The Sofie Manarin Award was established in 2004 in memory of Sofie Manarin, a member of the 2000-2001 Junior National Ski Team. Manarin passed away as a result of a traffic accident in 2001 in Sudbury while training for the upcoming season. As a member of the Laurentian Nordic Ski Club, Sofie had won 13 Junior Championship medals in her short career and was the top North American women at the 2001 World Junior Championships at the age of 16, just prior to her training accident.
The Manarin Award is presented annually to the top male and female juvenile skier (age 15 or under) at the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Championships. Previous Manarin Award winners are noted below and include National Senior Team member Alex Harvey of Mont Ste Anne.
| Year |
Competitor |
Club |
|
2018 |
| Jill Stephen |
| Xavier McKeever |
Liliane Gagnon |
| Foothills Nordic |
| Foothills Nordic |
Skibec |
| Tom Stephen |
Foothills Nordic |
| 2017 |
Anna Pryce |
Foothills Nordic |
| Xavier McKeever |
Foothills Nordic |
| 2016 |
Molly Miller |
Kimberley Nordic Ski Club |
| Remi Drolet |
Black Jack |
| 2015 |
Molly Miller |
Kimberley Nordic Ski Club |
| Antoine Laforte |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2014 |
Molly Miller |
Kimberley Nordic Ski Club |
| Antoine Laforte |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2013 |
Katie Weaver |
Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club |
| Philippe Boucher |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2012 |
Megan Evans |
Revelstoke Cross Country Ski Club |
| William Dumas |
Chelsea Nordiq Ski and Biathlon Club |
| 2011 |
Anne-Marie Comeau |
Club Nordique MSA |
| Emily Stewart-Jones |
Nakkertok Nordique |
| Ricardo Izquierdo-Bernier |
Fondeurs-Laurentides |
| 2010 |
Frédérique Vézina |
Club Nordique MSA |
| Raphaël Couturier |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2009 |
Dahria Beatty |
Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club |
| Raphaël Couturier |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2008 |
Michelle Workun-Hill |
Nakkertok Nordique |
| Geoffrey Richards |
Overlander Ski Club |
| 2007 |
Raphaël Couturier |
Skibec Nordique |
| Janelle Greer |
Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club |
| 2006 |
Evan Bruce |
Banff Ski Runners |
| Laurianne Ouellet |
Skibec Nordique |
| 2005 |
Evan Bruce |
Banff Ski Runners |
| Virginia Lehoux-Gagnon |
Ski Elite |
| 2004 |
Natasha Kullis |
Porcupine Ski Runners |
| Alex Harvey |
Club Nordique Mont Saint Anne |
| Haakon Lenes |
Banff Ski Runners |
“Sofie always found it was difficult to find corporate support during her early training years, commented John Manarin, Sofie’s father. With this award our plan was to recognize young skiing talents in Canada and encourage them to pursue their dreams in the sport.”
Highlights of Sofie’s short ski career included:
2001 – Top North American and 28th at World Junior Championships
2000 – Selected to the Canadian National Junior Team
2000 – Junior Women Aggregate Winner – Canadian National Championships
1999 – Junior Girl Aggregate Winner – Canadian National Championship
1996 – Youngest girl to win a medal at Canadian National Junior Championships
1996-2001 – 13 individual Canadian Championship medals