Cross Country Skiing Essay

Feeling the fresh breeze of cold air on your face as your swiftly gliding across the snow is a thrilling moment no one will ever forget. Cross-country skiing is one way you can feel this exhilarating moment. Learning about the history, the techniques, and about some athletes that perform this sport can be strenuous but also interesting. Generally speaking, cross-country skiing is one of the most watched sport in the Winter Olympics up next to hockey and figure skiing. Nearly 100 years ago the first male cross-country skier raced competitors from other countries in the first Winter Olympics in 1924. At that time, males were the only ones who could compete in the sport. It was not until 28 years later when women could become apart of the skiing action in 1952. Sports Illustrated stated that cross-country skiing is the oldest type of skiing and is the most common sport in the Winter Games (Sports Illustrated). Skiing has changed and evolved throughout the years during the Olympics.
There are 6 different styles of cross-country skiing, individual sprint, team sprint, individual start, mass start, relay, and skiathlon. 2 techniques are used to do these styles of skiing, the classic technique and the free technique. The free technique is a side to side style and the classic technique is a striding forward style. Sports Illustrated says that skiing is basically the same as normal skiing but instead of skiing down an inclined hill, competitors ski across long distances (Sports Illustrated). Skiers use poles and their own physical strength to push themselves along far stretches of land. Professionals usually travel between 15 mph and 35 mph while skiing. Learning how to cross-country ski can be very tough, exhausting, and time-consuming but very fun when individuals develop the techniques to