What an amazing start to the winter season! I have been so lucky to find myself back at SilverStar and Sovereign Lake, B.C., for CANSI events and the XC Supercamps. Whereas last year we had to look for snow, this year there has been plenty. Places like Whitehorse, Yukon, and Frozen Thunder in Canmore, Alberta, are living up to their early-season reputations of having great snow. In Ontario, early storms brought snow north of Toronto, while in Montreal, my sister has been cross country skiing on the canals and Mont Royal. In Manitoba there is man-made snow happening in Winnipeg for the first time, I understand. It all bodes well for this winter, so if you're not getting excited yet, I suggest it's time you start your ski engines! Thank you to everyone who attended the CANSI national AGM last week. It was a chance to catch up on all the things CANSI accomplished last year and into the start of this season. Your national board was reappointed with all six regional directors* agreeing to stay on for another year. Thank you to all these fine people for the time and energy they give. It certainly makes my job easier. The highlight of the AGM was the unveiling of the new Ski Your Best (SYB) pilot project. SYB is a terrain-based, skill-improvement program for recreational XC skiers ages 13+. Welcoming and inclusive by design, SYB provides suggested lesson progressions for CANSI instructors and ski area operators. This winter, SYB will pilot in large and small communities across Canada, from Vancouver Island to Yellowknife to Newfoundland. Bilingual content is accessible to all members here. Pilot and member feedback is appreciated. My thanks to all pilot participants and to the team of volunteers who have made this possible. In upcoming newsletters, we’ll be talking more about SYB, which combines the 50-plus years of CANSI experience with an eye on the future needs of the broader cross country community. Like I said, it's time to get excited about skiing. Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. your stories. I would love to hear about winter in your neck of the woods! In the meantime, I wish you all happy holiday skiing and a snowy new year! Denys Lawrence, CANSI President *CANSI’s six regional directors are: Atlantic – Keith Payne, Quebec – Jean-François Dubois, Ontario – Jan Vopalensky, Central – John Kim, Mountain – John Heerema, Pacific – Alison Hart FYI Draft minutes from CANSI's AGM in early December are now available in English on the website. Log in to your profile at cansi.ca then go to Documents > Annual General Meetings (AGM) > 2023-2024 - National AGM - Draft Minutes. The minutes will be published in French after they have been approved at the next AGM.
Yellowknife instructor finds her people at Level III / IV workshop Surrounded by 30 Level III/IV colleagues, perfect temperatures and “Okanagan champagne” snow, XC instructor Jennifer Stranart thought she'd died and gone to ski heaven at the Level III / IV seminar at Sovereign Lake, B.C. Maybe reading her account will entice you to take part in the seminar in 2025!
More kudos for the Level III / IV weekend
Participants at the Level III and IV XC seminar in late November rotated through sessions on topics ranging from one-step double pole to uphill classic and downhill techniques with leaders Guy Paulsen, Jessica Stichelbout and Andy Pohl. XC instructors Sandy Cook and Henry Madsen describe the event here. Photos: Above, right: Cyd Fraser; Left: Henry Madsen
Experience Interski (relatively) close to home in 2027
For the first time since 1968, a North American resort will host the quadrennial Interski Congress. Snow sport enthusiasts from around the world will gather in Vail, Colorado in April 2027 to learn about and showcase the latest in ski pedagogy and technique. This is your chance to experience the international congress relatively close to home. All instructors are welcome as observers, and CANSI will choose a team of 12 skiers (6 XC and 6 tele) to represent the organization. Find out more about the event.
Members weigh in on braking article
Several members commented on Rob Henderson's article last month on the braking wedge versus the half wedge. Spoiler alert: they both agreed with Rob! Do you? Comment on anything you see in the newsletter by emailing us at Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser..
New on the website this month:
Log into your member account at cansi.ca to read the articles below. As an instructor, would you use the same terms when teaching a rookie skier and a seasoned pro? Likely not, and this article explains why. If you've never experienced the joys of skate skiing at -30C, maybe you need to travel to Whitehorse at the same time as XC Level IV instructor Rob Henderson. He seems to bring the cold. Good thing Whitehorse skiers are hardy! Read Rob's article here.
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