Without a doubt, two of the best [and most challenging :-)] training partners I’ve ever coached! Haley Smith and Andreane Lanthier-Nadeau were the best of friends and the best of training partners in Victoria. They were among the very first athletes to embrace the training centre concept we created at Bear Mountain Resort.
In terms of skills and abilities, they were “ying and yang” which made for a very powerful combination. I can remember saying to them “this is difficult because you’re both good….you never know….you might be training with someone who eventually becomes the best in the World. You never know.” I’m happy to report that both riders found their niche at the top of the World.
“Riding a lap with ALN at Mont Sainte Anne was really cool. It felt like returning to my beginnings. My first ever World Cup (as a junior in 2011) was at Mont-Sainte-Anne, and that was also around the time that I met ALN. So yeah, riding a lap with her was really cool. She had some real wisdom-nuggets to share, and I think that lap helped me to really chill-out and get the most of my (surprisingly squirrelly) self on race day.”
Andreane Lanthier Nadeau, Haley Smith and Laura Bietola in the first year of training together in Victoria. They just picked up everything and moved to the island – not knowing if it would lead to anything. I’m happy to report that all 3 are successful in sport and life. Great people doing what they love!
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