Yukon cross country skiers Derek Deuling and Sasha Masson had their first race at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Lygna, Norway Tuesday.

According to Nordiq Canada press releases, the two Canadians from Whitehorse had a strong outing, skiing into the top-20 of the 74-man field in a 30-kilometre mass start. Deuling battled to 17th spot with a time of 1:16:39.9. Masson, whose parents Alain and Lucy Steele-Masson were also Canadian Olympic cross-country skiers, punched the clock at 1:16:46.8 for 18th spot.

In total, six Canadian skiers (including the Yukoners) cracked the top 20 – the best ever team result for Canada at the World Juniors, according to Yukon ski coach Alain Masson.

The next generation of Canadian cross-country skiers finished just shy of the podium in the relay events at the Nordic Junior World Ski Championships on Wednesday. Four Canadian teenagers – Félix Olivier-Moreau (Mont St. Anne, Que.), Xavier McKeever (Canmore, Alta.); Masson, and Tom Stephen (Calgary) combined to rock the four, five-kilometre legs of the men’s relay in a time of 50:10.5.

Masson helped the boys’ relay team secure 4th place at the World Junior Championships.

The result is Canada’s second-best ever finish at the event.

Masson skied the third leg using the skating technique. The first two skiers skied in classic.

“It’s another stellar day for Canada and the Yukon,” said Yukon cross country coach Alain Masson.

The relay consists of each athlete skiing one five-kilometre leg in the men’s event.

With the Russians, Norwegians and Americans pushing the pace in the opening leg of the free technique, Sasha Masson dug deep to try and hold onto the tail end of a surge by the leaders. Skiing in fourth spot and the Swede’s fading behind him, Masson tagged off to Tom Stephen for the anchor leg.

Stephen tried to put the pedal down, but was not able to respond to the surge by the top-three nations who pulled away in a fight for the podium.

“Xav tagged me with the American and we skied a lap and a bit with the Russian (and Norwegian). The Russian pushed on the one-skate hill. The American and Norwegian were able to go with him, but I just didn’t have the legs to hang on today,” said the 19-year-old Masson. “We are all quite satisfied being in fourth, but then also disappointed that we weren’t on the podium. I’m just super proud of the entire Canadian team.”

Deuling placed 19th for his second top-20 result, clocking a time of 27:47.3, in the men’s 10 km short distance classic-ski today.