Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily Northern Europe, Canada and Alaska. A winter sport is a Sport commonly played during Winter. As a formal term it refers to a sport played on Snow or Ice, but informally can refer Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe. The United Nations defines Northern Europe as (Finland Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The popularity of the sport has been quickly growing in the United States and in Australia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
Cross-country skiing is part of the Nordic skiing sport family, which also includes ski jumping, and a combination sport of cross-country skiing and ski jumping called Nordic combined. Nordic skiing is a Winter sport that encompasses all types of Skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski Ski jumping is a Sport in which skiers go down an "inrun" with a take-off ramp (the jump attempting to go as far as possible The Nordic combined is a Winter sport in which athletes compete in both Cross-country skiing and Ski jumping. Free-technique cross-country skiing is also the method of locomotion in the combination sport of Biathlon, which adds rifle marksmanship to skiing. In Physics, motion means a constant change in the location of a body Biathlon (not to be confused with Duathlon) is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines Shooting is the act or process of firing Rifles Shotguns or other projectile Weapons such as bows or Crossbows Even the firing of
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A hobby and a sport
"Bushwalking on skis" is a hobby where skiers tackle trails of various lengths and difficulties. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage A ski is a long flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow Some skiers stay out for extended periods using tents and equipment similar to bushwalkers/hikers, whereas others take relatively short trips from ski resorts on maintained trails. A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope In some countries, organizations maintain a network of huts for use by cross-country skiers in wintertime. For example, the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association maintains over 400 huts stretching across hundreds of kilometres of trails which are used by hikers in the summer and by skiers in the winter. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (In Norwegian, Den Norske Turistforening &ndash DNT) is a Norwegian association which maintains mountain
As a sport, cross-country skiing is one of the most difficult endurance sports, as its motions use every major muscle group and it (along with running, rowing and swimming) is one of the sports that burn the most calories per hour in execution. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse" is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the Modern cross-country ski competition is experiencing a revolution that is resulting in greater compatibility with audiences which began with the addition of the Sprint event to the World Cup and Olympic competitions. Cross country skiing sprint was featured in the Winter Olympics of 2006 The tables below list the Cross-country skiing World Cup champions. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Today more and more races are being held in audience friendly formats, such as mass start, sprint, relay and pursuit (a race that involves switching skis and styles halfway through the race). The modern events in which athletes compete in at the World Cup and Olympics are (distances presented in Female/Male format): 1 km Sprint, 2X1 km Team Sprint, 10 km/15 km Individual Start, 15 km/30 km Pursuit, 30 km/50 km Mass Start, and 4x5 km/4x10 km Relay.
Sports events
Today, there are several types of cross-country competitive events, involving races of various types and lengths, as well as biathlon, involving a combination of cross-country skiing and target shooting with a rifle. Types of racing Unassisted human racing Using only the Human body 's own Muscles Running: Cross country Biathlon (not to be confused with Duathlon) is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls
The Winter Olympics, the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, and the FIS World Cup events (including the Holmenkollen) have long been a showcase for the world's fastest cross country skiers. The Winter Olympic Games are a winter Multi-sport event held every four years The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women The Holmenkollen ski jump, located in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway, is host to the world's second oldest Ski jump competition still in existence There are also special distance ski races, sometimes called ski marathons, like Vasaloppet in Sweden, Birkebeineren in Norway, the Canadian Birkebeiner[1] and the American Birkebeiner and the Tug Hill Tourathon in the US. The Worldloppet Ski Federation is a federation of long distance Cross-country skiing events whose aim is to promote cross-country skiing through various ski races Vasaloppet is a long distance cross-country ski race ( Ski marathon) held in northwestern Dalarna, Sweden, annually on the first Sunday of March "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Birkebeinerrennet (lit The Birkebeiner run/race is a long-distance cross-country Ski race ( Ski marathon) held annually in Norway The American Birkebeiner (or Birkie) is the largest and one of the longest cross country ski races in North America. The skiing styles in these races might be fixed, or, in case of the so-called "double pursuit" event, the two styles are used each in their own separate half of the race (with a change of equipment in "pit stops" half way through).
