“Skiers are made in the summer” (skiing adage)

“Skiers are made in the summer” is a popular skiing adage, especially for cross country skiers. Skiers can work on physical exercises in the summer to prepare for the ski season.
 
“Skiers are made in summer, not born in winter” was cited in the book Essential Skiing (1996). “Good skiers are made in the summer!!” was a 1997 post to the newsgroup rec.skiing.nordic.
 
“Summer wrestlers make winter champions” is a similar saying about another sport.
 
   
Google Books
Essential Skiing:
A Bible for Beginning Skiers
By Herb Gordon
New York, NY: Lyons & Burford, Publishers
1996
Pg. 52:
SKIERS NEED SUMMER
Skiers are made in summer, not born in winter.
 
Or, to put it another way: Those who are seized with a desire to try skiing, or skiers who want to improve their skills on the snowy slopes, should take advantage of the wide range of summer activities that will not only enhance their physical condition but also improve their dynamic motion skills.
 
Google Groups: rec.skiing.nordic
Good skiers are made in the summer!!
HonkaFS
5/28/97
Hello,
What I found out about MARWE roller skis .
 
Google Groups: rec.skiing.nordic
Skiers are made in the summer?
J999w
6/7/03
So what’cha guys and gals doing for upperbody strength work these days?
 
Twitter
Christopher Tassava
‏@tassava
My first run since 12/18 didn’t stink, but it was much less fun than skiing. “Dry land training,” I say. “Skiers are made in the summer.”
1:41 PM - 16 Mar 2010
 
Twitter
golden skimo
‏@goldenskimo
“fast skiers are made in the summer”  check out http://fasterskier.com/training/workouts/ for w/o ideas
12:04 PM - 3 Jul 2010
 
Owen Sound (ON) Sun Times
Friends push each other to new heights
By Bill Walker, Sun Times, Owen Sound
Friday, April 20, 2012 8:13:52 EDT AM
(...)
“It was just a progression for me (into the competitive ranks). My coach says that skiers are made in the summer so it definitely involves a lot of summer training. You have to be very dedicated for that.”
   
The Cork News (Cork, Ireland)
Olympic Dream For Rossiter
07/02/14 at 09:45 AM
(...)
“Since March 2013 every moment of my day has been dedicated to training, eating well, stretching and sleeping lots to stay healthy. Cross country skiers are made in the summer. Long hours of running, strength training, cycling, and roller-skiing have enabled me to ski fast this winter.”
(Jan Rossiter.—ed.)
 
Twitter
Nordic Ski Assc Anch
‏@NordicSkiClub
According to this article, “cross country skiers are made in the summer.”  Do you agree?  What is your summer… http://fb.me/3aKtCYx6i
8:49 PM - 30 Jun 2014
 
Calgary (Alberta) Herald
Canadian cross-country ski athletes find Sunshine amid funding cuts
COLETTE DERWORIZ, CALGARY HERALD
Published on: May 24, 2015
Last Updated: May 25, 2015 6:24 PM MDT
(...)
“There’s an old adage that says skiers are made in the summer so that’s why you’ve got to start the work early.”