'We can finally get some snow': Saskatoon Nordic Ski team making up for lost time

Now that the weather resembles a typical Saskatchewan winter, one local ski group is thrilled, but the athletes will need to make up for lost time.

Finn Tallon is a competitive cross-country skier and even though the amount of snow we’ve gotten this week isn’t as much as he’s used to at this time of year, he’ll take it.

On that first morning it snowed this week, his thoughts were hopeful.

“This is going to be good we can finally get some snow. We don’t have to go to Canmore or other places to get snow,” Finn Tallon told CTV News.

The Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club had some members travel to Alberta so they could train, since mother nature was not helping them train in Saskatchewan.

“It’s pretty terrible because other kids in other provinces could train and we couldn’t. Being able to see them ski really is kind of sad,” he said.

Coach Alison Meinert has been at it for 20 years and tells CTV News this drought is a first for her.

“This has been the longest. I can’t think of a time we’ve gone this long into January,” she said.

They’ve been able to adapt their training with biking, running and other adaptive methods.

“It’s been challenging for sure. We do a thing called roller skiing. We do it on the asphalt, which is the most sport specific thing we can do, but we’ve been doing a lot of that. It’s disappointing when you have to do that in November and December,” she said.

With little snow on the ground in Saskatoon, the nordic ski team has been forced to roller ski to stay in condition. (Courtesy: Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club)That work should help the Saskatchewan team stay on top despite the weather delays, but it is on their minds.

“A lot of them are good skiers. We practice as much as possible with their technique off the snow. They need to stay fit. I’m hoping that it won’t be an issue. I guess we’ll find out,” she said.

They could find out as early as this weekend when they head to Alberta to compete.

It’s not just the competitive side that is hurting. Being two months behind with snowfall has also meant fewer lessons and not as much interest in the sport overall, according to Meinert.

“We do have kids and adult lessons and club membership which helps pay for the grooming and all those numbers are down because it’s been such a nice fall.”

And even with the snow we’ve had, there's not enough on the ground yet for groomers to do their work, so the team is mainly skate skiing, which doesn’t require a track.

She’s hopeful that in the next few months, interest will pick up again and they’ll make up for it.

As for Finn, he’s still eying up a second or third place finish nationally and is prepared to work hard to make it happen.

“It’s going to be hard getting back my technique, but it’s going to a fun year.”