This Page About Mad about Skiing

Mad about Skiing

With four straight years of low snowfall and declining interest in the sport nationwide, this should be considered a bad time to be a cross-country skiing club in Madison.

Just one problem: Somebody forgot to tell that to the Madison Nordic Skiing Club. Better known as MadNorSki, the group's membership has grown from under 200 to more than 350 households and businesses in the last few years. Their youth programs are booming, bucking national trends.

And as MadNorSki enters its 25th skiing season, organizers plan to boost activities and membership even more. So what gives?

Three words: outreach, outreach and outreach.

MadNorSki's organizers have taken it upon themselves to make cross-country skiing a big deal in the Madison area.

"We encourage anyone to come on out and stop by one of our meetings," says club co-president Dirk Mason. "Don't be shy, and we'll accept you with open arms."

The club pays particular attention to bringing younger people into the sport.

"We're always trying to figure how to renew the sport of cross- country skiing," says Mason, "and I think the younger generation is a way of doing that."

MadNorSki has ski programs for elementary, middle and high school students. Each level offers training, subsidized time at ski clubs, and the opportunity to race competitively.

Co-president Walter Meanwell says the youth programs have been a big hit with kids - and the youth racing teams are starting to be able to compete with teams from snowier climes. The high school girls program took second place in state championships, and Meanwell says four MadNorSki members have a serious shot at competing in the Junior Olympics.

"The fact we've had such good results at the high school championships, the fact that we have so many kids coming into our youth programs, the results kind of speak for themselves," Meanwell says.

From the youth programs up to the masters level for older adults, MadNorSki members run a full spectrum, from recreational skiers who enjoy going out for a weekend saunter to competitive racers with a need for speed.

For the more laid-back going on here, both in the legs and the upper body. I find out the hard way when I let myself get talked into a quick training run with the team.

Tonight's workout is all about muscle development. The MadNorSki team members pole up a long, moderately steep hill. In the absence of snow and skis, they ascend with an odd hopping motion, springing from foot to foot with the opposite leg extended.

"This works out the right group of muscles for ski racing," says trainer Yuri Gusev.

I give it a shot. The motion feels awkward at first, but I pick up a pretty good head of steam. I feel like I'm doing pretty well ... until I stop to reset after a little stumble. All of a sudden, a previously unknown muscle group in my upper thighs lets me know that it'll be done for the night, thanks. And my lungs well, I just about catch my breath on the drive home.

"You're a natural," says Meanwell, more a testament to the welcoming nature of MadNorSki than to any talent I might have demonstrated.

Having never skied, I gain some insight into the appeal of cross-country skiing through this exhausting experience. This is real, full-body, cardio-vascular exercise. Even the casual cross-country skier is going to be in pretty good shape and these racing types are real athletes.

But it's more than just the exercise. It's about embracing the season.

"I think the key to surviving a Wisconsin winter is to find an activity that you enjoy in the outdoors," says Mason. "Everybody loves summer because we can get out and do things. Well, if you start to enjoy a winter activity, people will be able to get out and enjoy winter much more."

Now all they need is snow.

Start skiing

Here are tips for ski beginners:

Start with an instructor. "A lot of people try it on their own, get frustrated and put the skis in a dark corner," says trainer Yuri Gusev. The Madison Nordic Skiing Club offers free beginner training at many of its racing events. The first race of the year is Tuesday, with registration at 6 p.m. and racing at 7, at Tyrol Basin in Mount Horeb.

Start at the Odana Golf Course especially if you're getting kids started. The city grooms a trail and offers ski rentals for kids. "Odana is the place to go when you've never skied because it's mostly flat," says the club's Stacy Meanwell. Continue to learn more about skiing, please visit Madison.

Home | Golf | Tennis | Rowing | Skiing | Fishing | Cycling | Hunting | Swimming | Ice Hockey | Windsurfing