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Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily Northern Europe and Canada. The popularity of the sport has been quickly growing in the United States. A winter sport is a sport commonly played during winter. ...
Northern Europe is marked in dark blue Northern Europe is a name of the northern part of the European continent. ...
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. Free-technique cross-country skiing is also the method of locomotion in the combination sport of Biathlon, which adds rifle marksmanship to skiing. Download high resolution version (640x960, 104 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Download high resolution version (640x960, 104 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment (such as a uniform and weapon) to defend that country or its interests. ...
Fennoscandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that encompasses Finland and Scandinavia. ...
Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme, First World War. ...
The Finnish Army (Finnish: Maavoimat) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. ...
Nordic skiing is a term that includes the Olympic winter sports: Cross country skiing Ski jumping Nordic combined See also: Telemark skiing ...
Ski jumping is a winter sport in which skiers go down a hill with a take-off ramp (the jump), attempting to go as far as possible. ...
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which competitors involve in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping. ...
In a general sense, locomotion simply means active movement or travel, applying not just to biological individuals. ...
The name Biathlon is commonly confused with duathlon, the term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. ...
Shooting is the act of causing a gun to fire at a target. ...
As a hobby, cross-country skiing may be viewed as a kind of "bushwalking on skis", where skiers tackle trails of various lengths and difficulties. 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. Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ...
A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ...
A tent is a shelter, consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles. ...
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 rowing and swimming) is one of the sports that burn the most calories per hour in execution. 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. 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): 1km Sprint, 2X1km Team Sprint, 10km/15km Individual Start, 15km/30km Pursuit, 30km/50km Mass Start and the 4x5km/4x10km Relay. A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle is the contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ...
The tables below list the Cross-country skiing World Cup medalists (i. ...
For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ...
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. A race is a competition of speed. ...
The name Biathlon is commonly confused with duathlon, the term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. ...
A rifle is a firearm that uses a spiral groove cut into the barrel to spin a projectile (usually a bullet), thus improving accuracy and range of the projectile. ...
The Winter Olympics, the FIS World Championships and the FIS World Cup events have long been a showcase for the world's fastest cross country skiers. There are also special distance ski races, sometimes called ski marathons, like Vasaloppet in Sweden and Birkebeinerrennet in Norway. 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). Einsiedeln is a small municipality in Switzerland best known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey and as place where Paracelsus born. ...
A runner carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics for short but more correctly The Olympic Winter Games, are the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. ...
The International Ski Federation/Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) is the main international organisation of ski sports. ...
A showcase is a performance or exhibit highlighting the work of a performer or group of performers, a particular culture or ethnic group, or of a nationality. ...
The Worldloppet Ski Federation is a federation of long distance cross-country skiing events. ...
Vasaloppet is named after Gustav Vasas aborted escape in 1520. ...
The Nordic skiing World Championships (officially the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships) have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and including women since 1954. ...
The tables below list the Cross-country skiing World Cup medalists (i. ...
History Cross-country skiing originated in Scandinavian countries in prehistoric times. It may have also been practiced by Native Americans for similar lengths of time, although the Norwegian emigrants Snowshoe Thompson and Jackrabbit Johannsen are widely credited for introducing the sport to North America. Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1177 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1177 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
Kananaskis is situated about 80 km west of Calgary, Alberta in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. ...
Motto: Fortis et Liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seat - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total • Land • Water (% of total) Ranked 6th 661,848 km² 642,317 km² 19,531 km² (2. ...
For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ...
The term prehistory (Greek words προ = before and ιστορία = history) is usually used to describe the period before written history became available. ...
A Hupa man, 1923 The term indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European explorers in the 15th century, as well as many present-day ethnic groups who identify themselves with those historical peoples. ...
Snowshoe Thompson (April 30, 1827-May 15, 1876) was a nickname for John A. Thompson, an early resident of Nevada and California. ...
