Two of Rossland’s top cross-country skiers will race for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, Italy.
Siblings Jasmine and Rémi Drolet will experience the Winter Games together after being selected following the Nordiq Canada 2026 Olympic Winter Games Trials in Vernon Dec. 14-16.
The Drolets were en route for Europe on Monday, Dec. 22 to train with Team Canada in Toblach, Italy and compete on the World Cup circuit’s Tour de Ski, when the Times contacted their father Edouard Drolet.
“It’s been quite an accomplishment for these guys for sure,” said Edouard. “It’s been pretty stressful for everybody.
“But after they made it, it was such a relief, and we are all on a cloud right now.”
Points from the three races would decide who qualifies for the National Team, and the Drolets started with their strongest event – the interval start classic.
“The first race was suppose to be their better race, they are both better at ‘Classic’,” said Edouard. “But Jasmine was fifth and Remi even was seventh. I was quite down too because I thought, well, that’s it, it’s over.”
Edouard sent Remi and Jasmine a text that night and told them to put their heads down and try their hardest.
”I know that skating may not be your best, but you’re still good, so just give ‘er!” said Edouard.
The next day, the inspired siblings secured their selection to Team Canada with a pair of second-place results in the 10-km interval start free skate races.
Remi then skied to third place in the finals of the sprint on the last day of racing Dec. 16, finishing less than a second (0.69) behind first place winner Xavier McKeever.
Jasmine made the final and came in sixth in the sprint, enough to make the team.
“That’s the nature of cross-country skiing competition, it’s all up in the air until the very last,” said Edouard.
This will be the second Olympics for the 25-year-old Remi, who also participated in the 2022 Games in Beijing.
The Black Jack skiers join Antoine Cyr, Liliane Gagnon, Max Hollman, Alison Mackie, Xavier McKeever, Sonjaa Schmidt, Tom Stephen, Katherine Stewart-Jones, and Ameilia Wells on Team Canada.
“This is one of the most promising generations of Canadian cross-country skiers we’ve seen in years,” said Beckie Scott, Olympic champion and CEO of Nordiq Canada. “The team is a strong mix of young talent and experienced veterans who can lead the group and set the standard both on and off the snow.”
Jasmine is set to make her Olympic debut at Cortina and previously represented Team Canada at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
The 23-year-old achieved a career highlight at the 2024 FIS U23 World Championships where she won gold in the mixed 4×5 km relay alongside Derek Deuling, Max Hollmann, and Liliane Gagnon.
The following year, she finished sixth in the women’s 20km mass start classic, her best individual result at the U23 Worlds.
After suffering a debilitating illness in 2023, she came back to win the women’s 20km mass start classic at the 2024 NCAA Skiing Championships while representing Dartmouth College.
Rémi helped make history at the 2020 FIS Junior World Championships where he teamed up with Olivier Léveillé, Xavier McKeever, and Tom Stephen to win silver in the 4x5km relay.
It was Canada’s first ever world championship cross-country relay medal at any level. Remi also came close to an individual medal, finishing fourth in the 30km mass start race.
Jasmine graduated from Dartmouth College in the spring of 2025, and has been training in Quebec at the National Training Centre.
Remi completed his studies in 2024 at Harvard with a degree in Physics and Mathematics, and trains in Vermont with the elite Stratton Mountain School T2 Team.
“Huge congratulations to the athletes who can now call themselves members of the Canadian Olympic Team,” said Jenn Heil, Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Chef de Mission. “The tenacity, resilience, and the incredible volume of training required in this sport is nothing short of inspiring.
“Congratulations on all your hard work, and we can’t wait to cheer you on as you wear the maple leaf with pride in Italy.”
Milano Cortina 2026 will be the first Olympic Winter Games where the men and women will race the same distances, including the 50km mass start.
Cross-country skiing events will go February 7 to 22, 2026 (Days 1 to 16) at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in the Val di Fiemme region.