The Canadian Ski Marathon, despite its name, is not a race, but a tour--in fact, the world's longest, at 160 km. The Canadian Ski Marathon is the world's longest ski tour It is held annually just north of the Ottawa River between the regions of Montreal and Ottawa The skiers choose their distance challenge and try to accomplish it. The highest honour, the Coureur de Bois Gold, is given to those who ski the entire distance and camp out overnight, bring all their food and gear with them in a big backpack.
Since 2005, one of the world's longest cross country skiing races has been held in Forestville, Quebec, Canada. Forestville is a town in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Boreal Loppet has a race loop of 100 km. [2]
In the New England states, NENSA and TD Banknorth have established a calendar of high-quality regional races. These include the TD Banknorth Eastern Cup and the TD Banknorth Marathon Series, along with numerous citizen events. NENSA Website
- Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics
- FIS Nordic skiing World Championships (including XC skiing)
- XC skiing World Cup (weekly races throughout the winter seasons)
History
Cross-country skiing originated in Fennoscandian countries in prehistoric times. Fennoscandia and Fenno-Scandinavia are geographic and geological terms used to describe the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Kola Peninsula, Karelia Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" It was still widely practiced in 19th century as a way of moving from place to place in winter. Elk, deer and other animals were hunted by skiing. Nowadays almost everyone in countries with strong cross-country skiing traditions — like Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia — have used or regularly use skis. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region
By contrast, natives in North America were historically trappers and gatherers, needing free hands and the ability to walk through deep snow in forests, hence the common historical use of snowshoes. Development of snowshoes Origins Before humanity built snowshoes nature provided examples Skiing may have also been sparsely practiced by Natives for similar lengths of time as in Scandinavia, although the Norwegian emigrants Snowshoe Thompson is widely credited for introducing the sport to California in the USA, and Jackrabbit Johannsen is widely credited for introducing the sport to Canada. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Snowshoe Thompson ( April 30, 1827 – May 15, 1876) was a nickname for the Norwegian-American John A Herman "Jackrabbit" Smith-Johannsen ( June 15, 1875 &ndash January 5, 1987) was a Norwegian-Canadian Supercentenarian
In Canada, Johannsen never claimed to be the first skier in Canada, he had a major role in stimulating an interest in the sport throughout Canada. He organised races, officiated events, and served as a guide, coach, and consultant for numerous skiing organizations, many of which he helped to found. An enthusiastic teacher, he helped coach Canada's Olympic team in 1932. At the age of 55, he shocked his Canadian Olympic pupils as he accompanied the team step by step through its rigorous training schedule--and still he had energy to spare. This was, however, still quite far from being the twilight of Jackrabbit's incredible skiing career, as he didn't ski his last official race until the age of 75, and still glided through the snowy woods on a daily basis well past the age of 100.
This form of skiing has been used by explorers by means of transport, and all Nordic armies have ski-trained infantry for winter operations. Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox Skis gave important mobility to the Finnish army in Winter War that allowed the small groups of Finns to beat large armies of Russians. The Winter War (Talvisota Советско-финляндская война - official Зимняя война - unofficial Vinterkriget began when the Similar tactics that utilizes skis have been used in many times by the Finns and Karelians in the past. Pre-modern skiing troops were armed with crossbows and ski poles which had a spearhead on the other end. A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts Ski poles (sometimes called "stocks" are used by skiers to improve balance speed and acceleration This is an article about a particle accelerator For uses of spear, see Spear or Spear (disambiguation.
