page_title: Cross-country skiing (sport)
section_title: Technique and equipment
hierarchical_section_title: Cross-country skiing (sport) / Technique and equipment
caption_attribution_description: Norsk bokmål: Jörgen Brink, svensk skiløper English: Jörgen Brink in Holmenkollen, 2007. Svenska: Jörgen Brink i Holmenkollen i 2007. Norsk bokmål: Jörgen Brink i Holmenkollen i 2007.BRINK Joergen
context_page_description: The sport of cross-country skiing encompasses a variety of formats for cross-country skiing races over courses of varying lengths according to rules sanctioned by the International Ski Federation and by various national organizations, such as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and Cross Country Ski Canada. International competitions include the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the FIS Cross-Country World Cup, and at the Winter Olympic Games. Such races occur over homologated, groomed courses designed to support classic and freestyle events, where the skiers may employ skate skiing. It also encompasses cross-country ski marathon events, sanctioned by the Worldloppet Ski Federation, and cross-country ski orienteering events, sanctioned by the International Orienteering Federation. Related forms of competition are biathlon, where competitors race on cross-country skis and stop to shoot at targets with rifles, and paralympic cross-country skiing that allows athletes with disabilities to compete at cross-country skiing with adaptive equipment.
  Norwegian army units were skiing for sport in the 18th century.
context_section_description: Cross-country ski competitors employ one of two techniques, according to the event: classic and skating (in freestyle races, where all techniques are allowed). Skiathlon combines the two techniques in one race.
  Skis are lighter, narrower and designed to be faster than those used in recreational cross-country skiing and made of composite materials. For classic events, typical ski lengths are between 195 and 210 centimetres, while ski lengths for skating are 170 to 200 cm. Skis for skating are also more rigid than skis for classical. Skis are waxed for speed and, in the case of classic skis, traction when striding forward. Racing ski boots are also lighter than recreational ones and are attached at the toe only to bindings that are specialized for classic or skate skiing.
  Racing ski poles are usually made from carbon fiber and feature smaller, lighter baskets than recreational poles. Poles designed for skating are longer than those designed for classic skiing.
caption: Jörgen Brink skis with classic, diagonal-stride technique uphill in track at Holmenkollen in 2007.
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