Discover Outaouais: cross-country skiing

Fall is officially here, and cross-country skiers are waxing up the boards in anticipation of another season on the trails. So on your marks, get set… explore more than 500 km of groomed cross-country ski in the Outaouais region! And this winter, three major ski events will be held in our region this winter, and the first two are already accepting registrations!

From February 19 to 21, join the enthusiastic crowd at the Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM), North America’s longest and oldest cross-country ski event. Launched in 1967 as a Canadian Centennial project, the CSM marks its half century in 2016. The best part is, it’s not a race: there are no winners or losers—it’s all about achieving your personal best. Follow the historic example of skier Herman “Jackrabbit” Smith-Johannsen, and become part of the legend!

From February 26 to 28, participate in the biggest cross-country skiing event in Canada, the Gatineau Loppet. As a member of the prestigious Worldloppet Ski Federation (known as “Worldloppet”), an international sports federation of cross-country skiing marathons, each year the Gatineau Loppet attracts nearly 2,500 skiers from some 20 countries around the world.

Last but not least, from March 1 to 12, for the first time in history, the world’s top athletes will meet in Canada for the most prestigious multi-stage ski competition of the year: the Ski Tour Canada 2016 – FIS Cross-Country World Cup. Gatineau is proud to be the first of four host destinations for this intense competition involving elite skiers from 25 countries.

For more information about cross-country skiing in Outaouais, click here.

photo credit: Marie Andrée Blais