Justin Sigal has been boning up on his cross-country skiing abilities and his limited German.

Sigal, 27, from Vernon, will represent Canada in cross-country skiing at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, which begin Tuesday in the Austrian communities of Graz, Schladming, Ramsau and Styria.

91裸聊视频淚 know ja bitte (yes, please) and nein danke (no, thank-you),91裸聊视频� smiled Sigal, who left Saturday to join his Canadian teammates in Toronto before heading overseas.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 very excited to be going. It will be my first time in another country and first time representing Canada.91裸聊视频�

Getting to the World Winter Games has been a four-year process for Sigal.

He started at a 2014 regional event in Kamloops, where his results qualified him for the provincial finals the following year. At the B.C. championships, Sigal91裸聊视频檚 results were enough to earn him a spot on the provincial team for the 2016 Canadian Winter Games in Corner Brook. In Newfoundland, Sigal won gold and silver in the 2.5- and 5-kilometre classic events (the same events he91裸聊视频檒l race in Austria), much to his surprise and delight.

91裸聊视频淚 was just enjoying the experience (of Canadians). I wasn91裸聊视频檛 focusing on results or anything,91裸聊视频� said Sigal, who claims to have been 91裸聊视频渂orn with cross-country skis.91裸聊视频� He did start skiing at a young age 91裸聊视频� was named Most Improved Skier in the Jackrabbits program at age 10 at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, where a ski mounted on the wall inside the centre91裸聊视频檚 chalet commemorates the achievement 91裸聊视频� before deciding to try downhill skiing in 2006.

That lasted for six years before Sigal returned to the cross-country trails.

He is one of 20 athletes from B.C. on the 108-member Canadian squad. He91裸聊视频檚 joined by fellow Okanagan cross-country skiers Tracey Melesko and Francis Stanley, and wax technician/coach Garth Vickers, all from Kelowna, and coach Ray Huson of Penticton.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been training with the Kelowna guys since August,91裸聊视频� said Sigal, the first winner of the Courage honour in The Morning Star91裸聊视频檚 2016 Community Leader Awards. 91裸聊视频淲e do a lot of hiking at Knox Mountain or Okanagan Park. I91裸聊视频檝e been on the snow at Sovereign since November.91裸聊视频�

Sigal has been working at Sovereign with coach Dudley Coulter for the past four years.

91裸聊视频淛ustin91裸聊视频檚 perseverance and ability to put his head down and get the training done is inspiring,91裸聊视频� said Coulter.

91裸聊视频淗e is generally committed to his monthly training plans, no matter the weather or how tired he might be.91裸聊视频�

Sigal, who holds down a shift as a cashier at a Vernon Tim Hortons, usually trains about seven-to-eight hours per week. He has completed more than 300 hours of training between the 2016-17 dryland and on-snow seasons. Sigal is a regular at Vernon91裸聊视频檚 Snap Fitness, where he works with personal trainer Chelsea May.

Coulter believes Sigal can do exceptionally well in Austria as long as he works hard on the course.

91裸聊视频淚 always tell him to 91裸聊视频榣eave it all out on the course91裸聊视频� and finish with nothing left in the tank,91裸聊视频� said Coulter. 91裸聊视频淭o me, it doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter how he places but how hard he works during these races.

91裸聊视频淚f Justin is laying down across the finish line, I know he gave it all he91裸聊视频檚 got.91裸聊视频�

Sigal, whose parents, Les and Jackie, will be in Austria rooting for their son, will arrive in Austria wearing his Canadian team jacket. He91裸聊视频檒l wear his Canadian race suit underneath his Canadian warm-up pants 91裸聊视频� which he91裸聊视频檒l remove from his Canadian roll-on luggage bag and put in his Canadian backpack 91裸聊视频� and give it his all. Cross country skiing begins Saturday.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 just going to do my best and enjoy the experience of meeting new people, trying new food and learning a new language,91裸聊视频� he said. If that doesn91裸聊视频檛 work, Sigal will live by the Special Olympics credo, which he knows by heart:

91裸聊视频淟et me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.91裸聊视频�

The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games will bring together more than 2,700 athletes from 107 nations. Canada91裸聊视频檚 team is the third-largest at the Games.

Athletes will compete in six sports: alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.

Canadian Olympic and World Championship gold medalist figure skater Jamie Sal茅 will serve as Canada91裸聊视频檚 honourary coach.