If you’ve looked to cross country skiing as a way to get outside and active close to home this winter, you’re not alone. Maybe you’re rediscovering a old favourite or trying your hand at the snowy pursuit for the first time. Either way, a Vancouver Island ski instructor’s popular YouTube channel has been the go-to place for many to hone their skills.
Keith Nicol, who teaches cross-country skiing at Mount Washington Ski Resort, has been enjoying success with his YouTube channel that focuses on instructional tips to improve your Nordic skiing.
“I started the channel several years ago to assist my university students with a winter outdoor pursuits course that I taught at Memorial University in Newfoundland,” he says.
“I wanted to help the students remember the various teaching progressions and drills that dealt with improving their classic, skate and telemark skiing. Soon other people began to view them on YouTube and the channel began to have a life of its own.”
Since moving to the Comox Valley six years ago he’s continued making his instructional videos at Mount Washington, and with the sport seeing a renewed interest during the pandemic, he’s seen a big uptick in interest in his videos.
Nicol’s videos are averaging 1,000 views per week, and some of his earlier videos from his Newfoundland days are nearing one million views.
“Overall my videos have been viewed over 3,500,000 times from viewers around the world which is very satisfying to know that so many people have enjoyed them… and I just got my 5,000th subscriber a few days ago,” he says.
To see his videos, search k2nicol on YouTube.
Nicol plans to continue making videos on all aspects of nordic skiing and if local skiers have ideas for videos he can be reached at k2nicol@gmail.com
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