Very often people ask me what is the difference between downhill and cross country skiing or between the alpine and Nordic skiing. It always seems strange to me. Growing Up in Vermont as a son of a ski instructor and ski coach, I thought that humans are born with the ability to tell the pleasure of pain, from mild to sour, and of course the Alps from the Nordic countries. But then I moved to California, where this knowledge seems less frequent. Yesterday, someone asked me again, so now I write it down.
The difference between alpine skiing and ski skiing skiing is fairly simple. Cross-country involves propelling you through a slippery ground, under your own power. Downhill skiing, however, involves obtaining somehow atop a large hill, then turn around and skiing, well, downhill.
Cross country skiing is done on light, Skinny skis attached to the light, flexible boots. There are two main forms of skiing. Cross Country Classic is just like running, but with a longer, Stride drawling. Cross Country Skate Country is not surprisingly, more like ice skating, where the skier pushes from side to side.
Alpine skiing usually involves much wider skis and boots much heavier, more rigid. In the vast majority of cases, This involves taking a ski lift up and then sliding down. Some of us, however, get under our own power using "skins seal ", a material with a one-way plush that you can paste on your skis for the ascent and remove for the descent.
There are also two major forms of alpine skiing and telemark skiing, also called Nordic skiing. There was a time there was enormous differences in equipment and heavy machinery like telemark duty cross-country gear. Now it is more like skiing equipment except that the boots bend the toes and links allow the heel to move.
Which brings us to the difference between the alpine and Nordic skiing.
Alpine skiing instead uses a connection which sets the toes and heel skiing (even if it releases in case of a fall or other strong force). There's really just a form of downhill skiing, but there are many variation, including several Olympic events. For the Vancouver Games in 2010, these events are slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill to the races, as well as moguls, aerials and ski cross for freestyle (but in reality, ski cross is a race, you're lost?). Most forms of alpine skiing are regarded as alpine skiing, alpine touring, but (also known as AT ski or hike © e) requires them to climb up on your own before arriving Ski down.
So as you can see, includes both downhill and alpine forms of Nordic skiing and Nordic includes both cross-country and downhill skiing forms. It is not quite true that stands for Nordic cross-country. The most important thing to remember is that all forms of skiing are great fun and if you're already a type of skiing, try something else will really help your major sport. Find an instructor and have fun!
Tom Lambert is a lifelong skier. In fact, his ski instructor mom skied with him in the womb. He is a ski instructor and runs Ultraskier, a website with ski tips and, coming in 2009/2010 season, a directory of ski instructors.
Check out Ultraskier if you want to ski better and have more fun.
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