the various types of skiing

hkazemi English 104-05 Feb. 11, 1997
ClassificationThe Various Types of Skiing Every four years in the
Winter Olympics, we see professional athletes compete in many areas
ranging from downhill skiing to high-speed bobsledding. We see the
professionals demonstrate their spectacular abilities, and we try to
emulate them in our own activities. In the Olympics, cross-country and
downhill skiing are two very popular sports, and even non-professionals
can get into them. In this essay I will classify the various types of skiing
into three categories and inform you about each. The first type of
skiing that I will discuss is cross-country skiing. As its name implies,
cross-country skiing consists of horizontal travel across flat land and
relatively few hills. Cross-country skis are not optimized for speed, but
instead for easier long distance travel. This type of skiing is also the least
expensive of the three types and has recently been gaining many new
enthusiasts. A decent quality cross-country ski package would cost
around $150. As for choosing equipment, the skier should pick out poles
that are as tall as his shoulders. (For most people this would mean a 140
cm to 150 cm pole.) Skis come in three common sizes, 190 cm, 210, cm
and 240 cm, and the proper length depends on the height of the person.
To determine the size needed, the person should hold his hands above
his head and choose the ski that most closely approximates the distance
from the base of his palm to the floor. The following table gives some
guidelines as to which ski lengths are proper for which heights.Height:
Proper Ski Length~5'3" 190 cm ski~5'10"
210 cm ski~6'6" 240 cm skiTable 1The last thing the
skier will want to decide on is whether or not he wants to have wax or
non-wax skis. Wax skis are traditional and have the benefit of being
faster for the experienced skier. Non-wax skis are good for new skiers
and those who do not wish to bother with waxing every time they ski.
Overall, I would recommend non-wax skis to anyone getting into skiing
mainly due to their ease-of-use and lower maintenance requirements.

The second major category of this sport is downhill skiing.
Downhill skiing differs from cross-country skiing mostly in where it is
performed and in the equipment used. Downhill skiing is best suited to
mountainous areas, but ski hills have been built in most states for those
who live too far from the mountains. Downhill skis are designed for
speed, and their extra strength and width gives skiers more control at
these high speeds. In fact, experienced downhill skiers can reach
velocities of 65 mph before coming to a rest at the bottom of their hill.
The equipment costs are higher for downhill skis than cross-country skis
and a starter package will the skier back at least $300. Currently,
downhill skiing is the most popular form of the sport, but as mountain ski
resorts become more crowded and overused, more people have been
turning to cross-country skiing which can be done anywhere that the
snow falls.The last group of skiers includes those who ski freestyle and
perform jumps, flips, and other acrobatics. Freestyle skiers prefer the
bumpiest, steepest, and most difficult courses and mountains, and they
constantly court danger and injury. The equipment costs for freestyle
skiing are higher than the other two areas mainly due to the specialized
skis, poles, and clothes used. Since this is the most dangerous form of
skiing, I do not recommend it to anyone who is not experienced in the
other forms of skiing and has not been skiing for several years. In this
essay I have informed you on the three major categories of skiing:
cross-country, downhill, and freestyle. You have also been given some
information on each relating to cost, equipment, and danger present.
Overall, skiing has an excellent safety record, and if you follow the steps
to learn to ski in the proper order, you too can enjoy the sport as
thousands of others do.