"History and classification of skis! History of cross-country skiing: from its origins to the present day. Where skiing originated

The Russians made an invention... They have wooden rims approximately seven feet long and one span wide, but the bottom is flat and smooth. They tie them under their feet and run with them through the snow, never plunging into it, and with such speed that one can be surprised at it.

Mons Palm, secretary of the Swedish embassy in Moscow, 1617.

The history of cross-country skiing goes back several thousand years, which is confirmed by rock paintings in caves in Norway, made around 7000 years ago . It all started from the moment when a man discovered that by tying two pieces of wood of a special shape to his feet, he could move faster through snow-covered fields and forests while hunting. Many centuries later, approximately in the middle 16th century , skis began to be used by the armies of the Scandinavian countries, and a little later the military were put on skis in Russia. The first similar competition was held in Norway in 1767 , however, there was no further development of cross-country skiing as a sport until the middle of the 19th century. In 1843 in Norway, and then in 1865 in Finland, official cross-country skiing competitions took place. In 1862, the first result in history was recorded in Sweden - Lars Tuorda from Lapland won the two-part 220 km race in a time of 22 hours 22 minutes. In Russia, the first competition dates back only 1894 , when a quarter-mile ski race took place in St. Petersburg.

Nothing refreshes the will and refreshes the mind like skiing

The feat of the famous Norwegian traveler and Arctic explorer is objectively considered one of the most important events in the development of cross-country skiing in the 19th century.Fridtjof Nansen, who in 1889 was the first in the world to complete a more than five hundred-kilometer crossing of Greenland alone. Three years later, a book was published about this transition, translated into several languages, thanks to which people around the world learned a lot about skiing and developed a love for skiing. It was from the end of the 19th century that sports societies and skiing clubs began to actively appear in all countries.

“Nothing strengthens the muscles and makes the body so strong and elastic, nothing gives reaction and speed, nothing refreshes the will and refreshes the mind like skiing” - these are the words of Fridtjof Nansen.

Over the entire period of evolution of ski equipment, which is several thousand years, there have been very different versions of skis, boots and poles. The first devices for moving on snow were more similar to modern snowshoes, but over time they transformed, became longer and narrower to increase speed, they could already glide on the snow and their appearance resembled the skis we are used to. From archaeological data it is known that already in XIII century In Russia, skis about 190 cm long and about 8 cm wide with curved ends were used, but at the beginning of the 20th century skis up to 3 m long were common.

The first ski shoes did not have a rigid sole and were simply tied to the skis, since there were no special fastenings. It was like this right up until until the 30s 20th century, when welted boots appeared and were actively used by skiers until the 70s.

Running poles also have an interesting history. It turns out that until the end of the 19th century, skiers used only one pole. This is due to the fact that skis were used mainly for hunting and in the army. The first sticks were wooden or bamboo, approximately the height of a person. Only in our time have poles become a high-tech product, made from lightweight aluminum or composite materials.

The rapid development of ski equipment began in the 70s of the 20th century. In 1971, a Norwegian company Rottefella has developed a well-known fastening standard NN75 (Nordic Norm 75 mm ) with three pins for welt boots. This standard immediately gained enormous popularity all over the world, and in our country, due to its low cost and ease of production, until recently it was the most widespread. Over the past few years, the situation has changed dramatically; NN75 mounts have greatly lost their positions and are used only by those who have not yet reached progress.

In 1974, a revolution occurred in the production of cross-country skis - the first plastic skis appeared. Soon the tracks began to be prepared by machine, they became wider and tougher, which in the early 80s led to the appearance of skating, the founder of which is considered to be the famous Swedish skier Gunde Swan . At the same time, boots and bindings began to be actively improved. Welt boots were replaced by narrower “sock” ones, and the NN75 fastenings were replaced by Adidas “frogs”, then by the system SDS , but the reliability of these new developments left much to be desired. There was a division of boots into classic and skate. Finally, in the mid-80s, two truly functional, modern fastening standards appeared - SNS (Salomon Nordic System) and NNN (New Nordic Norm, Rottefella ). Boots and bindings form a system that ensures efficient transfer of energy from the skier to the ski.

In the 90s, ski production appeared CAP -technology, “sandwich” skis are a thing of the past. Now all modern cross-country skis consist of a core covered with a “box” on top, the surface of which can have a 3-dimensional shape. The geometry of the skis has also changed - it is no longer parallel. To this day, manufacturing companies are constantly searching for the optimal ski profile, and calculations of the characteristics of new models are increasingly closer to aerospace and “formula” technologies.

