Ivan Babikov

Biography

Once considered too small to be an elite cross-country skier in his native Russia, Ivan Babikov has proven his critics wrong as a key contributor to the recent success by the Canadian men’s team.

Babikov immigrated to Canada in the spring of 2003, as he and his mother joined his sister, who had moved to this country in 1998, in the Toronto area. Initially, Babikov had no intentions of skiing after his career had stalled in Russia. But that fall he moved to Canmore and began competing with the Canadian team, but with a Russian license from the International Skiing Federation (FIS). Without Canadian citizenship, however, he chose to return to Russia and was selected to compete for that country at the Turin 2006 Olympic Winter Games. He continued to compete for Russia in 2006-07 after a bid to fast-track his Canadian citizenship was unsuccessful.

By this time, Babikov was determined to make his home in Canada, especially after his mother was granted her citizenship. Midway through the 2007-08 season, Babikov also officially became Canadian and began representing the maple leaf internationally in 2008-09. In January 2009 he finished first in the final stage of the Tour de Ski, becoming just the second Canadian man (and still just one of four) to win a World Cup race. It was the first World Cup victory by a Canadian man since Pierre Harvey in March 1988.

Babikov was part of the home team at Vancouver 2010, where the men’s cross-country team posted several unprecedented results. In the event now known as the 30km skiathlon, Babikov placed a Canadian best-ever fifth in a race in which three Canadians were in the top-10. He also finished a best-ever eighth in the 15km freestyle race and helped the 4x10km relay team to a seventh place finish.

GETTING TO KNOW…

Odds and Ends: Started skiing at age three… Nickname: Bulldog…

Olympic Highlights

Games Sport Event Finish
2006 Turin (Russia)Skiing - Cross-CountrySkiathlon - Men13
2006 Turin (Russia)Skiing - Cross-Country15km - Men22
2006 Turin (Russia)Skiing - Cross-CountryMass Start 50km - Men38
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-Country15km - Men8
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountryMass Start 50km - Men33
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountryRelay 4x10km - Men7
2010 VancouverSkiing - Cross-CountrySkiathlon - Men5
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-Country15km - Men39
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-CountryMass Start 50km - Men20
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-CountrySkiathlon - Men25
2014 SochiSkiing - Cross-CountryRelay 4x10km - Men12

Notable International Results

FIS World Championships: 2013 – 4th (15km free), 12th (4x10km relay), 31st (30km skiathlon), DNF (50km mass start classic); 2011 – 12th (4x10km relay), 15th (30km skiathlon), 17th (50km mass start free), 30th (15km classic); 2009 – 5th (4x10km relay), 16th (50km mass start free), 40th (30km pursuit); 2007 (Russia) – 45th (50km mass start classic)