Cross-country skiing

Ski wax, legs, lungs.

Five distances, varying for men and women. And two techniques: classic and free.

The type of the course, with some incredibly tough climbs, encourages an identification of the discipline with its origins in the Scandinavian territories, as a means of transport across the snowbound scenery.

There are two skiing techniques:

• the classic technique
• the freestyle technique.

The classic technique, as the name suggests, is the traditional one: the skis are kept parallel and never leave or deviate from the two tracks marked on the course.
The free technique allows the skier to choose the moves and the type of pace.

Since the majority of skiers choose a style similar to skating, pushing the skis from both legs, the skating technique has become synonymous with freestyle technique.
The origins of this type of skiing can be found in the long distance competitions (Pauli Sittonen) and the first to use it in the World Cup was the American Bill Knock.

Record number of competitions

Cross-country skiing is the discipline with the greatest number of events included within the Olympic programme. There are in fact no less than 12 competitions:

Source: www.torino2006.org

Event schedule