CALGARY - Canada will send a record 21 skiers, including 11 Olympians, to the upcoming alpine world ski championships in Val d'Isere, France.
Leading the team will be Calgary's Jan Hudec, who won a silver medal in the downhill at the 2007 championships in Are, Sweden.
The squad will also feature seven World Cup winners including Hudec, Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C., Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., Britt Janyk of Whistler, B.C., John Kucera of Calgary, Thomas Grandi of Canmore, Alta., and Genevieve Simard of Val-Morin, Que.
Hudec won the opening World Cup downhill race of the season last year at Lake Louise, Alta., then was third in Bormio, Italy, before suffering a knee injury. He returned to racing earlier this month.
The Canadian team is heading into the championships with the goal of winning two medals.
"We know it's going to be challenging and difficult technically but we're looking forward to it," men's team head coach Paul Kristofic said in a release..
Canada has 20 medals in the history of the world championships, including 11 gold.
The championships begin with the women's super-giant slalom on Tuesday and end with the men's slalom on Feb. 15.
