XCSkiTips.com Your source for cross-country skiing technique tips and analysis.

The XC Ski Your Best Program is an instructional program administered by CANSI-certified instructors to skiers who want to improve their technique, but who don't want to become certified instructors. Participants achieve different levels based on the skills they demonstrate in different cross-country ski maneuvers.

The different levels are designed to be motivational for students, while giving instructors objective skills criteria for dividing students into lessons. Having a more uniform group of skiers is easier to teach. The terms Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum have been used in favor of basic, intermediate, advanced because students sometimes self-categorize using these terms. Students should understand that these XC Ski Your Best levels are based on objective criteria that their instructor has been trained to look for.

CANSI level 1 instructors are certified to teach students trying for Bronze or Silver; CANSI level 2 instructors are certified to teach students trying for levels up to Gold; CANSI level 3 or 4 instructors are certified to teach students trying for levels up to Platinum.

The student cards (see below) are given to students so that they can keep track of their own progress. Students bring the card to their lesson so their instructor can check off maneuvers as the skills criteria are met. Students have achieved their level for classic when they have checks for all the classic and downhill maneuvers at that level. Likewise for skating all skating and downhill maneuvers must be checked.

The instructor compares a skier's skiing to the skills criteria listing (see below) with consideration given to snow or trail conditions. Some resorts may not have terrain appropriate for higher level maneuvers (gold, platinum). Ideally, students should be evaluated over more than one lesson or day of skiing. Exposure to the criteria listing (on web site) can help motivate students set their own goals for technique improvement.

© 2005 Jeff Stainsby