Herman Jackrabbit Smith-Johannsen (1875-1987) was a Norwegian-Canadian who gained widespread recognition for being one of the first people to introduce the sport of cross-country skiing to North America. ...
World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...
This form of skiing has been used by explorers by means of transport, and all Scandinavian armies have ski-trained infantry for winter operations. Traditionally, all of the equipment was made of natural materials: wooden skis and bamboo poles with leather hand straps. Footwear was usually sturdy leather boots with thick soles. 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. See also explorations, sea explorers, astronaut, conquistador, travelogue, the History of Science and Technology and Biography. ...
Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ...
A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood derives from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ...
Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ...
Modern leather-working tools Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
A pair of classic black leather Dr. Martens. ...
Equipment: Skis and poles The skis are long and thin, to distribute the weight of the skier and allow the skier to move quickly. Typical ski dimensions are 2 metres in length, about 5 centimetres in width and one to four centimetres in thickness, depending on the ski brand and which point of the ski is measured. Depending on the ski design and purpose, they are fit to the skier based on height or weight. A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ...
In the physical sciences, weight is the downward force exerted on matter as a result of gravity. ...
The metre (Commonwealth English) or meter (American English) (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ...
The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ...
Like downhill skiing, cross-country skiers carry two poles, usually made of aluminium or fiberglass. More expensive poles are made of graphite or carbon fiber or some other strong but lightweight material. 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. Alpine skiing (or downhill skiing) is a recreational activity and sport involving sliding down snow-covered hills with long, thin skis attached to each foot. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number aluminium, Al, 13 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 13, 3, p Appearance silvery Atomic mass 26. ...
Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is a composite material or fibre reinforced plastic made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. ...
Graphite-reinforced plastic or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP), is a strong, light and very expensive composite material or fibre reinforced plastic. ...
// The word spike The word spike can refer to: Look up spike in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A pivot is that on which something turns. ...
Plastic is a term that covers a range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization 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 protection and warmth for the foot in snowy and icy conditions, along with a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings so that skiers ski over snow. ...
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 long enough to reach the skier's chin or as far as the eyebrows, depending on the skier's preference. In contrast, classic ski poles should reach the skier's armpit, similar to the fit of an axillary crutch.. Chin may refer to: In the human anatomy, the chin is the lowermost part of the face. ...
The eyebrow is a bony ridge above the eye that protects the eye and bears a tuft of facial hair in most mammals. ...
The armpit (or axilla) is the area on the human body directly under the joint where the arm connects to the shoulder. ...
A typical forearm crutch Crutches are medical tools used in the event that ones leg or legs may be injured or unable to support weight. ...
Equipment: Bindings/boots Three different binding systems are 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.
NNN New Nordic Norm (NNN) bindings, made by Rottefella, Rossignol, and Atomic, can range from BC (Backcountry) to the R3 Skate and R3 Classic to the NNN R4 NIS, which require a special plate on the skis to be mounted. Boots compatible with these bindings are made by Alpina Sports, Atomic Skis and Rossignol. The R3 and R4 are generally the choice for World Cup Racers using NNN. These are distinguished from SNS (Salomon and Fischer) bindings in that all bindings in the NNN system have two ridges that stick out from the bottom of the binding, with corresponding slots in NNN boots. NNN is said to have better steering than Salomon because these two grooves better distribute the weight, rather than SNS's (both Profil and Pilot) single larger "bar" sticking up from the binding that fits into a slot in the boot. NNN has also been proven to be lighter than SNS bindings. Despite this, the majority of World Cup level skiers ski on the SNS binding system, but that doesn't make one better than the other. Differences between the NNN and SNS binding systems are miniscule to the average skier, and only comes down to personal preference in the ski boot used. The abbreviation NNN can stand for: New Nordic Norm, a type of binding for cross-country (nordic) skis. ...
Atomic is a ski producer located in Altenmarkt, Salzburg, Austria. ...
Rossignol is a sports equipment company based in Isère, France. ...
