Ivan's Story
For Ivan, cross-country skiing is not only a job, but a lifestyle and a dream. Born a sport fanatic, Ivan quickly developed into a talented skier, proving his potential as one of the world’s best.
“The coming (2010) Winter Olympics will be packed with great stories, but Ivan Babikov’s may be one of the best. It’s about love for sport and family, and the desire to create a better life. It’s about belonging. But most of all, it’s a story about pursuing a goal – one that leads Ivan Babikov straight to Vancouver in 2010.”*
Ivan Babikov (born July 04, 1980) is a Russian-born Canadian cross country skier who has been competing since 2002. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, he earned his best Olympic finish of 13th in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit, representing Russia.
Babikov lived in Canada in the Spring of 2003 on a sponsorship, and got his Canadian citizenship in December 2007. In 2008, he still had to ski for Russia, but now he is proud to be a Canadian ski competitor officially. In January 2009 he started wearing Canadian colours and racing for his new country. He now resides in Canmore, Alberta with his wife and child.
*Quoted from the article "From Russia with Drive", SRC Magazine, November 2008 by Tom McCarthy, Photo credit Dan Roycroft
