Skiing
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.
Skiing
\nMany 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 other mechanical method of uphill propulsion. Upon reaching the summit, the skier disembarks from the ski lift and travels downhill, propelled by gravity. One should not attempt this unless one has been to ski school or otherwise learned how to turn and stop safely. If this is not the case, one's trajectory is likely to become uncontrollable and one's speed excessive, attenuated only by stationary objects such as trees.
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.
\nSkiing Topics
Types of skiing
\n*Alpine skiing (also known as Downhill skiing)\n*Backcountry skiing (also known as Off Piste skiing)\n*Cross-country skiing (also known as Nordic skiing)\n*Extreme skiing\n*Telemark skiing\n*Speed skiing\n*Ski jumping\n*Ski mountaineering\n*Ski touring
Turning Techniques
\n*Stem techniques\n**The Snowplough - (also known as the wedge) - see snowplough turn\n**The Snowplough turn - (also known as the wedge turn or stem turn)\n**The Stem Christie\n*Parallel turn\n*Telemark turn
Equipment
\n*Skis\n*Ski bindings\n*Ski boots\n*Ski poles\n*Ski wax
Competition Events
\n*Arlberg-Kandahar competition\n*Winter Olympic Games
Alpine Events
\n*Alpine Skiing World Cup
Nordic Events
\n*Biathlon\n*
Nordic combined\n*
Ski jumping\n*
Vasaloppet race, Sweden
Skiing Organisations
International organisations:\n*International Biathlon Union (IBU)\n*International Ski Federation (FIS)
National organisations:\n*Professional Ski Instructors of America\n*
Ski Club of Great Britain
Ski Safety
\n*Avalanches\n*Cornices\n*Crevasses\n*Mountain rescue
Ski Lifts
\n*Aerial tramway (or
cablecar)\n*
Chairlift\n*
Detachable chairlift\n*
Funitel\n*
Funicular\n*
Gondola lift\n*
Rope tow
Other
\n*History of skiing\n*
Dry ski slope\n*
Indoor ski slope\n*
List of ski areas\n*
Ski resort\n*
Ski school\n*
ski warfare\n*
Snow\n**
Snow cannon\n**
Ice\n*Trail grooming machine (piste basher)
Health and Injuries
\n*Altitude sickness\n*
Injuries\n**
Anterior Cruciate Ligament\n**
Fracture\n*
First aid\n**
Wilderness first aid\n*
Frost bite\n*
Hypothermia\n*
Physical fitness\n**
Exercise\n*
Snow blindness\n*
List of famous skiing deaths
Related Sports
\n*Water skiing\n*
Grass skiing\n*
Snowboarding\n*
Snowshoe walking
Category:Skiing
