CCBC Provincial Team Day Camps (Kootenays) - Photo Story

Great weather and endurance-hungry athletes made for a successful weekend of training in Kimberley. Cross Country BC, 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. This allowed for two regional dryland training ‘day’ camps to be held in Kimberley (July 11-12) for East and West Kootenay skiers who are part of the BC Ski Team and the BC Development Squad. 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.

Photo Credit: Frank Ackerman

Over the course of the weekend, the athletes 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, 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.

Photo Credit: Frank Ackermann