Saskatchewan·NewEarlier this year, Ava Darbellay was perfecting her shooting and skiing skills for biathlon. Now, she’s preparing to fly down an icy track feet-first on a sled in a sport she only picked up this summer — luge. Ava Darbellay only luge finalist from Sask. scouted for RBC Training GroundSarah Onyango · CBC News · Posted: Nov 01, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesAva Darbellay works on her shooting skills for biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. (Submitted by Morgan Darbellay)Earlier this year, Ava Darbellay was perfecting her shooting and skiing skills for biathlon. Now, she’s preparing to fly down an icy track feet-first on a sled in a sport she only picked up this summer — luge. “When I was filling out the form for the RBC Training Ground qualifier and they asked me what sports I wanted to do, I just kind of selected them all because I’m really interested in all of them and willing to try different sports and new things,” said Darbellay. Darbellay, 14, is one of the 100 finalists selected by RBC Training Ground, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s nationwide talent search program. The initiative identifies young athletes with Olympic potential and connects them with national sport organizations for elite training opportunities. The teen from Lumsden, Sask., about 25 kilometres northeast of Regina, was one of seven invited to Calgary earlier this year for Olympic-level luge training — a sport Darbellay had never tried before.“I’ve always kind of wanted to go to the Olympics,” she said. “I just haven’t decided what sport I want to go to the Olympics doing, so maybe luge will be that sport.” Darbellay first attended an RBC training Ground event in May to compete with more than 2,000 young athletes from across Canada. Participants underwent performance tests for speed, power and endurance — with top performers earning access to funding, coaching and, of course, Olympic training. “We generally hold up to 20 qualifying events completely free across the country,” said RBC brand manager Sam Effah. “We give youth — anyone who’s 14 to 25 — opportunities and the goal is just to fuel the Canadian Olympic pipeline.” Ava Darbellay attended the RBC Training Ground for the first time in Regina in May as a biathlon athlete. (RBC Training Ground)Darbellay said learning she had been scouted for luge, a sport she had never even considered, was a shock at first, but she was excited to try her hand at another winter sport. “I didn’t think I was going to be recruited by any national sport organization, so it was really cool,” she said. After training in Calgary in July, she’s heading to Vancouver this weekend for the RBC Training Ground national final, where the top 100 athletes compete for funding and support. Coach believes she can go far Darbellay’s background in biathlon, a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, had already given her a strong foundation. She trains up to five times a week at the Qu’Appelle Valley Nordic Ski Club, just 10 minutes from her home. “It’s a great way to spend my winter. I like winter sports in general,” she said. Luge coach Dania Obratov said that Darbellay’s great physical ability is what stood out during the testing session held in Regina in May. “Obviously strength … speed, you need to be explosive, especially for the start, quick reactions, very good co-ordination — like basically we need all the components, and especially because luge is such a technically demanding sport.” WATCH | Sask. teen scouted as Olympic luge prospect:Sask. teen scouted as Olympic luge prospectBiathlon athlete Ava Darbellay, 14, from Lumsden, Sask., has been scouted as a possible competitor in luge in future Olympics, through the RBC Training Ground program. Darbellay was one of seven finalists tapped by Luge Canada and the only one from Saskatchewan.Obratov said they were also focused on scouting 14-year-olds and 15-year-olds for luge, to build the foundations for sport earlier. “In our sport, it’s very important to start as early as possible, so this age is kind of perfect time for her to start luge,” said Obratov. When Darbellay, who finished fourth in the female U16 sprint biathlon event at the 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games, came to train with Obratov’s team in July, she left them quite impressed by her speed. “I remember telling the other coach that was with me that day, look how fast she’s getting the hang of it — you can see right away,” Obratov said. Obratov said she believes that with proper training, Darbellay can go far in luge. The only full-time luge track in Canada is located in Whistler, B.C., so if she advances past the next round, Darbellay may be spending a lot of time there. “My biathlon friends are kind of scared I’m going to ditch the sport,” she said. “But I’m not ditching biathlon completely yet.”ABOUT THE AUTHORSarah Onyango is a reporter and producer at CBC Saskatchewan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Regina. Sarah is passionate about diverse storytelling in Saskatchewan. She can be reached at sarah.onyango@cbc.ca
Sask. teen swaps skis for sled after being scouted at Olympic talent search
