Types of Winter Skiing

Skiing is one of the most popular winter sports for both amateurs, professionals and spectators. When most people think of skiing, they think of skiing at a ski resort on marked runs or maybe the downhill races at the Olympics games. However, this only refers to one style of skiing. Skiing has numerous forms to appeal to the tastes of many, including cross-country skiing, kite skiing and ski jumping.

Alpine Skiing

Alpine skiing is the most common form of skiing, where skiers simply ski down a slope. Most competitions for alpine skiing include either downhill racing or slalom skiing, where skiers must ski in and out of flagged gates as quickly as they can without missing any of the flags. However, alpine skiing now includes freestyle skiing, where skiers use aerial acrobatics to perform tricks for points instead of racing.

Cross-country Skiing

Cross-country skiing is the oldest form of skiing, originating from the Scandinavia region as a method of winter travel. Instead of simply skiing down a slope, cross-country skiers ski uphill, across flat terrains and down slight slopes for long distances.

Telemark Skiing

Telemark skiing is a term for skiing using telemark boots and/or using a specific turn technique called a Telemark turn. The boots bind to the ski only at the toes, so that the heel is free to turn with the ski. These boots assist with Telemark turns, where the inside boot on the turn has the heel raised off the ski.

Ski Jumping

Ski jumping is a competition where skiers ski down a ramp and launch off the end. The skier who lands the farthest wins. The skis used in ski jumping are called Nordic skis, which are longer and wider than downhill skis, and the boot bindings are detached from the ski at the heels.

Kite Skiing

Kite skiing (sometimes called para-skiing) pulls a skier with either a parasail, a kite or a hang glider.

Adaptive Skiing

Adaptive skiing was developed for individuals with physical disabilities. Various adaptations to standard equipment has enabled those with amputations, spinal injuries and even visual impairments to ski. There are even competitions for some forms of adaptive skiing.