Name: Rashed Abdulla ALMuhannadi
ID: H00204924
Section: CIC
Instructor: Mr. Hedley
Final Project: Snow Skiing
Introduction
Skiing refers to a recreational and
competitive sporting activity where the contestant links skis to shoes or boots
and uses of them to move over snow. Other than competition and recreation,
skiing is applied for utilitarian purposes like military expeditions and
travelling in places with intense snowfall.
It was not until the mid 19th century when skiing was adopted
for exercise, competition, and recreation. Skiing is a popular winter sport and
has even been adopted as an indoor activity in places that do not experience
winter. The sport’s popularity is attributable to the fact that it offers an exciting
leisure experience and acts as an excellent mode of exercise. This paper
provides insight into skiing and its development over the years in terms of
purpose, equipment, and places in which the sport is most popular.
History of Skiing
Skiing dates back to about eight to seven millennia
ago as evidenced by the discovery of skis about 8000 and 7000 years ago. Skis
about 4000 to 5000 years old were also unearthed by scientists in Norway,
Sweden and Finland. Additional proof of the prehistoric
nature of skiing was also discovered in Norway in form of a rock carving
depicting a skier dating back to about the same period. Initially, skiers had
the arduous task of climbing a slope before skiing down. For this reason,
skiing was limited to utilitarian functions (Fis, 2013). However, with the advent of devices such as rope tows,
chair lifts and gondola lifts that eliminated the laborious uphill climb,
skiing increasingly became a leisure activity. This led to growth in popularity
for the sport initially in Europe and then in North America. Skiing was later
embraced in Australia, Japan, Argentina, New Zealand, and Chile. In the mid 20th
century, skiing started being covered live on television, thus raising the
sport’s recognition worldwide. Further, the introduction of snowmaking machines
around the same time spurred additional interest in the sport even in places
that do not have winters (Fis, 2013).
Skiing Equipment
Just
like in mainstream sports and hobbies, selection of skiing equipment is a
crucial decision. Generally, skiing requires one to have skis attached to boots
by use of sufficiently strong bindings and two poles for one to maintain
balance. During the early days of the sport, skis were made of a single piece
of wood, usually hickory. However, in the early 1930s, laminated skis started
becoming popular. By the 1950s, the skis were designed with plastic bottoms for
higher speed and toughness. The sophistication of skis grew increasingly over
time and in the 1990s, they were created with foam and wood interiors. The core
was then bound with a combination of Kevlar, fiber glass, titanium, carbon or
aluminum in order to increase their strength. Skis
usually adopt a parabolic shape, which allows skiers to negotiate sharp turns
with more ease. Skiing is a nondiscriminatory sporting activity since it
attracts participation from all people in society, irrespective of their social
status, religious affiliation, and age among other factors that distinguish
people. For instance, competitive and recreational skiing is increasingly
attracting individuals with physical disabilities, since there is specifically
designed equipment for their use.
Skiing and
Kids
Being
an all inclusive sport, skiing attracts many children. This is especially because
kids have the benefit of having higher flexibility and agility. Children are
also fairly fearless since they are not constantly worrying about possible
skiing hazards like adults. This means that with proper instruction, many
children can be competent independent skiers within a short time (Rei, 2013).
Types of Skiing
Nordic
is also known as classic skiing. It is comprised of diverse events and techniques
that were originally evolved in Norway’s hilly terrain as well as in other
places of Scandinavian nations. Presently, the most common Nordic events
consist of cross and ski-jumping.
Further, there is the Nordic combined event that is separate and consists
special ski-jumping and a cross country of about fifteen kilometers. The points
are finally awarded after the events are over and well supervised.
This
a skiing style that started in the 20th century in the competitions to join the
cross country and ski-jumping skiing contests. In addition, the style came up
with the downhill races that were developed in Alps in central Europe.
Freestyle
skiing is an event that mainly focuses on acrobatics. The event usually
consists of aerials, acro and moguls. Acro style was invented in Europe in
1930s. It consists of gymnastics and skating and the routine is completed in
ninety seconds where the participant is supposed to flip, jump, and spin. The
performance is rated by judges based on artistic impression and technical
difficulty. There is a huge difference between the equipment used in Acro and
Alpine skiing. This is because the poles used are thicker and longer while skis
are shorter.
Aerials
were popularized in 1950 by Eriksen. The event consists of upright and inverted
flips. The flips are usually done with the competitor’s feet higher than the
head. Mogul skiing, on the other hand, utilizes large bumps called moguls. In
this event, there are turn techniques and upright jumps. The main determinant
is the speed of the participant.
Popular Skiing Places
Some
of the most popular places where people visit for skiing are in different
locations. For instance, Nordic skiing is most popular in Finland, Norway, and
Sweden. Finland is not mountainous. As such, it is one of the best places for
cross country skiing and the perfect destination for families, especially the
ones that have children (Lutz, 2001).
Canada
is another place that offers the best places for skiing. This is because of the
immense forest, which towers the mountains. This is the best place for Alpine
skiing because of the slopes. This should be visited by people that are well
equipped and professionals in the sport (OwnersDirect, 2013).
For
children, the best place would be the areas that are less mountainous. This
would give them a chance to learn and become better in the sport after a short
while. For instance, Andorra has the best skiing culture as well as incredible
cuisine compared to Europe. It also offers the best areas for professional skiing.
Austria is also another place with good skiing landscapes. This region is
especially good for beginners and children because of its vast terrain (OwnersDirect, 2013).
Conclusion
Skiing can be used for both recreation
and sports purposes. It offers one of the best feelings, especially when
somebody is getting out of the immense slopes. Additionally, it gives a feeling
of crispy winter and provides excitement of a lifetime. Despite the challenges
faced by participants, it gives great joy to the participants.
References
Fis. (2013). Welcome to the History
of Skiing. Retrieved from http://history.fis-ski.com/
Lutz, J. (2001). Skiing
From Top To Bottom: The History Of Skiing In Canaan Valley. Retrieved from
http://www.canaanvi.org/canaanvi_web/uploadedFiles/Events/Past_Events/lutz_paper.pdf
OwnersDirect. (2013). Top 10 Ski
Holiday Destinations. Retrieved from http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/info/top-10-ski-destinations
Rei. (2013). Kids and Skiing: How
to get started. Retrieved from
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/skiing-kids.html