At the end of the 90s, a new technological breakthrough occurred - a system of fastenings and boots appeared SNS Pilot – biaxial fastening of the boot, which significantly improved the skating technique. And in 2005, a new revolutionary development was announced - an integrated ski and binding system - NIS ( Nordic Integrated System, Rottefella), now you don’t need to drill your skis to install the bindings.

Modern skiing includes 39 skiing disciplines at the Olympic Games, 26 competitive skiing exercises awaiting “Olympic registration,” as well as more than 20 exercises being approved as a “sport.”

Athletics is rightly called the “queen of sports,” and the rapidly developing skiing among the Winter Olympic disciplines is the uncontested “king of sports.”

Huge expanses of snow led to the early appearance of skis. In ancient times, it was unthinkable to get food, move from one settlement to another in winter through deep snow, legs fall through, get stuck, and many other difficulties. At the same time, many animals moved through such snowdrifts without problems, this is due to the fact that the support area of ​​the same hare is much larger when compared with a person, relative to the weight/support area. The ancient man quickly realized that if the area of ​​support was increased, it would be easier to move and there would be no difficulties. No sooner said than done, we know them to this day as snowshoes - the first skis! The exact date, place, and name of the inventor are not known.

The first such devices, obviously, were the skins of killed animals, with which ancient hunters wrapped their legs, protecting them from the cold. This was the impetus for the use of other objects (bark fragments, chips, and later planks) to increase the support area. For some peoples these were round or oblong planks, for others they were woven branches, somewhat reminiscent of a tennis racket with a leg attachment. Residents of mountainous regions even wore such “skis” on horses.

At the same time, residents of warm countries could not even think about such an invention. Returning from travels through the snowy lands, they told amazing stories: “Monsters live in those snows on one leg, and they run through the snow with incredible speed - real devils!” But everything in these speeches was true. Scandinavian hunters were dressed in fur skins from head to toe, and they slid on one long ski, the other - a small one - was used for pushing. In addition, for a very long time skiers used only one pole. After all, they are primarily hunters or warriors, and they needed a free hand to hold a bow, gun or prey. During the descent, for balance and braking, they sat astride a stick.

Later, skis began to be covered from below with the skin of elk, deer or seal with a short pile located back. When the skier went up the mountain, the fur prevented him from sliding back. Northern and eastern peoples glued skins to skis using glue made from the antlers and bones of elk, deer or fish scales.

Finds of our time

Fossilized skis and their parts, which are thousands of years old, have been found in many parts of Russia, where people lived in snowy winter conditions. One of the finds (A.M. Miklyaev, 1982) was discovered on the territory of the Pskov region. According to experts, this ski is one of the most ancient - made about 4,300 years ago.
The oldest example of modern sliding skis was discovered (1953) in ancient Novgorod in a layer of the first half of the 13th century. The length of the ski is 1 m 92 cm, the width is on average 8 cm, its front end is slightly raised, curved and pointed. The place for installing the foot is a little more massive, here the thickness of the ski reaches 3 cm. For threading the belt that attaches the ski to the skier’s shoes, there is a through horizontal hole with a diameter of 0.5 cm.

Mons Palm, secretary of the Swedish embassy in Moscow, was amazed by the skis used by our people. In 1617, he wrote: “The Russians made an invention... They have wooden rims approximately seven feet long and one span wide, but the bottom is flat and smooth. They tie them under their feet and run with them through the snow, never plunging into it, and with such speed that one can be surprised at it.” Unlike Russian ones, Österdal skis of the Scandinavian type had different lengths and were slow-moving.

The history of skiing goes back several thousand years, as confirmed by rock paintings in caves in Norway made about 7,000 years ago. Many centuries later, approximately in the middle of the 16th century, skis began to be used by the armies of the Scandinavian countries, and a little later Slavic soldiers were also put on skis.

The oldest skis are in the Ski Museum in Oslo: their length is 110 cm, width 20 cm. Hunters had skis of approximately the same size for many centuries: such skis are still used by hunters and trappers of Greenland, Alaska, residents of the North, Siberia, and the Far East. East.

