The History Of Skiing

While many consider skiing to be a fast paced and exciting winter sport, for the inhabitants of Northern Europe it was a means of transportation and survival for many millennia.The history of skiing stretches back many thousands of years - the earliest known skis were found in Sweden and are thought to originate in 3200 BC. Evidence found in cave paintings, however, point to even earlier origins with some estimates putting it 4500 to 5000 years ago.

The people inhabiting Scandinavia and Northern Russia have always depended skis to travel through the region’s vast snow covered plains. Skis allow hunters in these regions to track and hunt prey across otherwise inaccessible areas.

The earliest competitive skiing techniques have their origins in the Telemark region of Norway. It is from here that we get the Telemark turn, a technique used in skiing events and competitions as far back as the 1700s.Another skiing technique, the Christie, was also developed in Norway for controlling speed when going downhill.The Nordic and Alpine schools of skiing trace their lineage from these, even though no distinction was made between the different techniques used in the 1700s. Those early Nordic style ski bindings did not bind the heel to the ski, leaving it free to move up and down - a core aspect of the Telemark technique.

It was not until the 1800s that skiing as a recreational sport took off.Events were held that featured skiing, ski-jumping and cross-country trials.The sport’s popularity began to cross over into other parts of Europe during the 1900s. The inaugural Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924 at Chamonix, France.The Nordic influence was obvious in these early games; of the five events featured two (Nordic combined and ski jumping) were of Scandinavian origin.It was not until the 1932 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, NY that a third event, cross country skiing, was added.

As more Europeans took up skiing the need for new equipment and techniques arose.While Telemark turning skills were ideal for Norway’s flat terrain, they were not effective for steeper Central European hills like the Alps.These innovations lead to the rise of Alpine skiing, a more modern counterpart to Nordic styles.A major innovation in Alpine skiing is the use of a boot whose heel and toe attaches to the ski. This allows the skier to have more control in steep terrain.

Skiing has always been a sport that is evolving and innovating. Manufacturers are always creating safer, faster and more advanced skiing equipment to cater to the higher-end of the market. These innovations slowly but surely boosts the entire sport.Although the jury is still out there on which style is the best, the sport keeps growing around the world and will likely be the most popular winter sport for a long time to come.