Cross-Country Skiing

I

Introduction

Cross-Country Skiing, winter pastime and competitive sport, regarded as the most demanding endurance sport. Competitive cross-country (nordic or langlauf) skiing takes place on undulating (sometimes steep) courses and over varying distances from 1,500 m to 50 km. The race may take place over several circuits of a course, which is indicated by coloured markers.

There are essentially two differing styles of skiing. First is the classical technique, where the skier keeps the skis in a parallel plane and follows two prepared tracks around the course. The fundamental cross-country stride combines a kick-off step with one foot and a gliding step with the other. These steps alternate smoothly and rapidly; the ski pole in one hand is planted down as the opposite leg begins its kick-off. Several variations on this basic stride allow for upward and downward movement and necessary manoeuvrability and provide for some degree of rest from continuous exertion. Secondly, there is the freestyle technique, developed in the 1980s and often called the skating technique because it mimics the action of speed skaters. In the skating technique a skier moves in a side-to-side motion, pushing off on the inside of the ski. It is the faster style and therefore the one commonly adopted where there are no set rules, hence the name freestyle.

II

Equipment and Clothing

Skiers wear all-in-one lycra suits and relatively lightweight boots with bindings that secure only the toe of the boot to the ski. The ski poles are made from graphite or Kevlar, with freestyle poles measuring slightly longer than classical poles. The skis differ from those used in alpine skiing, being lighter and narrower with long curved tips. The minimum length of skis for the classical events is between 1.95 and 2.10 m (77 and 83 in), while the average length for freestyle skis is between 1.70 and 2 m (67 and 79 in). The tips of the classic skis bend slightly more than for the freestyle technique. As a rough guide, skis are generally designed to measure 10 cm (4 in) less than the height of the competitor.

Ski wax is important in the sport and there are two differing types: glide wax and kick (or grip) wax. The former eases the skis across the snow and the latter increases the grip to prevent the skis from slipping. Kick wax is only used in classic technique events. The waxes come in differing hardnesses, and are selected according to the weather and snow conditions.

III

Rules of the Sport

In competition there are sprint events, team sprint events, pursuits, mass starts, and interval starts. In current competition the shortest distance is 10 km and the longest 50 km. The sprint events employ individual time trials to eliminate skiers. Generally, the fastest 16 competitors advance to the next round, and then another 8 are eliminated, this then is followed by a semi-final and a final of four skiers. Each team in the team sprint has two members who ski alternately (three times each). The best ranking teams qualify for a final race. In pursuit events there is a mass start and skiers use both techniques, classical and freestyle, within the same race, changing from one to the other at a mid-way point. Mass starts have relatively few rules: the competitors start together and the first to cross the finishing line is the winner. Interval starts see skiers starting at intervals (say 15 or 30 sec). The fastest time over the course determines the winner. Relay teams comprise four athletes.

The governing body is the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS), created in 1924 and based in Oberhofen, Switzerland.

IV

History

Traditionally, cross-country skiing served as a mode of transport across snowy and icy landscapes and there is evidence that primitive skis were used in Norway over 5,000 years ago. Competitive cross-country events appeared towards the end of the 19th century with the Huseby races in 1879. The famous Holmenkollen ski festival started near Oslo, Norway, in 1892 (for nordic combined events) and in 1900 a separate cross-country race was held at the Holmenkollen. There are also special long-distance ski races, sometimes called ski marathons, like the Vasaloppet (first held in 1922) in Sweden and the Birkebeinerrennet in Norway.