Transport is essential, regardless of the weather conditions. Sometimes, man has to rise above his surroundings and devise innovative means of transport. This was especially true in places where snow is an almost permanent feature. Skiing originated in Scandinavia as a necessity and since then, has seen a lot of progress in style, technology and use. The father of modern skiing is said to be Sondre Norheim. He came up with the idea of using bindings that help in turning when skiing downhill, and this was improved upon by Mathias Zdarsky, which led to what is now known as alpine skiing. Hannes Schneider came up with the idea of body rotation for steering. The Arlberg technique became popular as the popularity of the sport also increased. There are numerous types of skiing events: Alpine skiing (or Downhill skiing), Backcountry skiing (off Piste skiing), Cross-country skiing (Nordic skiing), Extreme skiing, Heliskiing, Newschool skiing, Telemark skiing, Speed skiing, Ski jumping, Ski mountaineering, Ski touring, Snowboarding, Snow kiting, Freestyle skiing and Cat skiing. With this came a variety of techniques to enable a correct manner of skiing, and these helped in getting the best out of the sport. It became necessary to have the right clothing and equipment for all-around safety. Skiing has proved to be a sport where even physically challenged people are able to join in, thanks to technological advances. The use of outriggers, ski tip retention devices, sit skis, single and double color guides and inter-skier communication takes care of most needs of these people. Ski slopes are color coded to define difficulty levels with green indicating beginners' slopes and black for the experts. Snow conditions that are favored by all are the packed powder, granular snow, corn snow, and the most challenging of all, crusts. There are many types of resorts for the uninitiated as well as the experts and competitions are held for every level. Facilities provide the equipment, ensuring medical supervision and well laid out, well marked tracks. Learn from the experts, get your kit and you'll experience the thrill of speed few activities can compare with! |