From ancient to modern times

Gradually, the skis began to take on the shape familiar to you and me. In order for the skier's weight to be evenly distributed along the entire length of the skis, they were given a smooth curvature, called the weight deflection. In order for the skis to keep their tracks better and maintain direction, a depression was made in the sliding surface - a groove. For greater strength and flexibility, skis began to be made from several layers of wood of different species: birch, ash, beech, hickory. So that the sliding surface does not wear out so quickly, does not become “round” and has better traction with snow, it began to be edged with especially strong wood, and over time - with metal edges.

The first ski shoes did not have a rigid sole and were simply tied to the skis, since there were no special fastenings. This was the case until the 30s of the 20th century, when welt boots appeared, which were actively used by skiers until the 70s.

Popularization of skiing among our ancestors, the emergence of skiing

Russian pre-revolutionary historians repeatedly mentioned in their works that, in addition to hunting, skis in Rus' were often used during holidays and winter folk entertainment, where strength, agility, and endurance were demonstrated in “race” running and in descents from the slopes. Along with other entertainment and exercises (fist fighting, horse riding, various games and fun), skiing played an important role in the physical development of the Russian people. Swedish diplomat Palm, who visited the 17th century. in Rus', testified to the widespread use of skiing in the Moscow state. He described in detail the skis used by the locals and the ability of the Russians to move quickly on them.

Skiing has become not only popular, but also fashionable, and this has given rise to many funny situations. Chicly dressed ladies attacked the woodworkers, begging them to turn out small skis for their dogs, and ardent gentlemen gave the ladies skis designed for riding together.

The polar explorer Nansen crossed Greenland on oak skis at the end of the 19th century, which served to popularize skiing.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, skiing appeared - a type of leisure activity that involved skiing at speed or for pleasure. Skis with different proportions appeared, more suitable for high-speed running - 170-220 cm long and 5-8 cm wide. The same skis were used in the army. Around the same time, ski poles appeared, significantly facilitating and speeding up skiing.

Nowadays

Nowadays, skiing is, first of all, a sport or a winter hobby. And they are improved only to give the skier more speed and maneuverability. More recently, about 50 years ago, the history of plastic skis began. In just a few years, they almost completely replaced wooden skis from the sport. This was due to their lighter weight, greater strength and excellent running qualities.
Since 1974, plastic skis began to be produced. They quickly replaced wooden skis. Plastic skis had less weight, greater strength and excellent speed qualities. Plastic skis hold grease well and have good grip on snow. With the advent of plastic skis, changes in running technique occurred. In the manufacture of ski poles, fiberglass reinforced with carbon fibers is also used. Due to their lightness and high strength, they began to be called “carbon feathers”.

In the 90s, CAP technology appeared in ski production, and sandwich skis became a thing of the past. Now all modern cross-country skis consist of a core covered with a “box” on top, the surface of which can have a 3-dimensional shape. The geometry of the skis has also changed - it is no longer parallel, which is a very controversial achievement, so every ski manufacturing company today is in a constant search for the optimal ski profile.

Skis- a device for moving a person through the snow. They are two long (150-220 centimeters) wooden or plastic strips with pointed and curved toes. Skis are attached to the feet using bindings; nowadays, special ski boots are required to use skis in most cases. Skis move using their ability to glide over snow.

Story

In the south of the Kola Peninsula, skis of unequal length were used, and they pushed off with a short ski, using one stick for balance, while the ancient inhabitants of Scandinavia moved on skis of the same length. The founder of Norway, the legendary Nor, came to the fjords along a “good ski track”.

Skiing was invented by northern peoples during their migration to areas with cold climates and long winters. To survive, people needed to move through snow, sometimes very deep (more than a meter). Most likely, snowshoes were invented first - devices that increase the area of ​​​​foot support and thereby prevent falling through the snow. There are known peoples of the north who, at the time of their discovery by researchers, used snowshoes, but did not know about skis. In the process of developing this invention, skis appeared. Judging by archaeological finds, snowshoe skis, which appeared in Altai and in the area of ​​Lake Baikal, were widespread until the 16th century AD. But by this time sliding skis were already used. Bishop Olaf the Great, in his book “History of the Northern Peoples” published in Rome in 1555, described the winter hunting techniques of the Lapps as follows: “Those who ski serve as beaters, those who glide beat deer, wolves and even bears with clubs. , because they are free to catch up with them. Animals cannot run quickly through deep, collapsing snow and, after a tiring and long chase, they become victims of a person who can easily ski.”

