Skate vs. Classic Skis

(Please see the post following this one for start-up information on the 'Burg Nordic Club)

Nordic, or Cross-country, Skiing includes two styles: Classic and Skate.

Classic

Classic skiing, also known as diagonal stride or parallel skiing, requires less effort to learn, is cheaper (and also slower) than skate skiing, and is more versatile.  We will be learning on groomed trails (as opposed to back-country skiing), where two tracks are set in the snow, so learning will be easy and fun.

We recommend beginners lean toward the classic method while they get comfortable on skis, learn balance, and then work on fitness and form.

Skate

Skate skiing requires more overall physical effort and know-how but is also much faster.  You need a wide groomed trail, longer poles (about 10cm longer than the classic poles), and skate specific skis - although I learned and raced (not very well!) on old classic fish scale skis.

Skate skiing is really a lot of fun, and we will be happy to coach anyone on skating if they desire.



FYI, while classic and skate require different skis and different poles, there are combination boots that serve both classic skiing and skate skiing (combi boots), which would be a great investment for entry-level skiers.



Here is one of the many youtube videos on classic and skate skiing.