In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, Brian Halligan and Andy Newell sit down with Gary Chambers, a fourth-generation Alberta grain farmer, CANSkI Level 4 instructor, Alberta Masters Association director, and Masters World Cup competitor to explore what makes masters skiing such a powerful and often overlooked part of the Nordic community. From Norway’s participation culture to North America’s event landscape, Gary offers a big-picture perspective on how masters racing thrives when community, mentorship, and meaningful competition intersect .
The conversation dives deep into the realities of masters training: balancing family, careers, physical labor, and recovery while still chasing performance. Gary shares insights on why learning to ski fast (regardless of race goal) can unlock better technique, confidence, and enjoyment on snow. He and Andy unpack common masters training pitfalls, including over-reliance on volume, fear of speed, and the challenge of adapting recovery and intensity as athletes age, all while emphasizing that masters deserve to be treated as serious athletes, not handled with “kid gloves” .
The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on mentorship, cross-generation integration, and the role masters athletes can play in sustaining the sport. From supporting youth programs to showing up at start lines alongside elite athletes, Gary makes a compelling case that Nordic skiing is strongest when it refuses to operate in silos. The upcoming 2029 Masters World Cup in Canmore becomes a symbol of that vision, a homecoming where competition, camaraderie, and lifelong passion for skiing all meet on the same start line.