The second possible variant of the origin of skis is their origin from sleds. The skis are similar to lightweight sled runners.

Initially, skis were used for their intended purpose - for moving through deep snow in the forest during hunting, military operations in winter conditions, etc. This determined their proportions at that time - they were short (150 cm on average) and wide (15- 20 cm), comfortable for stepping over rather than sliding. Such skis can now be seen in the eastern regions of the Russian Federation, where they are used by fishermen and hunters. Sometimes the skis were lined with kamus (skin from a deer's leg) to make it easier to move up the slope.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, skiing appeared - a form of leisure that involved skiing at speed or for pleasure. Skis with different proportions appeared, more suitable for high-speed running - 170-220 cm long and 5-8 cm wide. The same skis began to be used in the army. Around the same time, ski poles appeared, significantly facilitating and speeding up skiing.

Gradually, skis completely turned into sports equipment and took on a familiar look.

Materials and technologies

Initially, the skis were wooden, made from solid boards and did not shine in appearance. With the beginning of the development of skiing and the technical revolution at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, skis changed. In addition to changing proportions, they began to be made from several parts, machines began to be used for their production, and ski factories appeared. This state of affairs persisted until the advent of plastic materials, or plastic.

Some plastic materials have properties that are useful for skis - they do not get wet, snow does not stick to them, and glide is better. This is how skis with a plastic coating first appeared, then entirely plastic skis.

Currently, the internal structure of skis can be quite complex - the sports and sports equipment industry invests a lot of money in scientific research. Modern skis use various types of plastic, wood, composite materials, and alloys.

Ski waxes are used to care for the sliding surface of skis.

Sliding process and lubrication

The glide of a ski is affected by its elasticity, profile, pattern texture, temperature and humidity of the snow, the shape of ice crystals, and the properties of the snow surface. The sliding friction coefficient of polyethylene pressed onto the base of the ski on snow is in the range of 0.02-0.05. A textured pattern is formed on the sliding surface, the roughness of which is generally designed by the manufacturer for certain weather conditions. In frosty weather, the sanding on the ski is the finest, while on a wet track it is the roughest. The task is to obtain a thin, about 10 microns, film of water between the surface of the ski and the snow, which under normal conditions is a decisive factor. By grinding the surface, you can change the contact zone between the snow and the ski within 5-15%, which, in turn, affects the thickness of the water film.

Although the plastic used for skis already glides on snow incomparably better than wood, with the help of lubricant this property can be significantly improved. According to the manufacturer (CPS Austria Group), the surface of one ski absorbs (dissolves in the amorphous structure of UHMW-PE and filler) about a gram of sliding lubricant at 110 ° C. There are dozens of ointments from different manufacturers. In polyethylene, the surface tension has a coefficient of approximately 0.032 Nm, in ordinary paraffin ointments it is 0.029 Nm, in ointments with fluoride additives even 0.017 Nm - these additives improve gliding on a wet ski track by repelling water, or reducing the so-called capillary suction with a very thick water layer. The best ski glide is at a few degrees below zero (0-4 °C). Sliding under these conditions is more hydrodynamics than friction. The texture pattern has analogues in living nature - the mako shark is capable of ruffling its scales before attacking, creating turbulence on the surface of its body. True, this effect is noticeable at a fairly high speed of the skier, more than 20 km/h, and gives an increase of 1-2 km/h. With further cooling, the slip uniformly decreases - the water layer providing the slip is reduced. Finally, when the temperature drops below −15 °C, this film does not appear at all, and with further cooling, the friction between two solid surfaces increases more sharply, but evenly, due to an increase in the hardness of the snow crystals. The choice of sliding ointment becomes somewhat simpler - it should be harder than snow.

Applying lubricant is a process in which amateurs in everyday life should not blindly follow the recommendations on the packaging. For example, applying ointment with an iron and scraping is justified if the lubricant is sufficiently refractory and cannot be rubbed with rubbing. The advice is to rub with brushes until the texture pattern is “opened” - more of a marketing ploy by the manufacturer, designed to increase sales - this will remove up to 99% of the ointment; the amount remaining on the ski is enough for 5-15 km. Although the result is noticeable immediately, it is only at very high speeds, which is more important for professionals, and this effect is completely absent in severe frost. In addition, professionals choose a texture pattern and type of plastic (dozens of options) for specific weather conditions (and sometimes they make mistakes). Without rubbing with brushes, snow will do the same job after a couple of kilometers.

