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Cross Country at EYOWF 2011 Competition Programme
| Categories |
Races |
| Boys |
10 km Classic technique |
7,5 km Free style |
Sprint 1,2 km |
| Girls |
7,5 km Classic technique |
5 km Free style |
Sprint 1,2 km |
| Boys &Girls |
Mixed relay 2 x 2,5 km boys + 2 x 2,5 km girls |
Detailed Cross Country Skiing programme here.
For Invitation and Official Programme of Cross Country Skiing click here.
ABOUT THIS SPORT
Cross country skiing is the oldest traditional skiing discipline. It first spread from Norway to Central Europe and Russia. The purpose of the first predecessors of today’s cross country skis was making the difficult snow travelling faster and easier. Gradually, this developed into a new winter sport, aiming at travelling a given distance as fast as possible.
In Central Europe, Czech skiers from what was then Austria-Hungary played an important role in the development of this discipline. The first ski association in Central Europe was founded in Vysoké nad Jizerou, in Krkonoše Mountains, in 1903.
The original skis, carved from ash-tree wood, are now replaced with a special structure of artificial materials, and bamboo sticks were replaced with carbon. The development of this sport experienced an important breakpoint in the 1980s, with the introduction of the free technique, also known as skating. Gunde Svan from Sweden became the first legend of this technique.
At the beginning of the development of the free technique, skiers using it were classified together with those using the classic technique, which was not fair. Since skating is much faster and technically different from the classic technique, is soon developed into a separate discipline. Currently, competitions are held in both classic and free techniques. Classic technique forbids skating.
The development of both styles brought distinctive variations in technical equipment. Classic skis are longer, softer, and usually use grip wax. This technique uses poles shorter than those for free technique; the boots have a thinner ankle, and their soles are softer.
Cross country skiing does not assess style; the only goal is to reach the fastest time while meeting the competition rules. Aside from traditional cross country competitions, there also is a separate World Series of long-distance skiing (FIS World Loppet) – the best long-distance skiers usually are specialists.
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| Free style |
Free style - mass start |
Classic technique |
Disciplines of Cross Country Skiing
All given types of competitions are for both classic and free techniques.
Distance race
Distance race of Cross Country Skiing: Includes 5; 7.5; 15; 30; and 50 km individual start. The interval start has currently been replaced, especially for longer distance (30 or 50 km) with a mass start, in order to make the competition more attractive and clear for the audience.
Sprint
Sprint is a relatively new and attractive discipline, which brought cross country skiing into town centres and winter halls. Sprint is usually run on a 1.4 km loop (men) or a 1.2 km loop (women). First there is a qualification run, where the skiers start individually, at an interval start from 10 to 30 seconds. Based on the qualification results, the skiers are divided into quarter-final starts, usually in groups of six. These use the mass start. By the elimination method, best skiers continue from the start to the semi-final and consequently to the final rounds, which are for 16 skiers. The one who is first in the final round is the winner, not the one with total best time.
| Interesting numbers |
| 90 |
long is the Vasaloppet, a skiing festival annually held in Sweden. It is the most popular long-distance race. |
| 8 |
gold Olympic medals gained Bjørn Dæhlie from Norway, the most successful skier in history. |
| 26 |
medals have gathered Czech cross country skiers at World Championships and Olympic Games. since the independent Czech Republic was established (1. 1. 1993), |
ABOUT VENUE - SPORTS VENUE VESEC
 The sports venue Vesec was completed in 2008. It is situated on the south side of Liberec at 410 – 460 metres above sea level. The venue was build in connection with the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and also in order to make the cross country courses available to the public, to avoid the long journeys to the mountain areas. At the same time, competitions are held here not only in winter but the venue is used also for mountain bike, athletics, and in-line skating competitions.The venue features a stadium, the starting and finishing point for all courses. A building for technical and organisational facilities of individual competitions stands next to the stadium. The stadium surroundings are interwoven with a system of courses, which, when combined, are of various lengths depending on the requirements and types of individual competitions. All courses are approved and homologated by the International Ski Federation.
The venue is equipped with a snowmaking system, so in case of a lack of snow – and favourable weather conditions – the whole venue can be covered with artificial snow.
Events held here:
Cross Country Skiing World Cup
Nordic Combined World Cup
National Championships
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