Skiing

UK Governing Body

International Governing Body

Skiing Overview

Scientists believe that skiing dates back to between 4,500 and 6,000 years ago with evidence found on the Scandinavian and Russian Artic rim. First adopted for hunting, the use of skis quickly developed. They became part of everyday life in cold climates for the swift transportation of both people and goods. Military applications soon followed.

Five disciplines are included in the current Winter Olympic, namely, Alpine, Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle as well as Snowboarding.

Alpine Skiing is believed to have originated in Norway. It spread across much of Scandinavia and Russia as a mode of winter transportation; something akin to the sport of cross-country skiing. A primitive downhill event was held in Oslo in the 1850s and Alpine Skiing was born. The sport spread across Europe and to the USA and the first slalom event was held in Switzerland in 1922. Two years later slalom appeared on the Winter Olympic programme making it the first Alpine event at the Games. However Alpine Skiing did not officially appear on the Olympic programme until 1936 with a combined slalom and downhill event for Men and Women.

The current Winter Olympic Programme includes five Alpine events in which men and women compete seperately, namely, Alpine Combined, Downhill, Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Super G.

Cross-Country Skiing originated in Norway as much as 6000 years ago. The first organised meets took place in the 1900s but the famous Holmenkollen Ski Festival began in 1892.

The Winter Olympics programme boasts 12 events. Women take part in the sprint, team sprint, 10km individual start, 15km pursuit, 30km mass start and the 4x5km relay and men compete in the sprint, team sprint, 15km individual start, 30km pursuit, 50km mass start and the 4x10km relay.

Freestyle Skiing is generally believed to have originated in the USA in the 1960s. To start with it was a combination of alpine skiing and acrobatics and by 1979 the Fédération Internationale de Ski recognised it as a sport in its own right. With the first FIS World Cup series beginning in 1980 the sport held it’s first World Championships in 1986.

Appearing as an Olympic demonstration sport in 1988 Winter Olympics, Mogul Skiing was an official event at the 1992 Winter Games and Aerials were added in at the 1994 Games. Today’s Olympic programme include both Aerials (Men and Women) and Moguls (Men and Women).

Nordic Combined as with Alpine and Cross-Country skiing, was born in Scandinavia. A combination of Ski Jumping and Cross-Country, Nordic Combined appeared on the first Winter Olympic programme in 1924. The current Olympic programme has Men’s events only; Individual Gundersen (2 jumps plus 15km ski), Sprint (1 jump plus 7.5km ski) and Relay (teams of four who each jump twice and then ski a 4x5km relay).

Ski Jumping began in Norway in 1860 when Sondre Norheim jumped 30m over a rock without poles. Two years later saw the first organised event in Trysil, Norway. Appearing at the first Winter Olympics in 1924, Ski Jumping now includes a Large Hill event which was introduced at the 1964 Games. There are currently three events on the programme, namely, K120 Men’s Individual (90m), K120 Men’s Team (90m) and K90 Men’s Individual (70m).

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Skiing Overview