Cross-Country History Discipline's Origin The history of cross-country skiing dates back about 5,000 years. Its roots were based in Norway, where it then spread to Scandinavia and Russia as skiing became a proven way to move from one place to another during the hard winters. Cross-country is the original and in terms of participation the most popular of the nordic ski sports, which are so-named because of their growth in northern Europe (as opposed to alpine, which draws its name from the Alps). In modern times, nordic skiing was popular long before its alpine successor, and Norway is generally considered to be the cradle of skiing competitions. The Huseby races were first held in 1879 and the famous Holmenkollen in 1892. The nordic combined event - combining jumping and cross-country skiing - was originally looked upon as the premier event in the sport and it wasn’t until 1900 that a separate cross-country race, at a distance of 30 kilometres, was run at the Holmenkollen. Cross-Country Skiing Today The most important series of competitions is concentrated in the FIS World Cup with 12 to 16 individual competitions and six to eight relays. Up to 90 female and 100 male athletes generally compete in these high-level competitions. Apart from the FIS World Cup, other important competitions include Continental Cups, FIS level, junior and National Championships as well as long-distance mass participation races including a FIS Marathon Cup. For years, cross-country skiing meant only one technique: “diagonal stride" where both skis stay in prepared tracks. Skiers put “kick" and “glide" waxes on the bottom of each ski; the kick wax grips on uphill sections while glide wax helps propel the skier through downhill sections or over flat or rolling terrain. During the 1982 FIS World Cup season - the first official FIS World Cup season - Bill Koch of the United States popularised the “skating" technique (or “freestyle" as opposed to the “classic" diagonal stride). The skating technique had been used previously by long-distance skiers, mostly in Scandinavia: one ski in the tracks, the other pushing off to gain speed. Eventually, skating, which is faster than classic technique, evolved to today’s style where skiers use a trackless course (except where tracks are installed to help skiers through tricky turns or transitional sections).

Competition

The FIS World Cup Series, FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and at the Olympic Winter Games, include twelve different cross-country skiing events. Ladies compete in the sprint, team sprint, 10km, 15km pursuit, 30km mass start, and 4x5km relay. Men compete in sprint, team sprint, 15km, 30km pursuit, 50km mass start and 4x10km relay. A variety of other distances are contested at Continental Cup, FIS, junior and national level.

Mass Start

Competitors start simultaneously, lined up in rows. The first competitor across the finish wins the race.

Interval Start

Competitors start in intervals of 30 or 15 seconds depending on the event. The athlete with the fastest individual time wins.

Relays

A team consists of four athletes, each of whom skis one leg of the race and then tags off to a team-mate. The relay has a mass start.

Sprint Events

The sprint begins with individual time trials on the sprint course with a 15 second interval start. The fastest 30 athletes move on to elimination heats. The top two finishers in each quarter-final advance to the semi-final rounds that are held as two heats of four athletes each. The final round consists of one heat of four athletes (two from each semi-final heat).

Team Sprint Events

The team sprint event consists of semi-final and final rounds. In the semi-final heats there are 10 or more teams consisting of two athletes (A and B) who pass the relay to each other three times (A, B, A, B, A, B). The best five teams qualify for the final.

Pursuit Events

The pursuit events have a mass start and the athletes use both techniques within the same race. During a pit stop at the stadium after half of the race distance has been completed, the athletes change equipment from the classical to free technique.

List of events

The following events feature on the programmes of the FIS World Cup, FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and the Olympic Winter Games. Other distances are held at Continental, FIS, junior and national levels:

* the technique of the single technique events: Ladies sprint, team sprint, 10 km and 30km and Mens’ sprint, team sprint, 15 km and 50km alternate at each edition of the FIS World Ski Championships and Olympic Winter Games

Sport rules and procedures

Courses

For the different distances, FIS homologation rules require that the courses have a certain amount of uphills, thus implying challenging and demanding races.

Tracks

The tracks must be a minimum of four to nine metres wide. For the classical technique, the track must be prepared with one classical track (two parallel grooves) in the ideal line.