A simple way to evaluate the quality of gliding is to slide down a known hill without pushing off. The distance to which the skis will travel is an objective indicator of the suitability of the lubricant and the method of its application for a particular weather.

Skiing

Ski bindings - these specific bindings completely fix the boot relative to the ski, which is necessary for control at high speeds developed by athletes when descending from the mountains. A characteristic feature of these fastenings is the ability to release the boot under critical loads in order to protect a person from serious injuries and fractures.

In addition to these main varieties, there are rare variants:

1. Telemark ski bindings - similar to alpine ski bindings, have specific properties necessary for telemark skiing.
2. Skitour bindings are an intermediate option between rigid and alpine ski bindings; they allow you to move comfortably on the plain, while the boot is attached to the ski only with the toe, and also provide the ability to fix the heel for the ski slope. They have the ability to release the boot under critical loads, just like alpine ski boots.
3. Jumping bindings are a modification of bindings for jumping sports.

Snow is one of the most common natural phenomena. On the globe, stable snow cover is located in the northern hemisphere and in Antarctica. Huge expanses of snow led to the early appearance of skis. In distant historical times, getting food, moving from one settlement to another in winter through deep snow was unthinkable without special devices for the legs, increasing the area of ​​support, allowing you to easily and freely, like a moose on its spreading hooves, overcome snowdrifts in fields, forests, and mountains . Thus arose the forced need to create skis - one of the most amazing inventions of primitive man.

The exact date, place, name of the inventor of the device on legs for fighting snow has not been established. The first devices that people used to move more easily through deep snow were undoubtedly snowshoes or walking skis. These oval, then rocket-shaped primitives! the devices changed significantly during use and gradually, through the so-called ski-shoe, took the form of sliding skis, which made it possible to significantly increase the speed of movement.

The history of skiing goes back several thousand years, as confirmed by rock paintings in caves in Norway made about 7,000 years ago. It all started from the moment when a man discovered that by tying two pieces of wood of a special shape to his feet, he could move faster through snow-covered fields and forests while hunting. Many centuries later, approximately in the middle of the 16th century, skis began to be used by the armies of the Scandinavian countries, and a little later the military were put on skis in Russia.

The appearance of skis in ancient Rus' before the beginning of our era is evidenced by studies of rock carvings off the shores of Lake Onega and the White Sea. On the rocks located near the village of Zalavruga near the Fortieth Bay of the White Sea, where Porop Cherny is located on the Vyg River, primitive man left carved inscriptions and drawings that have survived to this day. Among the many rock carvings discovered by the expeditions of A.M. Linevsky (1926) and V.I. Ravdonikas (1936), some have also been found that provide indisputable evidence of the invention of skis by primitive man of the Neolithic era many thousands of years BC. Moreover, even then they were sliding skis.

The composition of three people on skis is a unique monument of primitive art. The varying degrees of bending of the figures, as well as the varying degrees of rotation of their torsos, give the entire composition a special harmony and expressiveness. The figures of fifteen skiers, twelve of whom have one stick in their hand, and the figure of a skier in tow, are very impressive with their grace. Archaeologists estimate the age of a rock painting of a skier with an ax found off the coast of the Arctic Ocean—he is jokingly called the first biathlete—at 12 thousand years.

Fossilized skis and their parts, which are thousands of years old, have been found in many parts of Russia, where people lived in snowy winter conditions. One of the finds (A.M. Miklyaev, 1982) was discovered on the territory of the Pskov region. According to experts, this ski is one of the most ancient - made about 4,300 years ago.

The oldest example of modern-type sliding skis was discovered (1953) in ancient Novgorod in a layer of the first half of the 111th century. The length of the ski is 1 m 92 cm, the width is on average 8 cm, its front end is slightly raised, curved and pointed. The place for installing the foot is a little more massive, here the thickness of the ski reaches 3 cm. For threading the belt that attaches the ski to the skier’s shoes, there is a through horizontal hole with a diameter of 0.5 cm.

Over the entire period of evolution of ski equipment, which is several thousand years, there have been very different versions of skis, boots and poles. The first devices for moving on snow, naturally, were more similar to modern snowshoes, but over time they transformed, became longer and narrower to increase speed, they could already glide on the snow and their appearance resembled the skis we are used to.

