Teulon man coaches athlete at U23 World Ski Championships

Glenn Bond is a Team Canada cross-country skiing coach who recently celebrated major success at the U23 Junior World Ski Championships in Norway with his athlete, Madeleine Wilkie.

Bond, who grew up in Teulon and now lives in Vernon, B.C., said he remains proud of his Manitoba roots, noting they helped shape who he is today as both an athlete and a coach.

“I’ve got lots of memories growing up here,” he said. “Teulon is a part of who I am and there’s no taking that out of me.”

Bond was first introduced to cross-country skiing in Grade 4 while attending Teulon Elementary School. His teacher, John Blackwood, ran a Jackrabbit skiing program at the school — a program that sparked Bond’s passion for the sport.

From there, his love of skiing quickly took flight.

He soon began winning regional and provincial races. Later, he earned a spot on Team Manitoba and eventually Team Canada.

“Every level I went to I was simply blown away by the skills and abilities of the other athletes,” he said. “They opened my eyes to the sport for sure.”

After graduating from Teulon Collegiate, Bond knew he wanted to dedicate his life to cross-country skiing. He moved to British Columbia where he earned a Ski Resort Operations and Management diploma from Selkirk College and eventually made SilverStar Mountain Resort his home base.

While working and training at SilverStar, Bond set his sights on qualifying for the 2002 Canadian Olympic team. Although he ultimately fell short of that goal, he still considers the pursuit worthwhile.

“Chasing my Olympic dream proved to me that with motivation anything is possible,” he said. “Even though I didn’t make it, I still had a great journey and learned a lot trying to get there.”

Bond still competes today, although now at a more recreational level.

Recently, he took part in the Vasaloppet in Sweden, the largest cross-country ski race in the world. The event features a mass start of roughly 16,000 skiers, all beginning the race at the same time.

Describing the experience as “totally insane,” Bond skied the full 90-kilometre course from Sälen to Mora.

“It was a really great experience,” he said. “I finished the race and came away with a lot of great memories.”

Another memorable moment from his time in Europe came while watching one of his top athletes compete at the U23 Junior World Ski Championships in Lillehammer, Norway.

Wilkie, 18, was making her first international appearance. She trains with Bond at SilverStar Resort.

She said working with Glenn has been a great experience. 

“He has been by my side helping me get sponsors, during my highs and lows of racing and training, and waxing my skis to make sure they’re perfect for every race,” she added.

She placed 18th in the sprint event and 29th in the 20-kilometre race — results Bond described as impressive for a first international outing. He praised Wilkie as a resilient athlete who pushes through challenges with determination.

“She’s mentally tough and has a lot of grit,” he said. “To see her progress and do well is incredible. It’s been really fun and rewarding watching her compete and I’m over the moon happy for her. Her future is extremely bright.”

The championships were also historic for Team Canada, which posted record-setting results, with Wilkie claiming this as a highlight of her adventure.

“Our Juniors achieved some of the best results that we’ve seen in a while, and I’m so proud to have been a part of our amazing results,” she said. “I found a lot of inspiration coming back from these races because I know there is more competition out there, and that I have so much potential to improve.”

Among her role models are Alison Mackie, who was named the U23 World Cup leader. 

While Bond does not coach Mackie directly, he still played a small role in her journey to the championships. After racing in the Vasaloppet, he drove Mackie and her coach from Sweden to Norway for the competition.

Overall, Bond said his time in Europe has been phenomenal, particularly because Sweden and Norway are considered the global heart of cross-country skiing. The countries boast thousands of kilometres of groomed trails connecting towns and cities.

“The cross-country skiing culture there is unbelievable,” he said. “It’s an absolute dream — a true cross-country skiing paradise.”

During his visit to Lillehammer, Bond also discovered a personal connection to the area. His great-grandmother once lived there, making the trip even more meaningful.

This was not Bond’s first experience coaching on the international stage.

Since beginning his career at SilverStar and launching his own private coaching business, he has helped host World Cup events near the resort, assisted during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and coached an athlete who competed at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Bond said he always suspected coaching would play a role in his life. He enrolled in his first coaching course at just 16 years old while still living in Teulon.

What began as a small side interest eventually grew into an international coaching career — one he says he wouldn’t trade for anything.

“I’m doing what I love and I can’t believe I get paid to do this,” he said. “Yes, there are hard days, but overall I enjoy most of my time working. It’s not hard work when you love what you do.”

Bond not only coaches his athletes but often trains alongside them. He describes himself as someone who loves nature and the outdoors — a perfect fit for a sport that takes place in some of the world’s most scenic environments.

Training takes place year-round, with much of the work done in the summer months through roller skiing, trail running and cycling.

Bond still has a few events remaining to close out the 2026 racing season before taking a short two-week break in April. In May, he and his athletes will return to training as they begin preparing for the next season.

Looking ahead, Bond hopes to continue building on Wilkie’s success while inspiring his athletes to pursue their goals.

“The biggest thing I tell them is to dream big,” he said. “We are all capable of dreaming, and making that dream is step one. Once you set your mind to it, passion and perseverance can take you a long way. I believe anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”