Interest in cross-country skiing grows in light of pandemic

The cross-country ski community in New Brunswick says it's seeing a huge surge in interest in the sport this fall.

"I think for a lot of people they're looking at it as a sport they can do in the winter to get through the winter and enjoy the winter, otherwise it's going to be an awfully long one," said John Ball, past president of the Wostawea Ski Club in Fredericton.

Wostawea had 250 people sign up for membership in the first four hours of registration.

"Nothing like that has ever happened before," said Ball.

Ball says all ski lessons for youth and adults are already full.

"We raised (the limit) a little bit to allow people who had kids in the program to come back. But otherwise, we've now hit our limit with that."

He said the club is adjusting its programs in light of COVID- there will be no indoor hot chocolate gatherings after youth skiing and lessons will be physically distanced.

At the ski shop Radical Edge, co-owner Brian McKeown said he ordered twice as much cross-country ski gear than he normally would for a season.

"We're still burning through and are very, very low on stock," he said.

McKeown said customers from across the country have been buying gear from the shop's online store.

"B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, like, you name it, we've been doing orders almost on a daily basis, going all over the place."

But, he said, most people coming into the store are first time skiers looking for an outdoor activity that's fun — and safe.

"We've seen a lot of snowbirds that are not going down to Florida this winter and as a result are buying cross-country skis because, again, it's a great thing for them to get out and enjoy the winter."

Ball says the club has seen steady growth in recent years, but he attributes the surge this year to the pandemic.

"I think it will really help with COVID. I think people are realising it is something that they can do that's fun. It's an all ages sport so they can do it. … Because we have to put up with this pandemic while we all wait for a vaccine and just struggle through it. It's a way to enjoy winter."