The first ski shoes did not have a rigid sole and were simply tied to the skis, since there were no special fastenings. This was the case until the 30s of the 20th century, when welt boots appeared, which were actively used by skiers until the 70s.

Sticks also have an interesting history. It turns out that until the end of the 19th century, skiers used only one pole. This is due to the fact that skis were used mainly for hunting and in the army. The first sticks were wooden or bamboo, approximately the height of a person. Only in our time have poles become a high-tech product, made from lightweight aluminum or composite materials.

Later, skis began to be used, covered underneath with the skin of elk, deer or seal with a short pile located back, which made it possible to avoid slipping when climbing uphill. There is evidence that northern and eastern peoples glued skins to skis using glue made from the antlers, bones and blood of elk, deer or fish scales. It is known that a similar method of making skis was used by some nationalities of our country at the beginning of the 20th century.

In order for the skier's weight to be evenly distributed along the entire length of the skis, they were given a smooth curvature, called the weight deflection. In order for the skis to keep their tracks better and maintain direction, a depression was made in the sliding surface - a groove. For greater strength and flexibility, skis began to be made from several layers of wood of different species: birch, ash, beech, hickory. So that the sliding surface does not wear out so quickly, does not become “round” and has better traction with snow, it began to be edged with especially strong wood, and over time - with metal edges.

The first documentary mentions of the use of sliding skis appeared in the U1-UP centuries. The Gothic monk Jordanes in 552 in his book mentions the “sliding Finns”. Similar data are given in the same period by the Byzantine writer Procopius, Greek historians Jornados (VI century), Deacon (770) and other ancient authors. They described in detail skis and their use by northern peoples in everyday life and hunting. Skis and their use in everyday life, hunting and military affairs are described in the most detail in the book of Bishop Olaf Magnus (Olaf the Great), who was expelled from Sweden and fled to Norway. His book “History of the Northern Peoples,” published in Rome in 1555, not only gives a description, but also publishes engravings depicting skiers.

Among the northern peoples of our country (Nenets, Ostyaks, Voguls, etc.), skis were widely used in everyday life and in hunting. “The Sami (Lapps), Nenets, Ostyaks beat wild deer, wolves and other similar animals more with clubs, because they can easily catch up with them on skis. The animals cannot run quickly through deep, collapsing snow and after a tiring and long chase they become victims of easily sliding snow. skis of a man,” writes Magnus.

Russian pre-revolutionary historians repeatedly mentioned in their works that, in addition to hunting, skis in Rus' were often used during holidays and winter folk entertainment, where strength, agility, and endurance were demonstrated in “race” running and in descents from the slopes. Along with other entertainment and exercises (fist fighting, horse riding, various games and fun), skiing played an important role in the physical development of the Russian people. Swedish diplomat Palm, who visited the 17th century. in Rus', testified to the widespread use of skiing in the Moscow state. He described in detail the skis used by the locals and the ability of the Russians to move quickly on them.

The oldest skis are in the Ski Museum in Oslo: their length is 110 cm, width 20 cm. Hunters had skis of approximately the same size for many centuries: such skis are still used by hunters and trappers of Greenland, Alaska, residents of the North, Siberia, and the Far East. East.

The history of alpine skiing

According to historians, the first ski competitions took place in 1844 in the Norwegian city of Tremsey. At the dawn of skiing, flat skis were not much different from mountain skis, and competitions often, in addition to running on the plain, included skiing from the slopes of the surrounding mountains and ski jumping.

This type of ski eventing has retained its rights in different countries for a long time. In 1879, residents of the town of Telemarken organized the first “pure” alpine skiing competitions near the Norwegian capital on Mount Goosby. Known for their skiing skills, they challenged the skiers of Christiania (the name of the current capital of Norway, Oslo) to a competition.

The competition on the Holmenkoller Mountains attracted a huge number of spectators. According to eyewitnesses, the skiers were racing along a very steep slope, from which “it was almost impossible to go down.” The spectacle was so unusual and exciting that rumors about it spread throughout Europe. The capital's best skiers were put to shame. They “descended hunched over,” slowed down cautiously, throwing a stick from one side to the other, and did not jump from the springboards, but “fell in sacks.” But the athletes from Telemarken “drove proudly straight, defiantly holding a spruce branch in their right hand instead of a stick,” flew 25 meters from the springboard, and below, “raising fountains of snow, made a spectacular turn without the help of a stick and stopped.”