The R4 NIS binding, made by Rottefella and Rossignol, is the top of the line NNN binding. These bindings are compatible with any NNN boot, but can only be used on Rossignol X-IUM or Madshus Hypersonic Skis—the companies' high-end pro racing skis. Madshus is part of the Rottefella/Madshus/Alpina partnership, and that is the reason for Madshus skis having NIS bindings. The reason for only two different skis being able to use these bindings is that NIS bindings require a special plate only available on these skis. The interesting thing about these bindings is that the rear part can be pivoted back and forth on the plate to match the boots' length, therefore making better power transfer between the boots and the skis. The NIS bindings made their debut to the general public in 2005. Rottefella (lit. ...
Rossignol is a sports equipment company based in Isère, France. ...
SNS 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.
SNS Pilot SNS Pilot bindings, compatible with Salomon, Fischer, Adidas and Hartjes boots, are only used for Skate Skiing. The idea for these bindings came from Bjørn Dæhlie. 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 can only be used for Skating because there are two axes. In Pilot boots, the two axes, one positioned about 1" 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 any Profil bindings, due to a small space behind the front of the boot for the other axis. Pilots can't be used for Classic because Classic boots need to be able to flex in all directions so that a good "kick" can be achieved. Pilots do not have the kind of flex required for Classic, but they have proven themselves as good Skate bindings due to reduced ski motion in the air. Bjørn Dæhlie (born June 19, 1967) is a Norwegian cross-country skier. ...
Waxes - Main article: Ski wax
There are a wide variety of waxes for Nordic Skiing. The waxes can be classified into three main categories: glide waxes, kick waxes, and klisters. Ski wax is a material applied to the bottom of skis or snowboards to help them perform on snow. ...
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 $200 per pair at the national level. 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. It is not uncommon to apply a new layer of wax if the weather changes, or when moving in altitude. ICE can refer to: InterCity Express, a German high-speed train Internal combustion engine, a fuel engine In-circuit emulator, a computer hardware device In case of emergency, emergency number in mobile phones Institution of Civil Engineers, British civil engineer guild Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. government agency Iron...
The sole of a mans foot The Sole is the bottom of the foot. ...
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 ski tuners 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.
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" across all the three Scandinavian countries). Klister is discouraging for amateurs, as it is very sticky, it is easy to apply but very difficult to remove. For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ...
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 mysteriously removed; 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. Stores often sell purpose-made solvent to clean skis. These should be used with care, as they are both flammable and toxic if inhaled. A solvent is a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution. ...
Gasoline (or petrol) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...
SOAP is a protocol for exchanging XML-based messages over a computer network, normally using HTTP. SOAP forms the foundation layer of the web services stack, providing a basic messaging framework that more abstract layers can build on. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Fire. ...
Look up toxic and toxicity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Klister is also colour-coded, with red klister for wet snow and blue klister for icy snow.
Waxless skis In recent years, waxless skies 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. 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. However, they do require a 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 this purpose; standard wax should never be applied to waxless skis due to extreme difficulty in later removing it from the grooved or notched kick zone. Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: the most abundant species of fish in the world. ...
In most biological nomenclature, a scale (Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animals skin to provide protection. ...
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.
Styles There are three main styles used in cross-country skiing. Specially adapted equipment is available to suit each.
The Classic style was the first technique that was used and although not the fastest (in the same way as the breaststroke swimming technique) it is still used today by many, especially beginners, as it tends to be the easiest to learn. However, this technique takes many years to perfect.
The skating style, developed as a result of racing and is harder to learn but once mastered the skiers can travel much faster. Skating can also be mastered faster than classic.
Telemarking is a style used to go down hill on cross country skis, generally while backcountry skiing. Usually the skiers will use the classic style for going up the hill and telemarking to ski down steep downhills. Backcountry sking near the Arlberg, Austria Backcountry skiing or off-piste skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes (i. ...
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). 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. Camber may refer to: Camber, East Sussex, a seaside resort in England, near to Camber Sands. ...
Ski wax is a material applied to the bottom of skis or snowboards to help them perform on snow. ...
