Cross-Country Ski: Classic style

The classic style is often used on prepared trails (pistes) that have pairs of parallel grooves (tracks) cut into the snow.

Skis have camber and should leave the centre section of the ski clear of the snow when the skier’s weight is evenly distributed between the pair.

The centre section of a classic ski will either have “fish scales”, or ski wax that will stick to the snow (called the “kick zone” or “grip zone” of the ski).

When full weight is transferred to a single ski the kick zone comes into contact with the snow.

Glide wax is used on the tails and tips of the skis.

The basic techniques of classic skiing are classified by flat terrain, uphill, downhill and turning.

On the flat terrain the diagonal stride is most commonly used and is a running action with parallel skis, kicking and gliding with each stride.

The poles are planted alternately on the opposite side to the kick.

Three-step and four-step diagonals are also used.

The three-step is also known as a change-up or passgang and involved three strides to one pole push.

Another flat-terrain technique is double poling, whereby the legs are not moved by all propulsive force is provided by the two poles used together.

Double poling may be combined with strides in the one-step and two-step double pole techniques.

Downhill classic skiing involves using the snowplow, whereby the skis are turned inwards with the tips nearly together to create drag and thus descent speed. Turning on flat terrain is often accomplished with a tip-turn, moving the skis round the turn from a diagonal stride.

Another turning technique is the kick-turn, conducted by lifting the ski while double poling.

The skate-turn transfers the weight onto the turning forward ski as in ice skating.

Other methods of turning include the telemark-turn, using the trailing ski as a rudder, skid-turn and stem christie alpine-turn done from a downhill snowplow.