Traditionally, all of the equipment was made of natural materials: wooden skis and bamboo poles with leather hand straps. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process Footwear was usually sturdy leather boots with thick soles. Footwear consists of Garments worn on the feet, for protection against the environment and Adornment. A boot is a type of Shoe that covers at least the Foot and the Ankle and sometimes extends up to the Knee or even the Hip. Bindings evolved from simple straps made of twisted wood-based thread, to the so-called Kandahar binding with the fastening of both the boot’s front and back, to the ‘Rat Trap’ front-only binding, which is today known as the Nordic norm, and has evolved in various modern bindings.
Equipment
Skis and poles
The skis are long and thin, to distribute the weight of the skier and allow the skier to move quickly. A ski is a long flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow In the Physical sciences weight is a Measurement of the gravitational Force acting on an object Typical ski dimensions are 2 metres in length, about 5 centimetres in width and one to four centimetres in thickness at different stations along the length of the ski. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth Depending on the ski design and purpose, they are fit to the skier based on height and weight. Cross country skis are sometimes informally known as "skinny skis" because of their thinness compared to alpine skis.
Like alpine skiing, cross-country skiers carry two poles, usually made of aluminium or fiberglass. Alpine skiing (or downhill skiing) is a recreational activity and Sport involving sliding down Snow -covered hills with long Skis attached Ski poles (sometimes called "stocks" are used by skiers to improve balance speed and acceleration WikipediaNaming Glass-reinforced plastic ( GRP) is a Composite material or Fiber-reinforced plastic made of a Plastic reinforced by fine fibers More expensive poles are made of graphite or carbon fiber or some other strong but lightweight material. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic ( CFRP or CRP) is a very strong light and expensive Composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. Poles have a spike at the end to provide a fixed pivot when the pole penetrates through to a hard surface, and a plastic web or disc (called the basket), to provide extra purchase in snow and to ensure the pole doesn't sink too deeply. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products
The toe of the skier's footwear is attached to the ski with a binding, while the heel remains free. Ski boots are specialized Footwear that are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to Skis using Ski bindings This ski-boot-binding combination In Skiing, a ski binding is an attachment which anchors the ski boot to the Ski.
Equipment differs according to skiing technique. Skating or freestyle poles are usually longer than those used for the classic technique. Typically, skating poles should be as long as the distance from the floor to a standing skier's chin or as far as the eyebrows, depending on the skier's preference. In the Human anatomy, the chin is the lowermost part of the Face. The eyebrow is an area of thick delicate hairs above the Eye that follows the shape of the brow ridges. In contrast, classic ski poles are only as long as the distance from the floor to the skier's armpit when standing, similar to the fit of an axillary crutch. The axilla (or armpit, underarm, or oxter) is the area on the human body directly under the joint where the Arm connects to the Shoulder Crutches are Medical Tools used when a patient is injured usually anywhere below the waist
Bindings and boots
There are three different primary groups of binding systems used in modern cross-country skiing:
- NNN (New Nordic Norm) – including the new R4 NIS variant
- SNS (Salomon Nordic System) Profil
- SNS Pilot
Older styled three-pin bindings (Nordic Norm), with or without cables, are still used by backcountry and Telemarking enthusiasts.
Further variants to NNN and SNS are "BC" (back-country) standards, where the toe hold in the binding is wider and the bar in the boot's toe is longer and thicker in order to give further lateral rigidity. This added strength and rigidity is especially important with the stiffer boots and heavier skis used in backcountry skiiing.
The existing variety of binding systems, none of which are compatible with the other, has long since been a source of frustration by skiers ever since manufacturers diverged from the almost universal three-pin standard. Whereas downhill skiing has a common binding system allowing any boot to work with any binding short of the dynafit-system, modern cross-country skiers must match the skis' binding system to the boot type. The downhill is an Alpine skiing discipline The rules for the downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships When it is time to change the boot, the skier must either be limited to boots of the same binding system or also change the skis' binding.
