FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NORDIC SKIING

Q. Is Nordic skiing physically demanding?

A. Yes and no, and it depends on what you want out of the sport. At the top end, track racing is considered to be one of the most physically demanding sports of all and telemark racing is similar to alpine racing. But at the lower end, Nordic downhill and telemarking (especially if using lifts) are similar to alpine skiing, while cross-country touring can be no more demanding than a jog or a walk along a forest track. There are, of course, all levels in-between.

Q. Where does Nordic skiing take place?

A. For snow skiing Nordic downhill and telemarking, the answer tends to be “in the same places as for alpine skiing”, whereas for cross-country, the simple answer is “wherever there is snow”, especially if you have your own equipment. More generally, though, there are resorts in almost all of the traditional snow areas (the Alps, the Nordic countries, North America, Central and Eastern Europe, Japan and even Australia/New Zealand and South America). Some resorts specialise in downhill skiing and are, therefore, fully suitable for Nordic downhill and telemarking, others combine downhill and cross-country while some concentrate mainly on cross-country. In looking for a suitable resort, you need to take account of what you want to do " the facilities claimed for cross-country in mainly downhill resorts are not always as good as those in more specialised areas.

Q. Where can I practice Nordic skiing?

A. Just like other branches of skiing, Nordic is both a snow sport and a dry-land sport. Telemarkers and Nordic downhillers can use artificial ski slopes and, increasingly, the indoor man-made snow slopes of which there are several throughout the UK. Cross-country skiers train and practice on roller skis (similar to long roller skates with a wheel at each end) on paved surfaces, but there are several tunnels (abroad) which contain man-made snow all year long. Indoor snow slopes can be difficult for cross-country skiing because of the thinness of the equipment, but they can be used by more expert skiers.

Q. What about winter skiing in the UK?

A. There can be snow skiing in the UK, especially in Scotland and the north of England (and even occasionally as far south as Brighton) but this is, of course, very dependent on local weather conditions and the number of days when such skiing can take place is becoming more and more limited. Only two areas (Huntly in north-east Scotland and Aviemore) regularly prepare the tracks that are need for track racing and track touring, but determined skiers will often ski-in their own tracks. Touring, mountain touring, telemarking and Nordic downhill can, of course, take place wherever there is snow deep enough to ski on, as long as you don’t want to rely on lifts!

Q. And what about summer skiing?

A. Not all branches of Nordic skiing rely on snow! Telemarking and Nordic downhill can be practiced on indoor man-made snow slopes or on artificial downhill slopes, while cross-country can be practiced on roller skis wherever there is a suitable and safe paved area (e.g. a park or a cycle track, although some roller skis now allow skiing on harder-packed dirt tracks). Snowsport England (SSE) and local SSE clubs run training courses throughout the summer and autumn on different non-snow surfaces.

Q. From where do I get the equipment?

A. Hiring equipment is the best option for your first ski holiday (and investing in some lessons is also recommended). Joining a club will give you the opportunity to see, try and discuss appropriate equipment. There are only a few suppliers of equipment in the UK, but you can receive advice from cross-country clubs and on cross-country courses.

Q. What do I wear?

A. Layers of clothing are best as cross-country can be warm work especially if skiing uphill, yet cold in snowy, exposed locations. Many cross-country skiers prefer to be dressed similarly to walking or running with flexible clothing to allow movement, including a warm base layer and an outer wind or waterproof shell. Telemark and Nordic downhill skiers often dress similarly to alpine skiers but this might not be suitable if a lot of hill climbing is involved.

Q. What are the costs involved?

A. This, unfortunately, is an almost impossible question to answer! To attend a weekend-long training course, including hiring equipment but excluding accommodation and food, costs roughly £100. If you progress and wish to buy your own equipment, a complete set will cost approximately £200-£400 (add a further £100-£150 if you buy a cross-country ski set and wish to add roller skis). Thereafter, you need to add in the cost of getting to and staying in a resort (for on-snow skiing), and this can cost anything from about £300 to £1500 per week depending on where you go and when.

Q. How do I find out more?

A. Simply click on the other pages on this website. These provide far more information about the different branches of Nordic skiing, the equipment involved, courses and trips, training information and photos. There is also an Enquiries E-mail address in order to get more specific advice. During the winter, extensive coverage of biathlon and cross-country track racing is given on Eurosport, sometimes also shown late at night on Channel 4.

Q. How do I get involved?

A. Perhaps the best way to try cross-country skiing is to join a local Nordic club (listed on the SSE websites) and/or to attend one or more of the SSE national or club training events during the summer or autumn (SSE also runs an on-snow training week in April). These cater for all skiers from complete beginner through to expert and are an excellent way to introduce you to the sport. If you are an existing downhill skier, you might try switching to one of the Nordic disciplines, whereas if you take part in other sports (running, cycling, swimming, canoeing ...), you may well find that cross-country is not only fun but also provides excellent cross-training benefits. Alternatively, several commercial travel companies offer skiing trips to a wide range of different destinations. Finally, for those in the London area, the Rollerski.co offers roller ski courses on a commercial basis. Links to all of these can be found from the SSE Nordic websites.