Long, narrow and light skis are usually used. When skiing away from prepared trails, a much wider ski is usually used. In flat regions, such as parts of Finland, skis exceeding 3 or 4 m in length are sometimes used.
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).
On downhill slopes a tucked position (hocke, from the German word) is assumed, in a similar manner to downhill skiing. Vasaloppet is named after Gustav Vasas aborted escape in 1520. ...
Alpine skiing (or downhill skiing) is a recreational activity and sport involving sliding down snow-covered hills with long, thin skis attached to each foot. ...
Free/Skating
 Skiing by free technique/skating. Skate skiing[1] 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. As in classic skiing, transfering 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. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ...
Outdoor ice skating in Austria Ice skating is travelling on ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) blade-like devices moulded into special boots (or, more primitively, without boots, tied to regular footwear). ...
Skate skiing can be done either with skis specifically designed for skating or 'combi' skis for both skating and classic. Similarily, 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.
Like gears on a bicycle, skating has different techniques for different terrain and speeds. Confusingly there is no internationally accepted naming convention for these techniques:
- Gear 1 (aka Diagonal V, Single-poling or Coaches Skate): Similar to the classic herringbone but with a short glide on each ski. Used for climbing steep hills.
- Gear 2 (V1, Offset Skate): Slightly off-set double-pole on every other leg. Used for hill climbing.
- Gear 3 (V2, 1-skate): Double-pole on every leg. Used on the flat or 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): Skating without using the poles. Used downhill.
Skating technique is only really suitable for use on prepared trails (pistes) or firm, smooth snow. It can also be done on snow crust and frozen snow-covered lakes or rivers.
Skating is faster and a more intense 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.[2] 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. This is a direct parallel to the world of competitive swimming where in a freestyle race competitors can use any technique but will normally use the Australian crawl stroke. Large races will often have both skate and classic divisions and award prizes in both categories.
Telemark - Main article: Telemark skiing
The Telemark technique is particularly suited to backcountry skiing (off piste cross-country skiing). 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 (off piste). Telemarker Telemark is a type of skiing that originates from the technique first developed by Sondre Norheim. ...
Backcountry sking near the Arlberg, Austria Backcountry skiing or off-piste skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes (i. ...
Summer skiing Roller skiing is a summer cross-country skiing alternative, though used mostly for training. Glaciers provide year round skiing in many countries such as Norway and Canada. Finland has pioneered the building of ski tunnels. Tunnels are now being constructed in a number of other venues including Torsby in Sweden. Roller skiing is a warm weather equivalent to cross-country skiing, instead of skis one uses elongated roller blades with one wheel at either end. ...
Austrias longest glacier, the Pasterze, winds its 8 km (5 mile) route at the foot of Austrias highest mountain, the Grossglockner A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ...
Torsby is a Municipality in Värmland County, in west central Sweden. ...
Notes - ^ 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.
- ^ Recent developments in the sport include "double pursuit" races where the competitors complete the first part of the event using the classic technique and the second part using the free technique.
Freestyle skiing began in the 1930s, when Norwegian skiers began using ski acrobatics in alpine and cross country training. ...
See also Members of the US Air Force skiing (and snowboarding) at Keystone Resorts 14th Annual SnoFest An alpine skier Deep powder skiing Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis (originally wooden planks, now usually made from fiberglass or related composites) strapped to the feet with ski bindings. ...
Ski touring is a form of backcountry skiing (off-piste skiing) involving trekking from place to place in the wilderness, that has parallels with hiking and backpacking. ...
Any outdoor activity entails many risks, even if participants do not recklessly place themselves in harms way. ...
External links - FIS-Ski cross-country skiing portal – Featuring the latest results, ongoing and upcoming events, and World Cup standings
- SWIX school – Ski wax and ski pole producer SWIX's guide to ski waxing
- Cross Country Canada – Canada's cross country skiing program
- 2006 U.S. Olympic Ski Team bios ... including cross country
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