Devon Kershaw

Biography

Devon Kershaw was at the forefront of the recent success for Canada’s “Nordic Knights”. In March 2006, he won a World Cup bronze medal, making him the first Canadian male cross-country skier to reach a podium on the elite international circuit since Pierre Harvey in 1988. In 2011 Kershaw made another breakthrough when he teamed with Harvey’s son Alex to win gold in the team sprint at the FIS World Championships, making them the first Canadian men to ever reach the world championship podium in cross-country skiing.

Competing in his second Olympic Games at Vancouver 2010, Kershaw contributed to the best-ever Olympic results by a team of Canadian male cross-country skiers. Kershaw had a pair of near-podium results. He teamed with Harvey for a fourth-place finish in the team sprint. On the last day of the Games, in the gruelling 50km mass start, Kershaw finished a heartbreaking fifth. The top five men had all finished within 1.6 seconds, with Kershaw missing out on bronze by 0.6 seconds.

After Vancouver 2010, Kershaw continued to put his name in the history books while proving to be one of the world‘s most consistent all-around skiers. In 2010-11 he finished eighth in the overall World Cup standings and recorded his first career World Cup victory. The next season was even better with two World Cup victories en route to a second-place finish in the overall World Cup standings, the best-ever performance by a Canadian man.

Since making his world championship debut in 2003, Kershaw has seen the Canadian men go from being the world’s most anonymous team (a designation which both stung and motivated him) to one that is always contending for medals. In January 2017, he helped make more history as a member of the 4×7.5km relay team that won World Cup bronze in Ulricehamn, Sweden. It was Canada’s first ever World Cup podium in a distance relay. He made his fourth and final Olympic appearance at PyeongChang 2018.    

A little more about Devon

Getting into the Sport: His family was into both alpine and cross-country skiing, making it a family activity while growing up… Played hockey until he was 14 when he realized that because of his small size that he was always getting banged up… Outside Interests: Travels with his camera and lenses, having a love of photography that came from his parents… Enjoys reading good literature as well as non-fiction books such as scientific, adventure and biographies… Enjoys rock climbing, fly fishing, ski mountaineering and surfing… Has always wanted to be a medical doctor but has also daydreamed about owning a mountain boutique hotel… His mental break at the end of the competitive season is to go back-country skiing … Affiliated with Share the Road (sharetheroad.ca), a bike advocacy group; has organized a community cycling event in Sudbury for 10 years… Odds and Ends: Favourite quote: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters when compared to what lies within us.” – Emerson… Wife Kristin Størmer Steira is a two-time Olympic medallist for Norway…

Olympic Highlights

Games Sport Event Finish
2006 TurinSkiing - Cross-Country15km - Men48
2006 TurinSkiing - Cross-Country4x10km Relay - Men11
2006 TurinSkiing - Cross-CountrySprint - Men37
2006 TurinSkiing - Cross-CountryTeam Sprint - Men11
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-Country50km Mass Start - Men5
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-Country4x10km Relay - Men7
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountrySkiathlon - Men16
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountrySprint - Men23
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountryTeam Sprint - Men4
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-Country15km - Men35
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-CountrySprint - Men56
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-CountryTeam Sprint - Men12
2018 PyeongChang Skiing - Cross Country50km Mass Start - Men26
2018 PyeongChang Skiing - Cross CountrySkiathlon - Men36
2018 PyeongChangSkiing - Cross Country15km - Men71

Notable International Results

Olympic Winter Games: 2018  26th (50km mass start classic), 36th (skiathlon), 71st (15km free); 2014 - 11th (team sprint classic), 33rd (15km classic), 56th (sprint free) 2010 – 4th (team sprint free), 5th (50km mass start classic), 7th (4x10km relay), 16th (30km skiathlon), 23rd (sprint classic); 2006 – 11th (4x10km relay), 11th (team sprint classic), 37th (sprint free), 47th (15km classic)

FIS World Championships: 2017 – 38th (50km mass start free), 35th (15km classic); 2013 – 4th (team sprint free), 12th (4x10km relay), 33rd (15km free), 46th (sprint classic); 2011 – GOLD (team sprint classic), 9th (30km skiathlon), 31st (sprint free); 2009 – 5th (4x10km relay), 9th (team sprint classic), 27th (30km pursuit), 37th (15km classic); 2007 – 6th (team sprint free), 11th (4x10km relay), 38th (sprint classic), 68th (15km free); 2005 – 6th (team sprint free), 13th (4x10km relay), 14th (sprint classic), 61st (30km pursuit)