The art of the followers of the new sport amazed the audience, a wave of imitation began, and the twist, called telemark, became a model for a long time and received the widest distribution. It was performed like this: the skier put his strongly bent leg forward and used it as a steering wheel; the other, supporting leg rested its toe and knee on the ski; arms, like wings, were spread to the sides to maintain balance.

Needless to say, the reception was spectacular, but unreliable. At high speed, the skiers could not withstand the combat with centrifugal forces and fell. It was difficult to make such a turn on an uneven slope that required shock-absorbing movements. Over time, telemark was replaced by a plow, and then a turn on parallel skis, called “Christiania”. They say that the Norwegians invented “Christianity” by accident: to stop, ski jumpers leaned to the side in a deep squat, holding onto the snow with one hand, and turned their skis in the same direction. And yet, not the Norwegians, but the Austrians are considered the founders of modern alpine skiing.

The Austrian mountaineer and skier Matthias Zdarsky used a non-stop descent with turns in 1896; he invented the plow, and the thrust technique appeared. Tougher boots and stronger bindings were required to make turns in the plow. At the end of the last century, he published the first textbook on skiing technique, where he summarized all the achievements available at that time, proposed a more progressive form of skis and bindings (although Zdarsky’s technique also relied on one stick), and outlined the basics of group training.

Since 1905, skiers' competitions for... the number of turns began to be held in the Alps. The maximum number of turns in a given segment was taken into account, as well as the number of turns per unit of time (these rules are somewhat reminiscent of current water skiing and figure skating competitions).
6 years later, in the winter of 1911, in the Swiss Alps near Montana, downhill competitions were held for the first time: 10 skiers simultaneously raced from the headwaters of the glacier along the virgin soil to the common finish.

It took almost 20 years for fans of the new sport to convince the International Ski Federation (FIS) to “recognize” alpine skiing as an independent sport. Slalom and downhill for men and women were included in the program of the World Ski Championships only in 1931, where the British excelled. However, soon representatives of the Alpine countries: Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy firmly become the leaders of the new sport. Only from time to time athletes from other countries “break into” their dense ranks.

History of cross-country skiing

The Norwegians were the first to show interest in skiing as a sport. In 1733, Hans Emahusen published instructions on ski training for troops with a sports focus. In 1767, competitions were held in all types of skiing (in modern terminology): biathlon, slalom, downhill and racing. The world's first exhibition of various types of skis and ski equipment was opened in Trondheim in 1862-1863. In 1877, the first ski sports society was organized in Norway, and soon a sports club was opened in Finland. Then ski clubs began to function in other countries in Europe, Asia and America. The popularity of ski holidays grew in Norway - the Holmenholen Games (1883), Finland - the Lahtin Games (1922), Sweden - the mass ski race "Vassalopet" (1922). At the end of the 19th century. Skiing competitions began to be held in all countries of the world.

Ski specialization varied from country to country. In Norway, cross-country racing, jumping and combined events have gained great development. In Sweden there are cross-country races. In Finland and Russia there are races on flat terrain. In the United States, the development of skiing was facilitated by Scandinavian settlers. In Japan, skiing received an alpine skiing direction under the influence of Austrian coaches. In 1910, an international ski congress was held in Oslo with the participation of 10 countries. It established the International Ski Commission, reorganized into the International Ski Federation (1924).

In the second half of the 19th century. An organized sports movement began to develop in Russia. On December 29, 1895, the grand opening of the country's first organization leading the development of skis, the Moscow Ski Club, took place in Moscow. This official date is considered to be the birthday of skiing in our country. In addition to the Moscow Ski Club, the “Society of Ski Lovers” was created in 1901, and in 1910 the Sokolniki Ski Club was created. By analogy with the Moscow one, in 1897 the Polar Star ski club was created in St. Petersburg. In those years, skiing in Moscow was cultivated in the winter in 11 more clubs, in St. Petersburg in 8 clubs for other sports.

In 1910, Moscow ski clubs united into the Moscow Ski League. The League carried out public leadership of skiing not only in Moscow, but also in other cities of Russia. During the ski season of 1909-1910. A record number of competitions were held in Moscow - eighteen, in which 100 participants competed. On February 7, 1910, 12 skiers from Moscow and St. Petersburg competed for the country's first individual championship in the 30 km cross-country ski race. The title of the first skier in Russia was awarded to Pavel Bychkov. The country's first competition among women was held in 1921; Natalya Kuznetsova won at a distance of 3 km.

