July 23, 2009 (Wanaka, NZ) – Both Canadian and US National Cross Country ski teams will be training at the Snow Farm in New Zealand over the next several weeks to train for the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Nensa’s Pavel Sotskov was recently there and filed a report and photos of the great snow and conditions. Check back for more on the Can-US training in NZ.

Pavel Sotskov in New Zealand
A perfect way to describe the wonder of New Zealand for skiers was best put by a quote from a ski film I happened to see at the Queenstown Winterfest on the first day I arrived on the South Island a week and a half ago. “Only in New Zealand can a two hour plane hop transform the world from a warm summer day to a perfect winter wonderland.”

The quote of course assumes that your permanent residence is Auckland, but since the overall trip down under takes no more money and no more than the time it takes to get to your favorite summer ski destinations in Europe, the statement does not seem too far from the truth. Flying into Queenstown takes you over several ski fields and snow capped mountains, but there is no snow on the ground as you leave the airport terminal. In fact Wanaka, the town closest to the only Nordic skiing area on the south island also does not have snow on the ground. To get to the snow, a 13km ascent out of the Cardrona Valley brings you to the snow line, and the pristine-groomed 30km of trails at the Snow Farm.

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