Megan Tandy had an excruciating finish to her World Cup biathlon season when she fell and broke her wrist while on a training run, a couple days before she was due to race in Canmore.
That ended her season prematurely and the 27-year-old from Prince George returned to her home in Germany, where her son lives, uncertain about her future with the Canadian team.
But after seeing her name included on the list of Eh! Team athletes released last week by Biathlon Canada, Tandy knows her country wants her around to try to earn a spot in her third Olympics in 2018. But if they are serious about keeping her on the team, they will have to restore her funding and make her a carded athlete.
"Well, given that Biathlon Canada only nominated three women to the A Team, it is a huge vote of confidence from the national team coaches, staff and administration that despite being sidelined for more than half the season with a broken arm, they still believe I am one of the women best suited to represent Canada at the top level," said Tandy, in an email to The Citizen.
"Unfortunately this does not mean that I will receive the $1,500 per month athlete assistance. It will be a very sad situation indeed, if, despite being an A Team athlete and having the full support of our national team, I do not get the basic funding.
"It is a huge achievement to perform under the top 30 on the World Cup circuit with the best of funding and support and to do so while working full time is nearly impossible. At 27 years old, that means that without the AAP (Athlete Assistance Program) funding – or an unexpected corporate sponsor – I will likely end my career."
Tandy, who helped Canada's relay team to an all-time best eighth-place finish at the 2014 Olympics, posted a 25th-place finish last season in a pursuit race in Sweden. In her World Cup career, which dates back to 2009, she has five top-15 solo finishes.
Tandy says she's done everything she can to extend her national team funding, making sure all the necessary applications have been made to Sport Canada. A decision on the acceptance of her injury provision application is expected by the end of the week.
"It is pretty nerve-racking to be in this no-mans-land waiting for the go ahead," said Tandy. "Right now it is impossible to say what the chances are. The 2018 Olympics are something I really want, and I really believe my best seasons are still ahead of me, so right now I am thinking positive and am already training for next season.
"Like most of my national team teammates, we rely on private sponsors to be able to afford the training, testing, equipment and travel involved in training and racing full time. I am really grateful for support I have, like the (National Firearms Association) but am currently looking hard for new sponsors or partnerships to make the journey to 2018 possible."
Two other Prince George athletes made the cut for national teams. Sarah Beaudry, 22, made the women's B Squad and Emily Dickson, 19, is part of Canada's 2022 Squad.
Joining Tandy on the women's Eh! Team are Rosanna Crawford of Canmore and Julia Ransom of Kelowna. The men's Eh! Team includes Nathan Smith (Calgary) Brendan Green (Hay River, N.W.T.); Scott Gow (Calgary), Christian Gow (Calgary), and Macx Davies (Canmore).
Audrey Vaillancourt (Quebec City) and Emma Lunder (Vernon) are on the B Squad with Beaudry, while Carsen Campbell (Central Bedeque, P.E.I.) is the lone member of the Zed Squad.
Also named to the 2022 Squad were: Aidan Millar (Canmore), Leilani Tam von Burg (Ottawa), Pearce Hanna (Edmonton), Megan Bankes (Calgary), Nadia Moser (Whitehorse, Yukon), Adam Runnalls (Calgary), Teo Sanchez (Wakefield, Que.), Leo Grandbois (Sherbrooke, Que.), Ben Churchill (Calgary) and Zachari Bolduc (Ste. Sophie, Que.).