At international competitions, the strongest Russian skiers, national champions Pavel Bychkov and Alexander Nemukhin first participated in 1913 in Sweden at the “Northern Games”. Skiers competed at three distances - 30, 60 and 90 km. They performed unsuccessfully, but learned many useful lessons on skiing techniques, ski lubrication, and equipment design.

Before the outbreak of the First World War, 5 Russian championships were held. In 1918, skiing was included in the academic disciplines of the first curriculum of higher physical education.

By the number of victories at the national championships 1910-1954. The highest rating is occupied by Zoya Bolotova, an eighteen-time champion. Among the men, Dmitry Vasiliev was the strongest - 16 victories, he is the first holder of the title “Honored Master of Sports”. In total for the period 1910-1995. 76 national championships were held at distances from 10 to 70 km for men, and from 3 to 50 km for women. Since 1963, the program of the national championship has included an ultra-marathon distance for men - 70 km. For women, since 1972 the longest distance has been 30 km, and since 1994 - 50 km. The record length 4-day men's race was held in 1938 - 232 km from Yaroslavl to Moscow. Dmitry Vasiliev won - his time was 18 hours 41 minutes 02 seconds.

The record of the first ski century for the number of victories at the national championships was set by Galina Kulakova - 39 gold medals. The sporting achievements of Galina Kulakova were rewarded by the International Olympic Committee - the Olympic Silver Order.

According to the proposal of the Russian Olympic Committee, the first international Coubertin prize among our compatriots was awarded to Raisa Smetanina, the leader of the world elite skiers. A participant in five Olympics and eight world championships, Raisa Smetanina set another unique record of sports longevity - at her fifth Olympics she was crowned with a gold medal at the age of 40.

Since time immemorial, northern peoples have used skis not only as a means of transportation, but also as one of their means of subsistence. On the Zalavruga rock (Karelia), near the mouth of the Vyg River, there is an image of Neolithic skiers, and in the Pskov region a ski was found that is about 4000 years old. Quite primitive skis were used by ancient Siberian tribes, the Chinese, and the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic regions of America. In the Nikon Chronicle of 1444 there is a miniature telling about the battles of Russian armies with the Tatars. There is mention of such armies in chronicles dating back to the 16th century. From the records of the Swedish Archbishop Otto Magnus, we know how skiing was done three centuries ago. At the beginning of the 16th century, skis from Scandinavia came to Europe. At the same time, the Polish commander Stefan Batory created teams of skiers in his army.

In the 18th century, Scandinavians used skis of various lengths: the short one, the right one, was used for pushing, and the long one, the left one, was used for gliding. About one hundred and sixty years ago, the Norwegians held the first skiing competition, in which the future head of government won. In 1856, Norwegian Jon Thorsteinson skied three meters long over the Sierra Nevada mountains while carrying American mail. For this he was nicknamed "Snowy Thompson." Skis sometimes had a bend both in front and behind. The sliding surface of the skis was lined with fur so that they would not slide backwards on the slopes. To push off, as before, they used one stick. During the descent, for balance and braking, they sat astride a stick.

The polar explorer Nansen crossed Greenland on oak skis at the end of the 19th century, which served to popularize skiing.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian skiers held competitions at a distance of one hundred meters. In 1911, a 724 km long route was laid between Moscow and the northern capital. The winner completed it in 294 hours and 22 minutes. Marathon courses up to two hundred kilometers long were popular in Sweden. Women went out to the track in long skirts and large hats. In 1896, at the Winter Olympics, athletes competed in white trousers and black boots.

For a long time, skis were made from one piece of wood. Birch was the best material. Then they began to make glued skis from several layers. A edging made of hard wood was made along the bottom edges.

Since 1974, plastic skis began to be produced. They quickly replaced wooden skis. Plastic skis had less weight, greater strength and excellent speed qualities. Plastic skis hold grease well and have good grip on snow. With the advent of plastic skis, changes in running technique occurred. In the manufacture of ski poles, fiberglass reinforced with carbon fibers is also used. Due to their lightness and high strength, they began to be called “carbon feathers”.

Ski competitions are extremely popular in the world. World Cups are held in cross-country skiing, biathlon, and alpine skiing. Various ski disciplines are included in the Winter Olympics program.