N.S. cross-country skiers hope blast of winter will improve training opportunities

A blast of winter weather this weekend could mean more training opportunities when provincial cross-country skiers return from competition in Quebec.

Halifax's Cohen Norman competed on snow two weeks ago in Gatineau, Que., and he's back in that province this weekend at the 2024 Nordiq Canada Selection Trials and Nordiq Cup. He said competing against and keeping up with athletes who come from more favourable climates is a confidence booster.

"They'll see my Nova Scotia suit and they'll kind of know like, 'Oh, this guy, he works hard, right? He doesn't have any snow.'"

Nova Scotia can be a winter wonderland or wet in the first month of the year. According to Environment Canada data from the past decade, 33 millimetres of rain fell on Jan 6, 2022 compared to 18 centimetres of snow on the ground the same day in 2014.

But the lack of snow in the Halifax area hasn'tprevented Norman, a Citadel High student, from practising cross-countryskiing. He uses roller skis when there is too little snow to glide on.

"You get a lot of the same mechanics and fitness as you do skiing, but [there's] definitely a difference in that feel for being on snow," Norman said.

Daniel Murray, coach of the provincial cross-country skiing team, says mild Maritime weather has posed a challenge to the sport during his lifetime.

"The weather, the climate here affect the number of competitions that can happen here as well," Murray.

Murray says interest in the sport is growing in Nova Scotia despite milder weather posing a challenge last year.

It's a trend echoed by those who manage trails in the province.

"I think it's getting more popular. Just the number of people who have been asking this winter, particularly before January, wanting to know if the trails were open," said Katie Fougere, manager of North Highlands Nordic Ski Club in Cape North.

Fougere said the trails, which opened this week, have already welcomed visitors from around Nova Scotia, Toronto and even Australia. She said warm and wet weather kept the trails closed until February last season and making snow isn't an option at this time.

Early opening 'a blessing'

"The main reason would be the astronomical expense," she said.

The Keppoch trails in Antigonish have been groomed since December.

"Based on the last couple of years, this is a head start for us. It's a blessing for sure," said Chris Gilham with Positive Action for Keppoch, a charity that manages the year-round trail system.

"Let's hope from here on in the weather stays consistently cold and the snow comes in. That would be great for us," said Gilham.

Norman is looking forward to skiing on those trails with his family when he returns to Nova Scotia after competition.

"We're always travelling to anywhere in the province where we could find some good skiing,"he said.