New Nordic Norm
Rottefella developed the New Nordic Norm (NNN) binding, and licenses it to Rossignol, Madshus, Atomic, and, beginning in 2007, Fischer. Skis Rossignol SA, or simply Rossignol is a French manufacturer of alpine snowboard and nordic equipment as well as related outerwear and accessories located in Isère Madshus is an Norwegian ski and ski-equipment manufacturer located on Biri in Gjøvik. These bindings have subtypes, such as the NNN-BC for backcountry use, the R3 Skate, the R3 Classic, and the R4 NIS (Nordic Integrated System). The NIS system requires skis that have a permanently bonded plate that the binding slides onto. This allows for the skier to mount their own bindings without needing to screw into the ski. By doing this the skier can easily tune the position of the binding relative to the center of gravity of the ski, said to be useful in different snow conditions. NNN boots are made by Alpina Sports, Madshus, Rossignol and beginning in 2007, Fischer. The R3 and R4 are generally the choice for World Cup Racers using NNN. These are distinguished from the SNS (Salomon and Atomic) binding in that all NNN bindings have two longitudinal ridges that stick out from the bottom of the binding that mate with corresponding slots in NNN boots. There is much debate over which is the superior binding system: SNS or NNN. Overall, the differences between the NNN and SNS binding systems are minuscule to the average skier; the choice should come down to which binding fits with the boot that happens to fit a given skier.
The R4 NIS binding, made by Rottefella and Rossignol, is the newest variant of the NNN binding. Rottefella (literally "The Rat Trap") is a Norwegian Ski binding manufacturer These bindings are compatible with any NNN boot, but can only be used on skis that come with the permanently bonded plate, presently made only by Rossignol, Madshus, and Fischer. The NIS binding made its debut to the general public in 2005.
Salomon Nordic System Profil
Salomon Nordic System (SNS) bindings, made by Salomon and Fischer, however, have their advantages too. Boots that are compatible with the SNS Profil system are made by Salomon, Fischer, Adidas, and Hartjes. SNS Profil bindings are used for both Skating and Classic. As opposed to the SNS Pilot's two axes, these boots have only one axis at the front of the sole. Pilots are used by many different racers on the World Cup Circuit. Profil bindings are the standard binding for SNS users, its only competition being the SNS Pilot system. Profil comes in "Equipe" models for racing, "Active" for recreational racing/combination, Auto Touring, and Back Country.
Salomon Nordic System Pilot
SNS Pilot bindings, compatible with Salomon, Atomic, Adidas and Hartjes boots. As of the 2006/2007 season, Atomic will also have SNS pilot on their boots. The idea for these bindings came from Bjørn Dæhlie. Bjørn Dæhlie (born June 19, 1967) is a retired Norwegian cross-country skier. Pilots are used mostly by elite skiers at the Collegiate/Olympians/World Cup/National level, although it is common to find High School/Citizen Racers with these bindings and their counterpart boots. Pilots are more expensive than Profils at about 100 dollars for a pair, and have two completely different designs for skate skiing and classical skiing. In Pilot boots, two axes (metal bars), one positioned about 1" (2. 5 cm) behind the other, click into two different slots in the Pilot binding. Profil boots only have one axis and therefore cannot fit into Pilot bindings. However, Pilot boots can fit into most Profil bindings, due to a small space behind the front of the boot for the other axis. Pilot Skate bindings are superior to Profil due to the two latches reducing ski motion in the air. The Pilot Classic (released at the end of the 2005-2006 season) doesn't have the bumper found on all NNN and SNS Profil bindings. These new boots and bindings provide a superior subtle kick through a spring loaded back slot for the back axis. Unlike the rubber bumpers, this spring has adjustable tension that can be changed in different snow conditions. Fischer has now started producing their new boots with the NNN system.
Waxes
There are a wide variety of waxes for Nordic Skiing. Ski wax is a material applied to the bottom of Skis or Snowboards to help them perform better on snow The waxes can be classified into four main categories: glide waxes, kick waxes, klisters and waxtapes.
