In an activity that many teenagers have never encountered, members of South’s Nordic ski team consider themselves lucky to be able to learn and master a sport that takes place in such a welcoming and idyllic setting.

Skiers on the team compete in two different types of cross country skiing: freestyle, which includes a skating motion; and classic, where the skis stay parallel and the skiers push themselves with their poles.

Ella Corbett, a senior on the team, loves classic style racing. 

“It’s very fun and competitive,” Corbett said, “and we get to visit places all over Oregon that are beautiful in the snow.”

Athletes race at scenic locations such as Mt. Bachelor, Diamond Lake, and Hoodoo, on smooth, groomed, sloping tracks. 

Two early season invites this year were canceled due to a lack of snow. This made the  start of the season harder for athletes who were hoping to compete early. 

“The snow has made it difficult for races and practices to happen,” Corbett said. 

However, skiers stayed hopeful, and in mid-January there was finally enough snowfall to begin racing.

At the recent Diamond Lake Freestyle Invite, the South girls placed fifth and the South boys placed sixth in the 4k freestyle. They race next week at Mt. Bachelor and have four more races before state.

The team’s typical training includes dryland strength training, with weights two times a week, as well as conditioning in the form of running and using rowing machines.

Corbett loves Nordic skiing because of the inclusive and interesting community it has brought her. 

“My favorite part of the sport is the competition and learning all the techniques,” she said. “I love learning how to care for and wax my skis to prepare for the races, and it gets me outside to really cool places in the winter.”

Article by Alaya Drummond