-18 as well as few other masters. So basically I train with athletes almost 40 years younger, who push me and I keep them honest. A great symbiotic relationship. I get to see them get faster as they get older, and I try to just not get slower as I get older. There is a magical time when we are the same speed skiing and that is really fun, but only lasts a year until they are way faster. I also continue to race in the Open Category and go to some Ontario Cups – while it can be humbling it is also good experience trying to hang on to a faster skier if even for a short time.

5. How did you like the Canmore experience?

I love Canmore and the surrounding mountains and have loved skiing there ever since the first pre-Olympic world cup I raced there in 1986. So much has changed there since then. The courses pleasantly surprised me as before I raced on them I didn’t think they were that hard, but racing on them was challenging with no real rest sections until the end. Race organization and logistics were great. For me one highlight, I can’t lie, was winning the 45km skate race, standing on the podium with a gold medal and cowboy hat on and name and Canadian flag on the screen behind me, while the national anthem was being played was pretty great. I also was lucky to stay with two former Thunder Bay skiers for two weeks which was great and we cooked some amazing meals together. Skiing backcountry in the mountains with Mike Jones after the event was also amazing and made it hard to leave.

6. Any plans to attend future Masters World Cups?

I would love to attend them all in the future, but work, other commitments and costs are a bit of a barrier. Would have considered Seefeld next year as I have relatives in Germany that are not that far away (at least by Thunder Bay driving standards), but the 2023 Ski Nationals are in Thunder Bay and I am co-chair of the organizing committee, but will also be racing myself as well. Even though I am way behind the winners it is still a hoot to race the best in Canada and pretend I am still a young ski racer. I definitely plan to be at the next Canadian or American World Masters.

Congrats to Werner for his Gold in long skate (45 km) ,and a Bronze in M2 relay at the World Cup in Canmore this past March! The picture shows Werner (6028) at the finish (what a close race!) in his 45km race just squeezing out fellow Canadian Dave McMahon by .5 of a second.

Good luck Werner in fall training and for the season ahead.