Canada's first family of skiing will soon have a new addition.
Olympic silver medallist Sara Renner and husband Thomas Grandi, a four-time Olympic alpine skier, are expecting their first child in February.
Renner, 30, plans to take this season off and resume her competitive cross-country skiing career in 2007-08, with sights set on racing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Canadian Olympic cross-country skier Sara Renner and husband Thomas Grandi, a four-time Olympic skier, are expecting their first child.
(Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press)
"My focus has quickly turned from Torino to bambino," Renner, who won a silver medal at the 2006 Olympics, said in a news release Monday.
"It has always been a dream for Thomas and I to start a family together, and we believe given our busy schedules as high-performance athletes, the opportunity for me to take this next year off to have our first child is the best option in order for me to fully prepare to achieve my other dream — to compete for my country in the Olympics at home."
Renner has emerged as a veteran leader and elite competitor on the Canadian cross-country team.
She enjoyed a breakout season in 2004-05, capturing a bronze medal at the world championships. The performance made her the first Canadian to win a world championship cross-country medal.
Renner continued her success last season by claiming four more World Cup medals and racing to silver in the team event at the 2006 Torino Games with teammate Beckie Scott.
Looking forward to leading team
The medal performance made international headlines when a Norwegian coach handed a new pole to Renner after she broke her pole toward the end of the race.
A three-time Olympian, Renner will be looked to for even more leadership now that long-time teammate Scott has retired from competitive cross-country skiing.
"I still have the fire in my belly to compete, to improving in all disciplines of our sport, and I look forward to the opportunity to lead our team along the way," said Renner. "The young athletes in our program proved last year they are ready to compete with the world's best."
Grandi, 33, is also returning to his sport this season. The veteran athlete has committed to leading the Canadian alpine skiing team through this coming season.
Grandi is the most successful technical skier in Canadian history. He won back-to-back World Cup giant slalom races in December 2004 and claimed a career-best five World Cup medals last season — four in slalom and one in giant slalom.
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