Glide wax
Glide waxes are used to make a ski glide faster, and are applied by ironing onto the ski. Glide waxes range widely in price, depending on quality; racing waxes can be very expensive, over $100 for a 60 gram block of wax. They are generally in the form of blocks, though they can be found as powders or liquids. Glide waxes are applied outside the kick zone of classic skis, or to the full length of skate skis. They are the only type of wax used on skating skis.
Kick wax
The purpose of kick wax is to provide grip on snow when weight is transferred on a ski; they are used on classic skis only. Kick waxes are applied in the kick zone of classic skis if the ski is not a fish-scale, waxless ski.
Kick waxes are classified according to their hardness: harder waxes are for colder and newer snow. Using a wax that is too hard will not give sufficient grip, while wax that is too soft will cause the formation of an ice sole that slows the skier down. Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia It is not uncommon to apply a new layer of wax if the weather changes, or when moving in altitude.
Difficulty of choosing correct kick waxes to different conditions is nowadays greatly reduced by grip wax tapes, which have a wide temperature range, and are easily applied to the ski bottom. Although these are not used by competitors, who prefer the optimum waxing, they have proven to be quite suitable for fitness and recreational purposes. Many high-level competitive teams have "wax technicians" whose job is to apply the ideal wax combinations for the conditions.
Kick waxes generate grip by penetrating into the snowflakes when the skier puts his weight on the ski. Colder snowflakes are harder, and so is newly fallen snow. The most appropriate wax is the one that is soft enough to generate grip, but also hard enough not to accumulate snow and create a sole.
Waxes are usually colour-coded by usage temperature: the most common are red for above 0˚C, and blue for below. There are many other colours for more specific temperature ranges, for instance violet for around 0˚C, green for below -10˚C, and white for below -15˚C. The snow-temperature range given by the producer must be taken with a grain of salt, since new snow will require a harder wax.
Guessing the right hardness can be quite difficult, and the varying condition of the snow can make the right choice wrong after a few hundred metres. Furthermore, the snow in the beaten track is usually much different from the one immediately surrounding it, and works best with a softer wax. If skis are poorly tuned, sometimes the skier can solve thin snow soles caused by a soft wax by beating the ski on the track after kicking; the opposite problem may be handled by skating. One way around the problems of standard grip wax is to use a wax grip tape, which is applied to the kick zone of the ski in tape form. The tape can last for 100-200 km, has a very wide temp range (-20C to +5C), and can be left on the ski at the end of the day and stored by covering in waxed paper.
Klister
As the snow becomes older and snow flakes lose their sharpness, in case of re-freezing or of water, kick wax cannot provide any more grip, and it becomes useless. One must therefore resort to klister, which is basically a glue-like paste ("klister" actually means "glue" or "paste" across all the three Scandinavian countries). Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Klister is discouraging for amateurs, as it is very sticky, it is easy to apply but very difficult to remove.
Professionals often maintain that klister is best applied with the palm of the hand, the hand can be cleaned by placing it in a glove and waiting while the klister is removed by a combination of sweat and friction between your hand and the fabric of the glove; amateurs often resort to some object of the appropriate size. Since klister is an organic chemical, a non-polar solvent (such as gasoline) or a soap is necessary to remove it. A solvent is a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid liquid or gaseous Solute, resulting in a Solution. SOAP (see below for name and origins is a protocol for exchanging XML -based messages over Computer networks normally using Stores often sell purpose-made solvent to clean skis. These should be used with care, as they are both flammable and toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. A flame is often defined as the visible (light-emitting part of a Fire. Toxicity is the degree to which a substance is able to damage an exposed organism
Klister is also colour-coded.
Waxless skis
In recent years, waxless skis have carved a niche in the market among casual skiers. Waxless skis have a fish scale, cross-hatched or ridged pattern in the kick zone to provide grip. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two In most biological nomenclature a scale ( Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an Animal A waxless ski is inferior to a finely tuned waxed ski, but does not require the sometimes time-consuming and sometimes costly selection and application of kick wax or klister. Some skiers apply a layer of glide wax to keep them sliding smoothly and protecting the surface from dirt and ice build-up. There are specialty liquid wax products on the market manufactured for waxless skis, though standard glide wax can also be used on the tips and tails of the ski.
