Cross Country Skiing

Cross Country Skiing                                                                                

Cross country skiing is a fantastic winter sport that is easy to learn and will stay with you for life. It’s a great recreational sport, which keeps you fit in winter and offers snow-fun for the whole family.

Biathlon combines cross country skiing using mostly the freestyle technique with smallbore target shooting. To get started in Biathlon, you need to learn how to cross country ski.

What are Groomed Tracks?

Groomed or track skiing is where the snow has been packed down and smoothed flat by a grooming machine. Tracks can be groomed for skating, with just fine corduroy grooves left by the tiller of the machine, or for classic with two parallel tracks set into the snow for the skis to glide in. Ski resorts with groomed tracks normally list the total kilometres tracks available to ski on as well as the distance of tracks currently groomed.

Click here to learn more about Freestyle XC Skiing technique used in Biathlon

Click here for a comprehensive guide of what equipment you will need for XC Skiing including boots, poles and skis

RACES

There are cross country ski races of all levels held each winter in Australia. Races are mainly held at Perisher Valley (NSW) and Falls Creek (VIC).  Races include Championships events, Club events, School events and some events which are for everyone from beginners to elite.

Events are identified as Classic or Freestyle. It is always permitted to ski with Classic style in a Freestyle event, however tracks for classic skiing may not be set.

If you're not quite sure you are up to XC ski racing, there are a number of events each winter that are about skill development and an introduction to the sport. These are Fast and Female, Ski de Femme and XC Skiing Come and Try days. 

Click here to learn more about racing and types of XC Ski races in Australia.