Athlete Profile - Mark Orzel

Athlete Feature : Mark Orzel, M6 (55-59 age category) from Kanata, Ontario

Mark walked away from the Worlds in Canmore with a bronze in short classic, gold in relay, and a bronze in long classic. Congrats to Mark on his great performance.

The Ontario Masters association caught up with Mark to ask him a few questions on his training and performance..

When did you get into cross country skiing?

"I started messing around on skis in 1977 when racing skis still used three pin (55 mm) bindings and there was only one technique - classic. I was a distance runner and it was a nice way to get a bit of cross training. I had the good fortune to have Russ Evans to coach me and get me into racing". Note: Russ played a big role in Ontario Masters skiing for many years.

Mark continued racing through University and got into serious bike racing. Like most Masters once Mark started a family, racing was on the back burner. Mark became a paddling instructor, running a

high school adventure program and eventually became a guide for Black Feather - the adventure company.

When did you get into Masters Racing ?

"About 8 years ago, Wendy Grater, the owner of Black Feather and Ontario Masters Director, suggested I should come out and race with the Ontario Masters group. After a bit of hesitation, I committed to getting back in reasonable form and come out. The community was very welcoming and the races were very fun. My competitive spirit had been re-ignited. After some moderate success in the first season, I realized I wanted to be able to keep up with the ‘top guys’. With each successive season my training plan, preparations and equipment got a little more sophisticated. In order to manage this a bit more efficiently and cost effectively, I decided to focus on just one discipline, classic technique.

With a background in endurance sports and academic training in exercise physiology and biomechanics, I was able to set up my own training program that was fairly effective. After a few seasons I was starting to be able to ski with the ‘top guys’. Although I wanted to participate in the World Masters events in Klosters (2017) and Minneapolis (2018), my work schedule and family commitments prevented it. Bietostollen(2019) was my first Masters World Cup event. It was such an incredible experience that I committed to racing at the event in Cogne in 2020.

A few weeks before the event the ‘wheels fell off the wagon’ for that event and the black cloud that is COVID-19 cast its shadow on Italy. Little did we realize how COVID-19 would effect the world over the next two plus years.

With nearly two years without any real ski racing, Canmore WMC was such a welcome objective. I had tried to continue ski training through it all. It was exciting to be on the starting grid at the Canmore Nordic Centre with an international field. To be able to stand on the podium afterwards was extremely rewarding. The World Masters Cup races are so well done, they elevate the ski racing experience to a level where everyone feels special for being there. The friendships that you make are reasons onto themselves to keep coming back, season after season. My plans are already in motion for Seefeld WMC in 2023."

Congrats to Mark for fantastic results in Canmore and a thank you for mentoring younger Master skiiers and getting engagement in the sport.

Good luck in Seefeld. You got it!!!