Patrick (Paddy) Field MBE born 04.09.1934

Has any Briton done more to popularise cross country ski-ing both in this country and overseas?  It seems unlikely.  A skier first and foremost, Paddy is also an innovator, promoter, writer, and consummate manager, with all the skills and attributes implicit in that description. 

No apologies for sounding sycophantic, read on.  Paddy supplied the following chronology of his illustrious ski-ing career when I asked him for his biography.  I could have summarised it but it would have been hard to do him justice ...

Paddy ski-ing at Holmenkollen, Norway1976  Became addicted to cross-country skiing whilst living in Ottawa, with easy access to some of the best cross-country in the world in the Gatineau Park, before returning to UK in 1979

1981  Founder member of LRNSC. Appointed Secretary, under chairmanship of Spencer Lane

1982  LRNSC Chairman until posting to Lincoln in 1984, continuing as Newsletter Editor

1982  Appointed Chairman of RAF Nordic until retirement in 1988

1983  Appointed Chairman of ESC Nordic Committee until posted to Germany in 1986

1984  Qualified as an ESC Roller Ski Instructor at the first ESC course at Lilleshall

1984  Completed 90 km Vasaloppet

1985  Co-founder of the UK Military/Civilian cross-country meeting in the Clashindarroch Forest

1986  Founded the West Rhine Nordic Ski Club whilst living in Germany

1986  Successfully attended FIS Technical Delegates (TD) course in Mora (SWE) after being coerced into Assistant TD role at British Championships

1987  Invited to become a GBR representative to the International Ski Federation, initially on the Popular (Marathon) and Roller Skiing Sub-committees

1987  Published ‘Cross Country Skiing’ with co-author Tim Walker, Chief Instructor at the Glenmore Lodge Outdoor Activities Centre

1991  First FIS TD appointment (following several British appointments) at La Savoyarde, La Feclaz, France

1993  Completed 10th Worldloppet race to become Worldloppet Master

1993  Founder editor of ‘Ski Nordic’, published quarterly until 2006

1994  Took over as Director of the British Masters Cross-Country Skiing Association

1994  Attended first ESC/SSE course at Bradford and qualified (with wife Hilary) as first two ESC roller ski Club Coaches

1995  Organised first British Nordic week at La Feclaz

1995  Initiated first British Roller Ski Series

1996  Elected as Chairman of the FIS Sub-Committee for Popular Cross-Country Skiing; ex officio on FIS Cross-Country Committee; FIS Cross-Country Executive and Worldloppet Executive Committee

1996  Awarded the ‘Robert Hovey Trophy’ by ESC for noteworthy contribution to the sport of cross-country skiing

1996  Jury member at FIS Roller Ski World Cup, Rotterdam

1996  Took over from John (Spud) Leaning as Nordic Director of BSF

1999  Devised and initiated FIS Marathon Cup and coordinated the competition until 2006

2006  Retired from position as Chairman of FIS Sub-Committee for Popular Cross-country. Appointed as Honorary (Life) Member of the sub-committee.

Paddy & Hilary Field2006  Honoured by SSE in presentation marking 25 years' contribution to the sport

2006  Elected to second term (following 1982-4) as Chairman of LRNSC

2007  Published ‘Stride and Glide – a Manual of Cross-Country Skiing and Nordic Walking’ with co-author Stuart Montgomery

2008  Completed Sapporo International Ski Marathon to become Global Worldloppet Skier

Over more than 30 years, has skied more than 17,000 km in 26 countries worldwide:

AUS, AUT, BEL, CAN, CHI, CZE, EST, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, GRE, IRE, ISL, ITA, JAP, NED, NOR, NZE, POL, RUS, SLO, SPA, SUI, SWE,USA.........more to come?