SkiGirlsXC is an initiative set up by the Women's Sport Network, bringing together rollerski training and cross-country ski racing, and fundraising for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

We challenge you to take part in the famous 'Engadin Skimarathon' in Switzerland on International Women's Day, Sunday 8th March 2014, with 50 other women. You will race 42k on thin cross-country skis, across snow covered Swiss valley, alongside 12,000 other skiers. This may sound impossible, but for most reasonably fit people it's entirely achievable.

Our role is to get you ready for the snow, on roller skis. By roller skiing, you'll learn cross-country ski technique and train for the demands of the race. Our instructors will work to a plan that's geared towards the snow. Rollerski training will take place at four venues - Hyde Park in Central London, Victoria Park in East London, the guided busway in Cambridge and Brooklands Park in Surrey, with three starting dates - September, November and January. The earlier you start, the faster you'll be.

Rollerskiing employs the same technique, strength and fitness as cross-country skiing on snow. The initial focus of the rollerski preparation is on building up balance and technique, and finding the 'missing' muscles required for skiing. This will challenge you both mentally and physically as you build up strength. After the first month, the training becomes more aerobic, as you will have in place the technique and strength to push yourself at a higher workrate. You can sign up below, please contact us if you have any questions beforehand - either email info@rollerski.co.uk or you can call either Iain at our office on 020 8348 2540 or Felicity on 07736 408749.

Your rollerski instructor will meet you once a week for group training, and is available for any questions you might have. Our team has huge experience of teaching, training and racing on both snow and rollerskis. The initial technical sessions will last 4 weeks, then the training becomes more diverse with sessions designed to build endurance, strength as well as further develop technique - all necessary to become a decent cross-country skier! Who can take part? All you need is a decent level of fitness. We find that people who have done any kind of sport to a reasonable level will pick it up quickly. Having experience of any kind of balance related sport - eg downhill skiing, skating, windsurfing, etc - will help. Cross-country skiing is a 'strength-endurance' sport, so there is good crossover with sports such as cycling, triathlon, swimming, running, rowing and kayaking. Both rollerskiing and cross-country skiing are low impact, and people of all different builds can be very good skiers (to be the best, you don't have to be very tall, as in rowing, or very light, as in marathon running).

Important information -

• You can find maps to our venues here - http://rollerski.co.uk/venues.html The meeting points are -
  • Surrey, Brooklands Park near Weybridge, postcode xxxx xxx
  • Cambridge, Trumpington Park & Ride carpark, postcode CBxx xxx (we use the guided busway cycle path)
  • London, Hyde Park, meet at the 'Triangle Carpark', W2 2UH
• If you haven't been before, please can you print off and fill in a Safety Form, here - http://rollerski.co.uk/safety.html
• Please bring and wear gloves - light, full fingered gloves are the best
• For sessions taking place after dark we ask you to wear clip-on bike lights
• After the initial 4 weeks of technique, training will take place on the same days, but at the following times -
  • Surrey - same time, 19.30;
  • Cambridge - later time, 19.30;
  • London - earlier time, 09.15.
• All equipment is provided - skis, boots, poles and padding. We also have some helmets, although you may want to bring your own (cycle helmets are best).
• Groups are limited to 10 per instructor, but are usually smaller. All our instructors will be involved, but especially -
  • Surrey - Felicity
  • Cambridge - Mantas
  • Hyde Park - Katya
  • Victoria Park - Adam
• The on-snow programme details are here - http://www.totallynordic.co.uk/xxxx
• For more information, contact Iain by email iain@rollerski.co.uk or Felicity, flic@rollerski.co.uk [change] or call us on 020 8348 2540 or 07968 286129. There is more information on the whole plan on the website http://wsnet.co.uk/show-up/crosscountry-ski-marathon-showup-skigirlsx
• The on-snow programme will be led Alan Eason of Totally Nordic, but our on-snow instructors will include Posy Musgrave, GB's leading female cross-country skier who competed in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Totally Nordic is a cross-country ski school run by former GB Cross-Country Ski Champion, Alan Eason, who is also a rollerski instructor and very experienced at getting people skiing well on snow.
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Links -

Sportsister rollerski review (one-off session)
Daily Telegraph rollerski review (3+ months training)

SkiGirlsXC
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Womens Sport Network
Engadin Skimarathon
Totally Nordic
Snowsport England