Skiing
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
Skiing is the human activity of gliding over snow using skis (originally wooden planks, now usually made from fiberglass or related composites) strapped to the feet with ski bindings.
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Skiing
Many different types of skiing are popular, especially in colder climes, and many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Ski Federation (FIS), and other sporting organizations.
In skiing's traditional core regions in the snowy parts of Scandinavia, both recreational and competitive skiing is as likely to refer to the cross-country variants as to the internationally more well-known downhill variants.
For many people, "skiing" means recreational downhill skiing in which one visits a ski resort, purchases a lift ticket, dons cold-weather clothing, skis, ski boots and ski poles, and embarks on a chairlift, gondola lift, or means mechanical uphill transport. Upon reaching the summit, the skier disembarks from the ski lift and travels downhill, propelled by gravity. Skiing technique is very difficult to master and accordingly there are ski schools that teach everything from the basics of turning and stopping safely to more advanced carving and mogul techniques. All skiers must take care to know the limits of their abilities, as the speed and technical difficulty associated with the sport can often lead to crashes or collisions and serious injury.
At this juncture, the non-skier might ponder the question of "Why do it at all then?" Of course there are many possible answers to such a question, perhaps as many as there are skiers, but a good simple answer might be "It feels good", rather like flying. Of course, there is some possibility of danger but curiously, this is also part of the appeal of the sport; it is, after all, the fastest means of land transport possible without mechanical assistance. It is possible to achieve a union of the mind and the body by practicing this sport where the mind trusts the body to perform in an exceptional manner and the body trusts the mind not lead it off a cliff. A sense of harmony and of peak experience can result resulting in a feeling of wholeness of self.
In addition to their role in recreation and sport, skiing is also used as a means of transport by the military, and many armies train troops for ski warfare. Ski troops played a key role in retaining Finnish independence from Russia during the Winter War, and from Germany during the Lapland War, although the use of ski troops was recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. The sport of Biathlon was developed from military skiing patrols.
Skiing was pronounced "she-ing" at the start of the 20th century, after the Norwegian pronunciation, and was usually written "ski-ing".
For the origins and development of skiing, see the History of skiing.
Skiing topics
Types of skiing
- Alpine skiing (also known as Downhill skiing)
- Backcountry skiing (also known as Off Piste skiing)
- Cross-country skiing (also known as Nordic skiing)
- Extreme skiing
- Telemark skiing
- Speed skiing
- Ski jumping
- Ski mountaineering
- Ski touring
Turning techniques
- Stem techniques
- The Snowplough - (also known as the wedge) - see snowplough turn
- The Stem Christie
- Parallel turn
- Telemark turn
Equipment
Competition events
- Arlberg-Kandahar competition
- Winter Olympic Games
Alpine events
Nordic events
Skiing organisations
International organisations:
- International Biathlon Union (IBU)
- International Ski Federation (FIS)
National organisations:
Ski safety
Ski lifts
- Aerial tramway (or cablecar)
- Chairlift
- Detachable chairlift
- Funitel
- Funicular
- Gondola lift
- Rope tow
- Platter lift (or button lift)
- T-bar lift
Other
- History of skiing
- Dry ski slope
- Indoor ski slope
- List of ski areas
- Ski resort
- Ski school
- Ski warfare
- Snow
- Trail grooming machine (piste basher)
- Physics of skiing
Health and injuries
- Altitude sickness
- Injuries
- First aid
- Frost bite
- Hypothermia
- Physical fitness
- Snow blindness
- List of famous skiing deaths
Related sports
ca:Esquí de:Ski fr:Ski it:ski ja:スキー nl:skiën
