11 Facts About Cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance.

Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a means of transportation.

Variants of cross-country skiing are adapted to a range of terrain which spans unimproved, sometimes mountainous terrain to groomed courses that are specifically designed for the sport.

New technique, skate Cross-country skiing, was experimented with early in the 20th Century, but was not widely adopted until the 1980s.

Nansen used, regarding all forms of Cross-country skiing, but noted that ski jumping is purely a competitive sport and not for amateurs.

Cross-country skiing further noted that in some competitions the skier "is required to show his skill in turning his ski to one side or the other within given marks" at full speed on a steep hill.

Recreational cross-country skiing includes ski touring and groomed-trail skiing, typically at resorts or in parklands.

Standard skate-Cross-country skiing equipment is used, along with a map holder attached to the chest.

Paralympic cross-country skiing includes standing events, sitting events, and events for visually impaired athletes under the rules of the International Paralympic Committee.

Cross-country skiing has two basic propulsion techniques, which apply to different surfaces: classic and skate skiing .

Skate-Cross-country skiing usually involves a coordinated use of poles and the upper body to add impetus, sometimes with a double pole plant each time the ski is extended on a temporarily "dominant" side or with a double pole plant each time the ski is extended on either side .