PA Nordic Championships Glide into Third Year in Erie

The Erie Sports Commission is pleased to announce the PA Cross-Country Skiers Association (PACCSA) will host the 2017 PA Nordic Championships at Wilderness Lodge in Wattsburg on Sunday, February 5, 2017. This is the third year that the event will be held at Wilderness Lodge.

The event has been held annually since March 1993, when the first race was held at Laurel Ridge State Park in Rockwood, PA, and continued to be held there until 2013. In 2014 the event was moved to Wilderness Lodge to take advantage of Erie’s lake-effect snow. The event was last contested in 2015, with 127 skiers competing from Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

The highlighted race is the 20 km Skate “PA Nordic Champion” Race, which is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. Other scheduled races include a youth and adult 5 km classic at 9:00 a.m., a youth 5 km skate, and an adult 10 km skate at 11:00 a.m. A 1.2 km fun classic race and a 2.4 km freestyle race will also take place at 10:15 a.m. for children.

 “Here at PACCSA we always look forward to the PA Nordic Championships and Erie’s lake-effect snow at Wilderness Lodge,” said Jim South of the PACCSA Board of Directors. “Our race directors are more than prepared for the event, and with the Erie Sports Commission’s support, we are looking forward to a great competition.”

“The Erie region can accommodate a diverse range of events, and we are proud to support such a unique winter sports championship,” said Ron Sertz, Executive Director of the Erie Sports Commission. “The PA Nordic Championships attracts participants that not only embrace Erie’s winter, but thoroughly enjoy the lake effect snow. We can’t wait to welcome them to Erie.”

The PACCSA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to develop the sport of Nordic skiing in PA and its tri-state region. For more information, visit www.paccsa.org.

The Erie Sports Commission is committed to promoting the Erie region as a prime destination for sports and recreation. The major goals of the ESC are to attract, create, support, and host sporting and recreational events that have a positive economic impact on the region, and assist in maximizing the potential of all regional sports facilities and venues. The ESC strives to enhance the image of Erie by showcasing the community, promote wellness through healthy lifestyles, and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.