Cross country skiers from around the Kootenays gathered in Kimberley last week, July 11 and 12, for a regional drylands training camp. The skiers taking part are those who are part of the BC Team and the BC Development Squad.
Cross Country British Columbia (CCBC), the provincial sport governing body for cross country skiing in BC, opened up group training a month ago with the establishment of a sport specific COVID-19 protocol, says Jill Christie of the Kimberley Nordic Racers.
The weekend was a success with great weather, she said
“The athletes had the opportunity to work on technique with the guidance and facilitation of Chris Manhard (Provincial Team Coach) and Frank Ackermann (Kimberley Nordic Racers Head Coach). They were joined by Nordiq Canada’s Ilona Gyapay (Coach and Athlete Development Coordinator) from Canmore, who came to experience how we train some of the best young skiers in Canada, here in the Kootenays. Over the course of the weekend, the youth participated in some high energy, calorie-burning activities including: ski striding (with sprints) up the backside of the ski hill, classic roller skiing from TaTa Creek to Kimberley, and skate roller skiing from Kimberley to Cranbrook and back.”
In addition to the development of technique in this high endurance sport, the athletes had the opportunity to connect (and re-connect) with skiers from Kimberley, Invermere, Nelson, and Rossland.
“There are talented young skiers in the valley and seeing athletes from competing clubs come together to learn alongside each other was very inspiring,” Christie said.