Filipino Canadian Brings New Excitement to Canadian Winter Sports

By Cheryl Madriaga

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

When we step out of our comfort zone, we learn to push the boundaries, exceed expectations, and grow in ways we never thought possible.

One year ago, I stumbled upon a new winter sports product. Ready to try something different, snowskating would soon become my new favorite winter activity.

I showed the product to my fiancé and Sled Dogs Canada Co-Founder, Jordan Davies. After inquiring into where we could buy or rent snowskates, we soon found out that Canada did not yet have a distributor, as this product was just hitting the slopes in Europe. Believing this could be the start of something big, we negotiated with the president of the company in Norway to begin distribution in Canada.
By becoming a distributor for the product, we got to try out the snowskates ourselves. I am not good at ice skating or rollerskating, so I was worried that I would have the same difficulties I had with snowboarding. My first years of learning to snowboard were filled with frustration, pain, and bruises. But snowskating was so easy! My first time taking them out to the mountains, I went down the hill with ease, and quickly started building confidence and having fun.

I didn’t think it was possible to embrace two winter sports, but snowskating definitely has its benefits. For one, the equipment doesn’t take up much room. On snowboarding trips, I was always the unlucky person who had to squish in the back with all of the gear.

Now, the only real gear I need is my snowskates on my feet – no more heavy equipment to carry and pack.

I can even walk around inside with my snowskates when it’s time to break for lunch. I hated having to leave my board sitting outside, unsupervised and unsecured. You never want to come back outside after a meal and have your skis or your snowboard go missing!

Snowskating has also been a great way to stay active during the winter months. It is great for cardiovascular health, weight loss, and overall fitness. Plus, it’s so easy and fun that I often forget that I’m exercising, and time just flies by.

We couldn’t wait to get them out and have people trying them, so we started holding free demo events at local ski hills around Edmonton and Calgary. Everyone was curious and wanted to try this cool, new product – parents who wanted to snowskate with their children, adventurous people who wanted to try tricks and jumps, experienced instructors, and first-timers. The best part was everyone had fun, and the feedback was amazing!

We have many events, sponsorships, and possible partnerships planned for the upcoming winter season. With all of the positive feedback we have received, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for Sled Dogs in the future. I’m so excited to be a part of introducing this new sport to Canada and the Filipino community. It just goes to show that if you open yourself up to opportunities, you never know what may come your way. So take risks and dream big!

Cheryl is from Calgary, Alberta.
She is a Co-founder of Sled Dogs Canada.
Sled Dogs Canada
Email: canada@sleddogs.com
www.snowskates.ca

#Filipino Canadian Magazine #filcanmagazine #FCM magazine