Hello everyone,

You probably already know that I do cross-country skiing and biathlon as competitive sports. I started training more intensively about 5 years ago and have recently been training up to seven times a week. I trained mainly in Gatineau Park, right in our village, and also in many training camps in Canada and the USA. Through the intensive training I learned a lot about myself and at the same time had a lot of fun with my team. Sport has become an important part of my life and will certainly remain so. Competitive sports and racing still fascinate me - it's simply an incredible experience.

I really like my new life in Ulm, but I really miss the opportunity to train and race.

A few weeks ago I received a call from the Canadian biathlon team that, thanks to my performance last year, I had qualified for the International University Games in Krasnoyarsk, Russia in March 2019. The World University Games is the second largest international multi-sport event, after the Olympics, and will feature approximately 3,000 athletes from 50 countries and 1.5 billion television viewers. The idea of being able to take part is simply overwhelming for me.

The catch is that in Canada, sport receives virtually no government financial support. If the athletes have managed to qualify, it is up to them to raise the funds for the race (flight, hotel, entry fees). At the same time, there is a tradition that friends, family, neighbors and sports club members support the athletes with donations. The many, often small donations make it possible for many athletes to take part in extraordinary events.

So my question is whether you would like to support me with a small amount.

Of course, I will regularly report on my adventures from Russia.

Very best regards

Mathis