It was not long
before Man worked out how to move quickly through deep snow
in the wilder parts of the world, as paintings discovered in
the 1930s clearly portray. On the ancient artefacts, which
were found in Russia and are thought to be at least 6000
years old, a hunter on rudimentary skis is clearly
identifiable alongside reindeers. It is virtually certain
that a form of skiing has been an integral part of life in
colder countries since that time.
Obviously the
principal use of skis until recently was for the
transportation of goods and people or for the swift movement
of soldiers patrolling remote, icy borders. Horses were
clearly not much use in three metres of snow, so other
methods had to be developed and skis quickly became as
natural an accoutrement of everyday life as hats and gloves.
The Olympic
Winter Games present five disciplines of Skiing: Alpine,
Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle as
well as Snowboarding. To compete in these various
disciplines one needs to master speed, endurance, dexterity,
and determination.
Alpine
Skiing
People began strapping skis to their feet as far back as
5000 years ago. It is believed that Norwegians were the
first - they used skis as a way of hunting across
snow-covered terrain. From Norway, skiing spread throughout
Scandinavia and Russia as a mode of winter transportation
and eventually as a sport similar to cross-country skiing.
Alpine skiing evolved from cross-country skiing. The first
alpine skiing competition, a primitive downhill, was held in
the 1850s in Oslo. A few decades later, the sport spread to
the remainder of Europe and to the United States, where
miners held skiing competitions to entertain themselves
during the winter.
The first
slalom was organised in 1922 in Mürren, Switzerland, and two
years later such a race became the first Olympic Alpine
event. The Arlberg-Kandahar, a combined slalom and downhill
event, is now referred to as the first legitimate Alpine
event - the race that planted the seed for Alpine's
inclusion in the Olympic programme.
Alpine skiing
became part of the Olympic programme at the 1936
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Games with a men's and women's
combined event.
Competition
The Olympic Alpine competition consists of ten events: five
for women and five for men. The rules are the same for men
and women, but the courses differ. In all cases, time is
measured to .01 seconds and ties are permitted.
The Alpine Events:
Downhill: The downhill
features the longest course and the highest speeds in Alpine
skiing. Each skier makes a single run down a single course
and the fastest time determines the winner.
Super-G: Super-G stands
for super giant slalom, an event that combines the speed of
downhill with the more precise turns of giant slalom. The
course is shorter than downhill but longer than a giant
slalom course. Each skier makes one run down a single course
and the fastest time determines the winner.
Giant Slalom: Also
known as the GS. It is a similar version to the slalom, with
fewer turns and wider, smoother turns. Each skier makes two
runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs
take place on the same day, usually with the first run held
in the morning and the second run in the afternoon. The
times are added, and the fastest total time determines the
winner.
Slalom: The slalom
features the shortest course and the quickest turns. As in
the giant slalom, each skier makes two runs down two
different courses on the same slope. Both runs take place on
the same day. The times are added and the fastest total time
determines the winner.
Combined: The combined
event consists of one downhill followed by two slalom runs.
The times are added together and the fastest total time
determines the winner. The combined downhill and the
combined slalom are contested independently of the regular
downhill and slalom events, and the combined courses are
shorter than the regular versions. In 2002, for the first
time at an Olympic Winter Games, the entire combined event
is being held on a single day at the same venue. Also, the
combined slalom is held on the lower part of the combined
downhill slope, which has not always been the case.
Cross Country Skiing
There is evidence that primitive skis were used in Norway
over 5000 years
ago. As early as the 10th century, Vikings
used skis for transportation. It wasn't until the 19th
century, however, that ski competitions came into existence,
starting in Norway. The famous Holmenkollen ski festival was
started in 1892. At first, the main focus of these Nordic
festivals was the Nordic combined event - cross-country
skiing and ski jumping. In 1900, a separate cross-country
race was held at the Holmenkollen.
Competition
At the Olympic Winter Games, cross-country consists of
twelve events. Women compete in the 1.5km sprint, 10km
classical, combined pursuit, 15km freestyle, 30km classical,
and 4x5km relay. Men compete in 1.5km sprint, 15km
classical, combined pursuit, 30km freestyle, 50km classical
and 4x10km relay.
The 1.5 km sprint
The 1.5 km sprint, is the shortest event on the
cross-country programme, and any style of skiing is
permitted. The sprint events are different from the other
cross-country events in that they are contested in a series
of elimination rounds.
The combined pursuit
The combined pursuit features two separate races on the same
day. The first part of the event is 5 kilometres ski
-classical style. The second part is a 5-kilometre freestyle
race. Competitors start the freestyle portion staggered
according to their finish in the classical portion. The
athlete who crosses the finish line first is the winner.
The classical races
In the classical races, skiers use the traditional
straight-striding technique (called a "diagonal stride") and
do not deviate from distinct parallel tracks. The form
required for classical skiing resembles the form used on a
typical cross-country exercise machine.
The freestyle technique
The freestyle technique, which is often referred to as
"skating," has no restrictions. The athletes do not keep
their skis within narrow tracks but instead push off with
both legs in a motion that resembles skating.
The relay event
For the relay event, each team is composed of four skiers,
each of whom skis one of the four 5km or 10km relay legs.
The first two legs of the relay are classical style. The
final two are freestyle.
Freestyle
Skiing
Freestyle skiing is a product of America in the 1960s, when
social change and freedom of expression led to new and
exciting skiing techniques. Originally a mix of alpine
skiing and acrobatics, freestyle skiing developed over the
decades into the present-day Olympic sport.
The
International Ski Federation (FIS) recognised freestyle as a
sport in 1979 and brought in new regulations regarding
certification of athletes and jump techniques in an effort
to curb the dangerous elements of the competitions. The
first World Cup series was staged in 1980 and the first
World Championships took place in 1986 in Tignes, France,
featuring moguls, aerials and ballet.
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