Austrian skier Maier wins World Cup Super-G race Hermann Maier won a World Cup super-giant slalom event yesterday in Lake Louise, Alberta, leading Austria's sweep of the top four spots. "At this early point in the season, I'm surprised that it's happened," Maier said. "I'm very, very happy with a great performance." (WN)...
The international governing body for competitive skiing is the Fédération Internationale de Ski (International Ski Federation, abbreviated FIS). The FIS holds a season-long series of competitions called the World Cup for the highest level of racers. The other major international ski events are the FIS World Championships, held every other year, and the Winter Olympic Games, held every four years. There are also several lower levels of racing, down to competitions held at individual resorts all over the world. International Ski Federation SkiWorldCup.org
The basic technique used in cross-country skiing is the diagonal stride, or classical technique, which is similar to walking on skis: Skiers slide one foot forward and then the other. They use their poles to propel themselves forward, pushing with their right pole as they slide their left ski forward and with their left pole as they slide the right ski, gradually adding speed and gliding between steps. The skating stride or freestyle technique borrows the motions of speed skating. With the skis held at an angle, tips pointed outward, the skier pushes forward off the inside of each ski edge in alternation, using both poles at once. CBS SportsLine SLAM! Sports: Cross-Country USA Today: Cross-Country Cross Country Ski World
Ski jumping is a highly specialized Nordic discipline in which competitors ski down a steep ramp, called the inrun, that curves upward at its end, or takeoff point. After gliding through the air, jumpers land on a steep hill, which begins to flatten as it becomes the outrun, where skiers slow down and come to a stop. Jumps are classified according to the average distance jumped. The most commonly used jumps in competition are 70 m (230 ft); 90 m (295 ft), called a normal hill; and 120 m (394 ft), called a large hill. CBS Sportsline: Ski Jumping CNN/SI: Ski Jumping SLAM! Sports: Ski Jumping USA Today: Ski Jumping