November 10, 2017 (Sherbrooke, QC) – Bishop’s University is pleased to announce the construction of a new 3.3-km cross-country ski trail, designed in partnership with the Club de Ski de Fond du Mont Orford. Due to open this winter, it will be the only trail of its kind on a university campus in Canada to be certified by the Fédération internationale de Ski (FIS).

The trail will be located on the grounds of Bishop’s-owned Old Lennoxville Golf Club. At a width of 9m, it will be able to accommodate both classic and skate-style skiing. “The new ski trail will ultimately serve many different communities and attract a variety of users,” said Mr. Matt McBrine, Director of Athletics and Recreation at Bishop’s University. “On February 24, for example, we will host our first sanctioned Coupe Québec/NORAM race, which will bring several hundred skiers aged 15-20 to Bishop’s from Quebec, Ontario and Vermont. We hope this trail will form part of the facilities for an eventual cross-country skiing team at Bishop’s, as well as a running team in the warmer months,” he added.

“We are very excited for this opportunity to increase the promotion of cross-country skiing in our region,” said Mr. Arnold Ross, Président of Club de ski de fond Orford. “The new trail at Bishop’s will provide Quebec athletes with a world-class training centre, help us attract the best young athletes and introduce them to our training program. We are looking forward to hosting more local, regional and national races at the new course,” he added.

Through careful planning and design, guided by the experience and expertise of a forest engineer (René Pomerleau, Race director and certified official level 5) and a member of the team who built the trails at Orford Park, the new Bishop’s ski trail will skirt the edges of the golf course and follow existing trails in the adjacent forested area, requiring minimal intervention.

Construction work on the trail began earlier this month and will be completed by the end of November. “We expect to finalize the details for usage of the trail in the coming weeks. It will be groomed on a regular basis and will be available to our campus and greater community to enjoy on a daily basis,” said Mr. McBrine. “We hope that many cross-country skiing enthusiasts will have the chance to enjoy the trail this winter.”