Nordic
British Cross Country Championships 2008
Cross Country
Of the three nordic skiing disciplines (Jumping, Cross Country, Nordic Combined), Cross Country is the only one widely practised in the UK. It is consequently, but erroneously frequently described as "nordic skiing"
Cross-country skiing is the oldest of all skiing disciplines, with a history going back some 5000 years to an era when skis were used for hunting and travelling in winter. As the names implies, it involves skiing over all types of terrain, uphill, flat and undulating, as well as downhill. The sport is normally carried out in the forest, below the treeline. Cross-country skiing first emerged as a competitive sport in the late 19th Century and the early World Ski Championships, as well as the skiing events in the Olympic Winter Games prior to 1936, consisted solely of events drawn from the nordic disciplines. Today, cross-country competitions are divided into those held in the classical techniques and those in free technique (skating). The range of races varies from sprints (1500m) to marathon races of 90km or more.
Historically, British Cross-country skiing has been associated with the military, but the BSSF has sought in recent years, and with some success, to expand the sport into the club sector and to introduce children to the sport at an earlier age.
GBR has no plans for Olympic Cross-country representation prior to 2010, but competes regularly at the International Lowlanders Criterium, as well as in the European Youth Olympics, The Universities Winter Games and Continental Cup and FIS Marathon Cup competitions.
Ski Jumping
Ski jumping has an extensive following and a very long season, with competitions taking place on both artificial surfaces and snow. Jumpers start with a terrifying view of the K90 or K120 hills and are not only judged on distance, but are also on their shape in the air and on landing.
Given that there has been little British ski jumping activity over the last decade, the name of one infamous British jumper remains on the lips of armchair sportsfans everywhere – Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards. Eddie’s finest hour was at the Calgary Olympics in 1988, where he jumped, lost and became the tabloid hero of the Games. Foolhardy – perhaps; brave – almost certainly; "Eddie the Eagle" is still one of the most famous skiers in the world 14 years later.
However, a new British jumper took his place in the Olympic history books in 2002. Glynn Pedersen, a 20 year old, born to British parents and has spent most of his life living in Canada, made the tough Olympic criteria and joined Team GB in Salt Lake City. Despite his relative youth Glynn handled the intense glare of the international media spotlight with great maturity. Although Glynn did not make it past the qualifying stages in either the K90 or K120 event, he showed great potential and did much to alter public perceptions of British ski jumpers. Glynn holds the current British jumping record, flyinging 89m from a K90 in January 2002 in Ishphiming, USA.
If you would like to find out more about Nordic Skiing, please email info@snowsportgb.com
