A week and half ago, the Cross Country Ski Areas Association held its Eastern Meeting at the Bethel Inn and I took advantage of the gathering to gather information on what’s new in the sport.

Twenty-eight cross country centers were represented from New England, New York and Quebec, along with the Maine Nordic Ski Council, New England Nordic Ski Association PSIA-E Nordic and SEPAQ-Parks Quebec.

The event got underway with a press panel to answer questions from the area operators. I was joined by another writer, a Web site writer, two radio ski reporters and a TV outdoor reporter.

The topic was how to get press releases to work and in some ways that has relevance to skiers who read this column.

I get calls from both skiers and ski area operators requesting coverage of various events. My advice to them applies to anyone who has something to tell skiers.

Ours is a participatory sport. Skiers don’t sit home watching TV. They go out and ski. That means skiers want to know what is going to happen, not what happened.

Sure, we follow Bode Miller and Kirsten Clark and check local race results, but mostly, we look for what’s coming up.

A lot of that winds up in this space. It gets here because ski areas and folks running a charity event get me the information well ahead of time before the event. Just send it to [email protected]. I can’t promise everything will make it, but I can guarantee that what doesn’t get to me won’t get in.

Another question that always comes up is: “What can we do about weather forecasters who always tell everyone it’s too cold or stormy to go outside?”

This one was especially timely, because two days later, one local forecaster told us: “Protect against frostbite, because wind chills will be nasty.”

He was talking about last Saturday when the forecast called for temperatures 28-36 with 15-30 mph winds.

This over hyping of the wind chill is bad enough in January when it actually gets cold, but I checked with Dan Hourihan at Nonesuch and he had golfers out last Saturday and even more on Sunday.

It seems as if this particular forecaster doesn’t know that in 2001 the National Weather Service revised the chart. Apparently he doesn’t know that to create a significant wind chill the actual temperature has to be zero or below.

For example, a 25 mph wind at zero would create a wind chill equivalent of minus 24 and frostbite could occur to exposed flesh in 30 minutes.

That’s a far cry from the old chart which stated flesh may freeze within 30 seconds, but even that flawed chart stated “little danger” with a 30 mph wind and 30 degrees. I mention this because you’re going to hear it repeatedly from now until spring and if you believe these guys it could cost you some great ski days. As I write this the sun is out and the temperature is headed for the high forties.

Maybe I’ll get out the clubs and go see Dan Hourihan.

From Wende Gray at the Maine Nordic Ski Council we learned that part of the proceeds from the 2004 Discount Ski Card will go to support the Winterkids Program to get kids on skis. Until Dec. 1 the card is $50 and will allow two adults and unlimited kids under 18 to ski half price at 15 of Maine’s nordic ski centers. Call 800-754-9263 for details.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.