"My first trip to New Zealand"

by Tomohiko Kita (JPN)

But sightseeing wasn’t the reason I came.

I travelled all the way to the Southern Hemisphere to take part in a cross-country ski race—a sport I only recently started.

I had been curious about Worldloppet for quite some time. I had always wanted to ski across snowy landscapes somewhere overseas, and this time I finally made it happen. I entered the race, finished it, and received my long-awaited Worldloppet Passport.

It was my first time in New Zealand, and I was still relatively new to cross-country skiing. Before leaving Japan, I was probably more nervous than excited.

With a marathon, you can travel almost anywhere in the world with just a pair of running shoes and some running clothes.

Cross-country skiing is a completely different story.

Skis, poles, boots, clothing—and an entire set of waxing equipment.

By the time I finished packing, I had so much luggage that you might have wondered what on earth I was going to New Zealand to do.

What made this trip so comfortable and enjoyable was the package organised by Wanaka XC.

Almost everything was taken care of: transportation from the airport to our accommodation, the daily 40-minute drive to the ski area, and even our meals.

We stayed together for seven days in a large holiday house, sharing it with people who had come from countries all over the world.

At first, I was a little nervous about living under the same roof with people I had never met before, from completely different countries and backgrounds.

But once the week began, I quickly realised there was nothing to worry about.

Everyone was incredibly kind.

We skied together, shared meals around the same table, and talked about our lives and countries.

The whole week was relaxed, friendly and genuinely enjoyable.

The people who made this wonderful week possible were Tim and Nicole, the couple behind Wanaka XC.

Not only did they organise the entire trip perfectly, they also cooked dinner for us every evening.

And the food was fantastic.

Healthy, delicious, home-cooked meals.

When I travel overseas for races, I often end up eating out every day, and sometimes my condition suffers as a result.

This time was completely different.

I ate well, rested well, and arrived at race day feeling in excellent condition.

And then there was Snow Farm.

For me, it was one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Snow Farm is a dedicated cross-country ski area, with trails stretching across a vast snowy landscape.

The scenery is breathtaking.

Endless white snowfields surrounded by the mountains of New Zealand, with nothing but your own body carrying you through them.

I kept thinking:

“How can somewhere this amazing have so few people?”

It almost felt like having this enormous winter playground to ourselves.

The conditions are so good that I could easily imagine teams from the Northern Hemisphere coming here in large numbers for summer training camps.

And yet, surprisingly, there don’t seem to be that many international teams training here.

I still wonder why.

There was another surprise on this trip.

I was told that I was actually the first Japanese participant ever to join Wanaka XC.

Why?

Maybe New Zealand simply feels too far away from Japan.

Maybe cross-country skiing itself is still not very familiar to most Japanese people.

Or perhaps the idea of travelling overseas alone and spending a week living with people from different countries feels like too big a hurdle.

I can understand that.

I was a little nervous myself before coming here.

And I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as fluent in English.

But once I arrived, everyone was incredibly welcoming and patient with my less-than-perfect English.

So I really don’t think there is much to be afraid of.

You don’t even need to own your own skis.

Snow Farm has plenty of rental equipment, and many people actually raced on rented skis.

There are also different race distances—5 km, 21 km and 42 km—so you can choose a challenge that suits your own level.

This isn’t an event only for serious, experienced cross-country skiers.

Even beginners can come here, challenge themselves and enjoy the experience in their own way.

And perhaps the best part of all is this:

While Japan is suffering through the hottest part of summer, you can escape the brutal heat and travel to winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

You wake up in the morning and head into the snowy mountains.

You spend the day skiing through magnificent landscapes.

In the evening, you return to the house and sit around the dinner table with people from all over the world.

And at the end of the week, everyone takes on the race together.

It was only seven days.

But it was the kind of experience you could never get from an ordinary sightseeing holiday.

My first trip to New Zealand.

My first Worldloppet.

New friends from around the world.

And the first Japanese participant at Wanaka XC.

Going somewhere unfamiliar.

Meeting people you have never met before.

And challenging yourself in a sport you are still far from mastering.

Even at 50, there are still so many “firsts” waiting for us.

I left behind the middle of the Japanese summer and travelled all the way to winter in New Zealand.

Amazing snow, breathtaking scenery, and wonderful people.

Coming all the way to Wanaka this summer was absolutely worth it.

I will definitely come back to these snowfields again.

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