Waxless skis are better suited to recreational skiers who simply want to get out on the trail with minimal time spent on maintenance, as they generally produce too much drag for competitive skiers.
Waxless skis are sometimes used by Nordic racers during variable ski conditions such as temperatures over freezing. In fact, some Nordic ski racers using waxless skis have beaten racers who used waxable skis due to the variable and changing conditions.
Styles/Techniques
There are three main styles used in cross-country skiing: classic, skating and telemarking. Specially adapted equipment is available to suit each. Another style growing in popularity is skijoring. Skijoring is a Winter sport where a person on skis is pulled by a horse a dog(or dogs or a motor vehicle In skijoring, the skier is pulled over the snow by one or more dogs, or, alternatively, a snowmobile. Both classic and skating techniques are used by skijorers.
Classic
The classic style is often used on prepared trails (pistes) that have pairs of parallel grooves cut into the snow.
Skis have camber and should leave the centre section of the ski clear of the snow when the skiers weight is evenly distributed between the pair. The centre section of a classic ski will either have "fish scales", or ski wax that will stick to the snow (called the "kick zone" or "grip zone" of the ski). Ski wax is a material applied to the bottom of Skis or Snowboards to help them perform better on snow When full weight is transferred to a single ski the kick zone comes into contact with the snow. Glide wax is used on the tails and tips of the skis.
Long, narrow and light skis are usually used. When skiing away from prepared trails, a much wider ski is sometimes used. In flat regions, such as parts of Finland, skis exceeding 3 or 4 m in length are sometimes used. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe.
There are four core techniques: herringbone, diagonal stride, double pole with kick, and double pole.
- Herringbone: This technique is used for climbing steep hills. A walking or running action with splayed skis and without any glide. The poles are planted alternately behind the skis. A distinctive herringbone pattern is left in the snow.
- Diagonal stride: An exaggerated running action with parallel skis and a glide on each stride. The poles are planted alternately on the opposite side to the kick. For experienced skiers this technique is used uphill. Less experienced skiers also employ the diagonal stride on the flat.
- Double pole with kick: Both poles are planted simultaneously to give a powerful thrust. As the poles swing forwards again a single leg kick is made. This technique is used when the skier is still moving too quickly to diagonal stride, but is having difficulty double poling (typically on slight uphills or at the bottom of a long hill, just before switching to diagonal stride).
- Double pole: As above but without the kick. During some long races, in reasonably flat terrain, competitors double pole for the majority of the course (an example of this is the Swedish Vasaloppet). Vasaloppet is a long distance cross-country ski race ( Ski marathon) held in northwestern Dalarna, Sweden, annually on the first Sunday of March
On downhill slopes a tucked position (hocke, from the German word) is assumed, in a similar manner to downhill skiing. The downhill is an Alpine skiing discipline The rules for the downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships
Free/Skating
Skate skiing involves the skier pushing one ski outward with the ski angled, so that the inner edge of the ski is driven against the snow, much like an ice skater. A ski is a long flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow Ice skating is Traveling on Ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) blade-like devices moulded into special Boots A study As in classic skiing, transferring weight completely from one ski to the next is essential to learning to skate. Those who have learned to ice skate or rollerblade may find ski skating technique easier to learn than classic skiing. The free technique in XC skiing is not to be confused with freestyle, which describes ski sport where the competitors compete over a mogul course and by performing aerial gymnastics such as spins after launching from a short ramp in the snow. Freestyle skiing began in the 1930s when Norwegian skiers began performing acrobatics during alpine and cross-country training
Skate skiing can be done either with skis specifically designed for skating or 'combi' skis for both skating and classic. Similarly, specialized skating boots or combi boots can be used. Skate skis tend to be shorter and stiffer than those used in classical technique, and poles longer. Neither fish scale skis nor grip wax are used.
