North Bay Nordic Ski Club sees membership rise in wake of COVID-19 pandemic
The cross-country ski season is in full swing in North Bay.
The city's Nordic Ski Club has been open for a few weeks and membership has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic hit, around 700 skiers were registered to take to the trails. Now there are over 900 people who will be out throughout the season.
"Last year we saw close to 1,000 people," said club president Andrew Rees. "Where we do see a lot more interest is in day uses. People want to come out for the day and want to try it out."
Last season, the club could not operate the trail for day use or rent out equipment due to health concerns.
"I'm excited. I haven't been skiing since last year because of COVID. It was a long time," explained Klarissa Srigaley.
Srigaley is one of 30 young racers that make up the North Bay Nordic Junior Racing Team that we're practicing Sunday afternoon. The team is anticipating and hoping for competitions later this season.
"We practice on the things we're not as good on and we can get better and better each time," said skier Felix Dubytz.
It will all depend on the pandemic situation if the team can compete. Under normal circumstances, the team would represent the club in Ontario and Quebec competitions.
"We had a race in early December in the north of Temiskaming shores. It went well," said skier Chris Butterworth. "I'd like to work on my technique I think."
The club opened for the season a bit later than it hoped for due to the late arrival of winter.
"We had a false start and a couple of melts but we've been skiing around mid-December and conditions have really improved in the last week or two," said Rees.
Under current health and safety regulations, the club can still run most of its programs like its well-known ‘Jackrabbit Program' for young skiers just starting.
"It doesn't matter what their skill level is, they get placed in different groups so they can instruction every week on Sundays," explained Rees.
Rees said he's optimistic the season will be one of the best in recent years for the club if the cold, winter weather lingers and they can avoid being shut down by the pandemic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.