A provincial Cross Country Skiing Championship is coming to the North Bay Nordic Ski Club for the next two years.

Yesterday, organizers announced the Algonquin Pharmasave Ontario Youth Championships will be held locally.

This years event goes from February 16th to 18th with over 200 competitors, between the ages of 7 and 14 expected.

The Race Director for the North Bay Nordic Ski Club Rod Sinclair says there will be economic benefits for holding the event here.

“Since this race features such a young core of skiers they’ll be accompanied by their parents, grandparents and siblings as well as coaches. So we expect well over 400 people visiting North Bay that weekend,” he says.

He adds this will be a tough event for the local athletes taking part, but they know the course and the trails that will be used for the competition.

The events will include races in classic and skate skiing and there will be individual time trials, mass starts and sprint relays.

Filed under: North Bay Nordic Ski Club, Ontario Youth Championships, Rod Sinclair