Different limb-movement patterns are used for different terrain and speeds. Confusingly there is no internationally accepted naming convention for these techniques:
- Gear 1 (also known as diagonal V, single-poling, coach's skate or granny skate): Similar to the classic herringbone but with a short glide on each ski. This technique is hardly ever used in racing (an exception being the very steep climbs at the end of the 2007 "Tour de Ski"). As the name indicates it is often used by coaches or weaker skiers, both in training and racing.
- Gear 2 (V1, Offset Skate): Slightly off-set double-pole on every other leg. Used mostly for hill climbing.
- Gear 3 (V2, 1-Skate): Double-pole on every leg. Used on the flat or moderate uphill.
- Gear 4 (V2 alternate, Open Field Skate, 2-Skate): Double-pole on every other leg. Used on the flat or downhill.
- Gear 5 (V Skating, Free-Skate): Skating without using the poles. Used exclusively on downhills at very high speed.
There also exist variants of these techniques, most notably jump-skating, which involves extremely high tempo and jumping rather than gliding; generally it is used as a V-1 (offset skate) variant on short hills, but a few racers jump-skate in V-2 (1-skate) sprinting.
The term Alsgaard skate is often frequently used. This refers to skating in the style pioneered by Thomas Alsgaard. Thomas Alsgaard (born 10 January 1972) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. However, since very few skiers have successfully duplicated Algaard's technique, the term "Alsgaard skate" means different things to different people. Most often it refers to a technique he employed winning the 30 km freestyle race at the Lillehammer Olympics, where in place of a V-2 (1-skate) he used a technique that seemed to be a sort of compromise between V-1 (offset skate) and V-2 alternate (2-skate). Lillehammer is a town and municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games
Skating technique is only suitable for use on prepared trails (pistes), firm and smooth snow or snow crust and frozen snow-covered lakes or rivers.
Skating is faster and different muscular exercise than classic skiing, except in extremely cold conditions where classic skiing may approach skating in speed. Adoption of the skating technique varies from country to country. In some countries the majority of non-professional racers now skate, although top skiers continue to learn and train in both styles.
The distinction between classic technique and free technique is made in competition i. e. a race will be designated as classic or free. In the case of the former only those propulsion techniques that are considered 'classic' are allowed whereas in the latter the competitors are free to use any technique although the majority of competitors will opt to skate. Large races will often have both skate and classic divisions and award prizes in both categories.
Recent developments in the sport include "pursuit" races where the competitors complete the first part of the event using the classic technique and the second part using the free technique.
Telemark
The Telemark technique is particularly suited to backcountry skiing (off-piste cross-country skiing). Telemark skiing is a term used for skiing using the Telemark turn, which is a technique invented by Norwegian Sondre Norheim. Backcountry skiing is Skiing in a sparsely inhabited Rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or Pistes More importantly the land and the snow pack While first and foremost it is a technique for descending, for those with dedicated equipment it is effectively a separate branch of skiing that takes place in the backcountry.
References
- ^ Canadian Birkebeiner Society (2007). The Birkebeiner Legend. Retrieved on 2008-02-27. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation
- ^ Boreal Loppet (February 2008). Boreal Loppet. Retrieved on 2008-02-27. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation
See also
- United States Ski and Snowboard Association
- United States Ski Team
- Skiing
- Kicksled
- Nordic Skiing
- Ski touring
- Hazards of outdoor activities
- Grass skiing
- Monoskiing
- Skwal
- Skiboarding
- Snowboarding
- Snowkiting
- Water skiing
- Sports
- Winter sport
External links
- U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association - The National Governing Body for Cross Country Ski Racing
Dictionary
cross-country skiing
-noun
- An endurance sport and method of getting about involving travelling on skis, uphill as well as downhill .
- A leisure activity using cross-country skis and ski poles for traversing natural terrain during winter.
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