Techniques

In cross-country skiing, there are two techniques. In the classical technique, the skis are prepared with kick wax which creates friction when in contact with the snow and allows the athlete to ski in "diagonal or classical style" along pre-set parallel tracks. In free technique, the skis are prepared with only glide wax and forward motion is created by using the edges of the skis, also called skating. In both techniques, the competitors use ski poles to improve their forward propulsion.

Starting Order

In events with an interval start the starting order is randomly drawn within four groups of competitors. The placing of the seeded group or "red group" of the 30 best athletes is decided at the team captains’ meeting after reviewing the weather conditions. This is done to ensure fair and optimal conditions for the best athletes. The Jury can decide to introduce fifth group for some athletes.

In mass start events competitors start simultaneously lined up in rows according to previous results with the best ones starting in the first positions.

In team sprint events competitors start in two lines according to the total of FIS points of team members.

Relay start positions for FIS World Cup races are based on the Nations Cup standings; whilst at the FIS World Championships or Olympic Winter Games they are based on the results of the major event that took place the preceding season (FIS World Championships or Olympic Winter Games).

Entries for Relays

For relays, team captains may initially enter up to six athletes at the team captains’ meeting. The final composition of the teams must be given by the team captains at the latest two (2) hours before the start.

Tie-break Rules

In races with individual start, a tie of two or more athletes with the same time remains as such. In the mass start, sprint and relay races, a photo-finish (showing the tip of the shoe crossing the finish line) decides the ranking between two or more athletes reaching the finish line at the same time. If the photo-finish cannot decide the ranking, the athletes remain tied.

Lapping

An athlete or a team overlapped during mass start races has to leave competition immediately, but will be ranked according his/her/its position at the moment of overlapping.

Disqualification

An athlete is disqualified, for example, for using free technique in a classical race or intentionally obstructing another athlete.

The complete rules and regulations for Cross-Country Skiing can be found in the Rules and Publications section

Equipment

Bindings

The bindings secure only the toe of the boot to the ski.

Boots

Cross-Country boots are similar to running shoes. The boots for free technique are more rigid and have more ankle support than the boots used for classic technique.

Poles

For classic technique, the poles should extend to the armpit while standing. Baskets at the bottom of the poles provide a base for a strong push-off. For free technique, the poles are generally longer and stiffer and extend to the chin or mouth of the skier. The baskets and tips are designed like classic poles.

Skis

The skis used in cross-country are lighter and narrower than those used in alpine skiing and have long curved tips. The minimum length of skis for the classical events is 10cm less than the competitor's height, while the average length for skating or free technique skis is between 1.70 and 2 metres. The tips of skating skis also curve more.

Wax

The wax a skier chooses can often be the difference between winning and losing. Knowing what wax to use is determined by snow and weather conditions. There are two types of wax: glide wax and kick wax, also known as grip wax. Glide wax is used to decrease the friction between the skis and the snow. Kick wax is used to increase friction between the skis and the snow in order to prevent slipping.

Suit

Uses stretch fabric hugging the body, similar to a runner’s training clothing. Woollies and thick socks are definitely no longer fashionable.

Glossary

Classic technique

The traditional ski racing technique. Athletes use a diagonal stride in which both skis stay parallel to each other.

Free technique

The skating - or free - technique, which was developed in the 1970s, closely resembles the motions of speed skating, where one pushes the inside edge of the ski simultaneously backward and outward at about a 45-degree angle. It is usually faster than classic technique.

Glide wax

Wax used to decrease the friction between the skis and the snow. It is applied to the entire ski in free technique races, but only to the front and rear tips of the skis in classic races.

Grip wax

Also known as kick wax, it increases the friction between the skis and snow to improve traction. It is applied to the middle part of the skis for classic races.

Harries

A ski preparation technique in classic skiing used when kick wax is not appropriate for the conditions. Technicians use a wire brush to roughen the base of the skis.

Mass start

All competitors start together, and the first skier to pass the finish line is declared the winner.

Pursuit start

Pursuit events have a mass start and the athletes use both techniques within the same race. During a pit stop at the stadium after half of the race distance has been completed, the athletes change equipment from the classical to free technique.

Scramble leg

The first leg of a relay race. Named this way because relay races feature mass starts with everyone bunched together.

Staggered start

A start in which skiers leave at set intervals. The winner is the athlete with the best time.

Vertical

An uphill climb.