Coaches

Amelia is deeply passionate about cross-country skiing and the outdoors. She began skiing at the age of 3 and started competing by the time she was 8. With six years of experience coaching adults and children of various abilities, Amelia brings both enthusiasm and expertise to her sessions. She is currently pursuing her BSc in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary.

Andy, a seasoned athlete with 9 years on the New Zealand National Cross-Country Ski Team, has competed at the highest levels, including 2 World Ski Championships and multiple World Cups, earning the NZ Cross Country Skier of the Year Award three times. He also coached and served as General Manager at Snow Farm NZ. Now, as Head Coach of the Competitive program at Space Dogs, Andy has led athletes to Alberta Cup podiums, World Masters medals, and Loppet personal bests. He was named Nordiq Alberta’s “Coach of the Year” in 2024 and is pursuing a doctorate in biomechanics at the University of Calgary.

Chris, who grew up in Canmore, started skiing at an early age, advancing from the Jackrabbits program to the Junior Race Team and competing for the Canmore Nordic Ski Club. At 12, he transitioned to biathlon, racing at the national level with the Alberta Biathlon Team. Though his medal count may not rival others, Chris's love for competition shines through in his coaching, where he helps others develop their skills. As a CANSI Level 2 coach and instructor, Chris brings deep expertise and a passion for the sport. Off the trails, he enjoys coffee, cocktails, and teaching his wife to cross-country ski.

Dasha, founder of Space Dogs Ski Club in 2014 (officially incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2016), was a National Ski Team athlete for over 10 years. She achieved top finishes, including 7th at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and 10th at Sochi 2014. Passionate about sharing her knowledge and love for skiing, Dasha enjoys teaching adult skiers of all levels, inspiring them to achieve and exceed their goals. When not on the trails, she teaches Finance at the University of Calgary and SAIT, and contributes to Nordic Ski Lab’s online coaching service.

It wasn't until her final year of M.Sc, racing at the World University Games in Italy that she decided to pursue her dream of representing Canada on the world stage. Despite being told she started too late, Drea has trained herself into one of Canada's top female skiers, competing at World Championships and World Cups. Her journey, though challenging, has been incredibly rewarding. As a certified CANSI Level 1 instructor, Drea brings a fun, adventurous approach to her ski sessions, grounded in fundamental movement principles. She connects deeply with adult skiers and is dedicated to helping them improve and enjoy the sport.

With over three decades of coaching experience, Eric began his career with the prestigious "Brevet d'état 1er degré ski de fond" certification from ESF in France, equivalent to CANSI Level 4 in Canada. He also holds CANSI Level 3 certification. Eric has coached hundreds of athletes in both France and Canada, nurturing many who have advanced to race with National Ski Teams. Known for his passion and deep knowledge of skiing, Eric continues to inspire with his expertise. When not coaching, he dedicates his time to growing organic vegetables on his farm near Cranbrook, B.C.

Karen Messenger has been passionate about skiing since the age of 3, and her enthusiasm for the sport is truly infectious. From starting with family ski trips to competing at the national and international levels in Nordic skiing and Biathlon, Karen’s love for skiing has taken her to incredible places and forged lifelong friendships. As a CANSI Level 4 instructor, she has taught and coached across four provinces, one territory, four countries, and two hemispheres. Karen is also the creator of the “Tour de Fun,” having raced all levels of World Loppets across Central Europe and Scandinavia for four consecutive winters. If there’s a ski loppet anywhere in the world, Karen has likely been there—and she’s got the t-shirt to prove it!

Kim’s journey with skiing began in Ontario, where she and a friend would ski on the local golf course after school, having had just one cross-country lesson at a winter camp in Algonquin Park. Moving to Calgary to pursue a master’s in neuroscience, Kim's life took a pivotal turn when her children joined a local ski club, introducing her to competitive cross-country skiing. Over the years, Kim attended countless races, refining her technique and understanding of competitive skiing. With 16 years of coaching experience, she excels in breaking down movements and explaining them clearly. Kim is also the founder and president of Nordic Ski Lab, an online platform dedicated to helping skiers worldwide improve their technique.

Lenny has won 5 World Cup medals, numerous Canadian Championships and has represented Canada in 2 Winter Olympics. Lenny participated in many sports as a youngster and by the time he was 17, he excelled in two sports in particular: mountain biking and cross-country skiing. At one point, Lenny had the distinction of being named to the provincial teams in both sports. When not gliding on snow, Lenny enjoys many of his other favorite sports, including Surfing, Windsurfing, Mountain biking, Dirt Biking, and Wake surfing. In his capacity as a ski coach, Lenny has an uncanny ability to teach anyone to ski better in the shortest amounts of time, which is pretty amazing.

Misha grew up skiing with his parents and competed at the regional level in high school. After a long break, he rekindled his passion for skiing at age 30, despite a challenging start (ask him about his first 42K ski marathon without proper training!). His dedication paid off, leading to significant accomplishments, including a Bronze Medal at the 2011 Masters World Cup 45K race and WorldLoppet Gold Master status for completing 10 long-distance races on two continents. Misha now shares his love for skiing by coaching beginners and intermediate skiers, focusing on technique and fostering a passion for the sport. In the summer, he trains for long-distance triathlons and is a CANSI Level 1 coach.

Natalie is a former ski racer with the Alberta World Cup Academy and the Camrose Ski Club. She was born and raised in Camrose, moving to Calgary for skiing and to attend school at the University of Calgary with a degree in Natural Sciences. Natalie has gotten to represent Canada at the 2023 FISU World University Games in Lake Placid. Throughout Natalie’s career she has coached and helped the younger skier begin to grow their love of the sport and is now very excited to be a part of the Space Dogs family.

Rory got into cross country skiing with Foothills Nordic at 6 years old in the Jackrabbits program. By the time he was 8, he was very interested in shooting guns like most 8-year-old boys, so he joined the biathlon program with Foothills and has loved every part of it. Most recently, Rory has raced internationally in the Youth World Championships 2024 in Otepää, Estonia. Over the past 5 years, Rory has also coached cross country skiers and biathletes of all ages, coaching the Foothills Bunnies, Space Bunnies, Biathlon Bears, and Space Dogs Masters Program. Rory recently graduated high school and is now taking time off from studies to focus all his energy on his own international level racing and part-time coaching.

Scott, originally from Toronto, discovered cross-country skiing at Hardwood Ski and Bike and spent his warm winters roller skiing around the city. He eventually heeded the advice of those commenting on his "lack of snow" and moved west to immerse himself in a true skiing environment. Scott has since represented Canada at two World Junior Championships, three Under-23 Championships, the 2019 Senior World Championships, and several World Cups. Passionate about racing and sharing his expertise, Scott coaches skiers of all levels while actively competing at the highest international levels.

Thomas Manktelow is a former Alberta World Cup Academy, and Canmore Nordic Ski Club ski racer from Canmore Alberta. After retiring from competitive racing, Thomas has been working towards pursuing an education in medicine, having recently graduated with a Honors B. Kines degree from the University of Calgary. Besides his extensive expertise in Nordic skiing, Thomas is also a certified CSEP-CPT personal trainer. Downhills and double poling technique are some of the strengths of Thomas’ coaching.