David Rees

Dave Rees’ career in cross-country skiing covers a span of over fifty years as an athlete, coach, official and administrator.

Dave grew up as a “four way” skier, competing in cross country, jumping, slalom and downhill ski events. During his junior years he won and placed in these disciplines at many events provincially, nationally and in the U.S.A.. In the Canadian Junior Championships, Dave placed in the top three for four years (1959-1962), winning three gold medals, three silver and a bronze in the open junior cross country, jumping and nordic combined classes.

In 1962 Dave was selected to the Canadian National Cross Country Ski Team, remaining as a member for ten consecutive years until 1972. In 1964 Dave was named as the alternate member of the Olympic Team and four years later, achieved a boyhood dream when he earned a berth on the 1968 Olympic Team (Grenoble). In senior cross-country skiing competition, Dave won eleven national medals. In 1963 he was named Carleton University’s Athlete of the Year and the same year was recognized as a top athlete by the City of Ottawa.

In 1972, after retiring from the National Team, Dave embarked on a second career in skiing, that of a volunteer. Beginning with the Canadian Ski Association and subsequently with Cross Country Canada (CCC) and F.I.S., Dave has served in numerous capacities and chaired many committees including the National Ski Team Committee and the Technical Committee, and he authored many of the earliest manuals on coaching and officiating. From 1987 to 1990 Dave was President of Cross Country Canada and during this time he rewrote CCC’s constitution and by-laws.

Dave authored a highly acclaimed book on cross-country skiing that went to three editions and sold over forty thousand copies. He was a founding member of the Canadian Masters Cross Country Ski Association and competed successfully in Canadian and World Masters Championships between 1981 and 1990. He has attended four more Olympic Games (1976, 1981, 1988 and 1992) in various capacities (coach, manager, and race official) and is an experienced and active Technical Delegate.

In 1989 Cross Country Canada instituted an annual volunteer award in Dave’s name to honour his many years of dedication to cross country skiing. In 1983 Dave was named to the North Bay Hall of Fame, and in 2000 was chosen as one of North Bay’s top ten male athletes of the previous seventy-five years since the city was incorporated.

Dave is married and lives in Canmore, Alberta. He earned a Ph.D. in geoscience and taught geoscience and hydrology at Nippissing University, North Bay for thirty years.

Please Note: The ski information gathered here is compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments. Copyright © 2021, Canadian Ski Museum. For Personal/Educational use only.