It didn’t take much before Scott Ellertson got hooked on cross country skiing and upon those skis he’s traveled around the world.

Ellertson started skiing at 26 after his wife, Jody, bought him a pair of skis for Christmas. Already an outdoors enthusiast, cross country skis allowed him to enjoy the outdoors in a different way and his interest in skiing took firm hold.

That hold has taken him across the country to different races, two Olympic trials, and now the Albert Lea resident heads to Iceland after winning the Minnesota Skinnyski Series recently.

Ellertson, 48, will compete in the Fossavatn Ski Marathon, a circuit event part of the FIS Nordic Ski Marathon Cup series in Isafjordur, Iceland with some of the world’s best skiers May 1.

It’s been quite the resurgence for Ellertson, who returned from 12-year layoff from competitive skiing in 2006.

Last year Ellertson traveled to France for the World Masters competition and after that experience, decided to participate in the entire Minnesota Skinnyski Series.

The Minnesota Skinnyski events are 25-kilometer races and occur nearly every weekend during the winter. The series winner got an all-expense paid trip to a European circuit event. Ellertson competed in seven events with the Minnesota Skinnyski Series and needed to win the final race by nearly five minutes to win the outright title. He beat his nearest competitor by 5 minutes, 7 seconds. The series counts the five best times out of the seven events and the racers are awarded points, which include handicaps.

Ellertson had a 12-year layoff to spend more time with his family as his three children grew older.

But now that they’ve gotten older, Ellertson has regained his competitive spirit.

He’s competed against former Olympic medal winners, but never felt like he had a competitive spirit prior to strapping on skis.

“On a pair of classic skis I found out I had a competitive spirit,” Ellertson said.

That competitive spirit takes part in some serious training. Whether it’s riding a bicycle with a carriage full of bricks, doing sprint work on roller skies or running, Ellertson has a grueling regimen. His training goes year-round and riding a bicycle with a bricks in a carriage helps him build strength.

“I think I enjoy the training more than anything,” he said.

Ellertson got interested in racing when there was a race held at Myre-Big Island State Park one winter. He said he chickened out of the actual race, but went to watch the race and ask the winning time. A few days later he went back to the course and beat the winning time by two to three minutes.

“Up until I was 26 I had no idea I’d take up cross country skiing,” Ellertson said.

Ellertson played hockey growing up and said he didn’t have great hands, but could skate for days. The skating part paid off when it came to skiing because both activities involve similar movement. Soon Ellertson found himself trying to make the Olympic team. He tried twice, once in 1990 and again in 1992, but quit skiing in 1994. He said his best finish was 16th at the trials.

“I don’t think I came close to hitting my prime,” Ellertson said.

He’s gotten his chance to compete with some of the sports’ elite and is competing with them once again.

“It will be fun to compete with those guys,” he said.