Nordic Skiing

Nordic Skiing – A Sporting and Recreational Sport

The first known form of skiing is Nordic skiing. It began as a means of transportation during the winter months in Scandinavia. Nordic skiing is a terminology used for the types of skiing where the boot heel is not attached to the ski; this allows the heel to move freely up and down. The term, Nordic skiing, also covers an assortment of skiing equipment as well as ski maneuvers and techniques that include cross-country skiing (XC skiing), telemark skiing and ski jumping.

Nordic skis are lightweight and manufactured from wood and a synthetic mixture of materials like foam and plastics. The boots can be made from either leather or plastic and only attach to the ski from the toe of the boot. Having a free heel, which is the element that distinguishes Nordic skiing from other forms, allows for easy navigation over a variety of terrains. If the skis are attached at both the heel and toe then you are in another discipline of skiing referred to as Alpine or downhill skiing. This is because the heel has to be very stable when the skiers are going downhill at very high speeds.

Nordic Skiing Competitions

Some of popular Nordic skiing events at the Winter Olympics include cross country skiing and ski jumping. Then there is a separate event that combines the two into one completion. The medal winners are the ones that score the highest combined scores. The skier can elect to compete in the individual skiing events or any combination of the Nordic skiing events.

You also have the Nordic World Ski Championship competition that began in 1925. The event is similar to the Winter Olympics as it holds competitions in all three Nordic Skiing disciplines. For the first twenty plus years of the event they held the Nordic World Ski Championship annually. Then beginning in 1948 and through 1982 they held the event every other even year. They once again change it in 1985 and began doing it every other odd numbered year. It is not surprising the overall winning country is Norway which currently has over 200 medals and they are followed by Finland, Russia, Sweden and Germany, respectively.

For Recreation

Not only athletes can enjoy Nordic skiing. No matter what your age, you can enjoy Nordic skiing. Once the ground is covered in snow you can head to any park, mountain trail, forest trail or ski trail and enjoy the sport. You can find an abundance of ski resorts that feature Nordic skiing areas and you can also find professional lessons available there. Some of the most popular states to find Nordic skiing resorts are in Alaska, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont.