Category: Ski

Skiing is the best winter sport out there. It is a sport that can be enjoyed all over the world. There are many ways that people use and enjoy skiing in countless ways. Skiing has become one of the most popular sports in the world. It is the most popular winter sport. Skiing is the best winter sport because of the rich history, many forms, and the expansive terrain.

Big mountain skiing is one of the most popular extreme sports out there, it is also known as freeriding. Skiing can be enjoyed all around the world; and is a way for people to be outside while it’s snowing. Skiing can bring places and people together. For example in France, there are ski resorts that connect multiple towns together. Big mountain skiing is the best way of skiing because of movies, mountains, and heli-skiing.

What is big mountain skiing? Big mountain skiing is the type of skiing when someone thinks of extreme skiing. Big mountain skiing is defined as by fast, big turns on long, steep vertical descents and, usually, cliff drops. It is believed to have started around France, Switzerland and the Italian Alps. According to an article by Laura Williams “ Swiss skier, Sylvain Saudan was the first widely-proclaimed extreme skier, attempting slopes previously thought to be un-skiable.” Sylvain Saudan first extreme skied in America on Mt. Hood Oregon, this started the trend of extreme skiing in North America.

Extreme skiing started with the backcountry. It was dangerous for people to extreme ski because their equipment was not safe. In the 1970s people were just starting to use and develop modern equipment. Most people backcountry ski to get to more extreme runs and places that a resort would not normally have. The frenched started the term “Le Ski Extreme” in the 1970s

Alpine skiing is the most popular form of skiing. Most likely when you go to a ski resort is focused on alpine skiing. Alpine skiing is where you have fixed heel bindings. The Olympics state that “The birth of modern downhill skiing is often dated to the 1850s when Norwegian legend Sondre Norheim popularised skis with curved sides, bindings with stiff heel bands made of willow(Olympic, ND)”. years later in the 20th-century alpine skiing turned into many different forms of skiing manly forms of racing.

Alpine skiing is composed of four main pieces of equipment. The helmet is the most important piece of safety that an alpine skier has. It has multiple functions, the main function is to protect the head from serious injuries. The other main function is to keep the head warm. The most known and the most important piece of equipment is the ski itself. There are many different types of skis that are for different things. You can have a regular type of ski for everything on the mountain. For days with much more snow, you can have a power ski which is a wider ski so you can float on top of the snow. The boot is to connect the skier to the skis. It gives support to the skier’s ankles. The bindings are the most underrated part of the skier’s equipment. The purpose of the binding is to connect the boot to the ski. The binding will release the boot when you fall the stop serious injuries. The release of the boot depends on how good of a skier you are.

Skiers can enjoy skiing all over the world. There are a total of 36783.31047 miles of ski slopes all over the world; those ski slopes are in the boundary of 5652 ski resorts. Only very few of those resorts are world-famous and attract people from all over the world. Les Trois Vallées may not be the most famous; but it is the most popular ski resort in the world. It is located in the french ski region in the Tarentaise Valley. It is the largest ski area in the world at a staggering size of 370 miles of skiable slopes. Les Trois Vallées might not be the biggest ski resort in the world. It’s Neighboring Ski Resort aime la Plagne is the most visited ski resort in the world. On average it has a total of 2.5 million annual skiers.

North America in the winter is known for skiing. There are many top tier places that can be recognized all around the world for many reasons. For many people when they think of skiing in North America they think of Aspen, Vail, Whistler squaw valley, and the number one ski resort in North America Jackson Hole. Jackson Hole is probably the pinnacle of North America. It has one run in particular that is known all over the world for its craziness. It’s called Corbet’s couloir, it is known for when you are going up the tram at Jackson Hole you look off to your left and you see this amazing little gap in this massive cliff. This is one of the best parts of skiing, people are able to make anything that can put their ski on a run. Skiing for some people is about how far the can push the sport. When people first came to Jackson Hole there was a man named Berry Corbets who said that someday someone will ski that; now look, it has become a prominent run in for skiers all over the world to come and test themselves. Skiing is more than going down a sheet of man-made snow while being cold; it’s about how much you can enjoy yourself and how much fun you can have with your friends. This is why skiing is the best winter sport

Before this skiing practical I knew nothing about skiing especially Nordic skiing. I had never skied before until this practical came around and I have learned so much these last couple weeks about skiing and about myself. I never thought I would be good at skiing nor did I think I would even like it but I was proven wrong. I may not be a natural skier but I think I’ve picked up on the skills quite fast and have improved a lot. Every class has been filled with fun and laughter, mostly when people fall or when we do something wrong but that’s how we learn and when we fall we get back up and try again. I have surprisingly only fallen twice this entire practical session which I think is very impressive, maybe it’s because I’m not a risk taker so I only do things that aren’t too crazy but either way I’m still proud of myself as my only goals for this practical were to not fall and to have fun.

Everything that has been taught in this course has been something new to me. Before the first day of class I wouldn’t have known how to measure for the appropriate ski and pole lengths, how to dress appropriately for the weather conditions, how to put skis on and off, and for that matter, how to actually ski. I have been put out of my comfort zone but with myself motivation and motivation from others in my group I was able to overcome my fear of failing since this is something I didn’t think I was good at. I will be the first to admit that I was not excited for this practical simply because I had never skied before and I am not one to try something new in front of people I don’t know very well but after having one class I realized I had nothing to be scared about. In fact, I have had so much fun that I think I will be adding this to my winter sport list to do for recreational purposes with family and friends on top of all the other great outdoor activities. I enjoyed doing this because it was not only fun, it’s a great exercise, has beautiful scenery and all ages as well as skill levels can enjoy it too.

After taking part in this practical it has opened my eyes to the other possible experiences the BPHE program could offer. It was nice to have a practical where we can experience the great outdoors rather than always being stuck in the gym doing your typical gym class activities that we’ve all participated in at one point or another throughout our high school careers. If I were to plan a physical education program I would be looking at more outdoor style activities whether they are in the winter months or summer months like snowshoeing or biking. I am a very active individual who loves being outside rather than being stuck inside, I was one of those kids that their parents had to fight to get them inside to eat supper, do homework or get ready for bed. Still to this day if I have an opportunity to be outside doing something I will chose that rather than something inside. The canoeing and Nordic skiing practical’s have been by far my favourite due to the fact that they were both outdoor activities. I am not saying I would eliminate all indoor practical’s, I would just like to see more of the outdoor type of activities.

I would just like to end by saying thank you Mike for creating fun ways to learn how to ski as well as teaching us how to canoe last semester, both practical’s have been filled with a lot of fun and a lot of laughter. You are a great teacher, I have learned a lot from you in both practical’s and I hope that I will be able to take another course that is taught by you in the future.

Today, it is known as Nordic skiing but before it was known as a way of transportation. Nordic skiing or as others call it cross country skiing dates all the way back to 5000 years ago in Scandinavia and by the 1890s Nordic skiing was finally introduced to Canada (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.). In Canada, Nordic skiing has been used for transportation throughout the winter and from 1927 until now it has been a way for millions of Canadians to enjoy the great outdoors for recreational purposes as well (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.). Now Nordic skiing is not only used for transportation and/or recreational purposes, it is also a sport at the Olympic level that athletes from all around the world compete in to see who is the best of the best.

A lot of things have changed since Nordic skiing was first discovered until now, to start with, there were no set locations with specific trails or tracks for Nordic skiers back in the day. Individuals who skied had to make their own trails and tracks whether it was for recreational purposes or for transportation since nothing was groomed for them (Cross-country skiing. 2019, December 29). There are now multiple places that have trails that are groomed with tracks for anyone to use. After a big snowfall however, you do see some individuals skiing on the sides of roads headed to the corner store, making their own paths like individuals had to do back when there weren’t any other modes of transportation.

Skis are another thing that have changed, skis started off being constructed of unlaminated wood and were extremely heavy and fastened very awkwardly (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.). The skis were multiple kilograms each which forced skiers to take them off and carry them up hills rather than wear them up like we can do now (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.). Norwegian Thorleif Haug later invented screw-on steel toe-plates in 1915 to help remove the carve slots through the middle of the skis to hold toe-straps that were previously needed allowing skis to become shorter, narrower and way lighter (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s ski waxing was introduced as well as no-wax skis, these techniques were used to lower the difficulty of ski preparation and aid with certain weather conditions to enhance performance (Cross-Country Skiing. n.d.).

Lastly, skiers only used one long pole or a spear like implement with one ski on each foot (Ski pole. 2019). It wasn’t until 1741 that skiers started to use two ski poles rather to help with balance, pushing, braking and turning purposes (Ski pole. 2019). Ski poles were originally made of pine and bamboo materials which you will still see today however, they are now more commonly made of aluminum and carbon fibers (Ski pole. 2019). Ski poles have also been upgraded to be more beneficial for skiers, they now have actual grips at the tops of the poles with straps to hold on to, tips to help dig into the snow as well as baskets at the end of the ski poles to stop the ski poles from digging in too far (Ski Poles. n.d.).

In conclusion, Nordic skiing has been around for thousands of years and proceeds to become more popular as each year passes. It is now seen more as a competition, sport and/or a recreational activity rather than used for transportation purposes like it was designated to do originally. It is very rare to see an individual skiing on the side of the road nowadays however, I’m sure there are some individuals around the world that still use it as a mode of transportation rather than driving to their destination in the winter if it is a reasonable distance away. As for the equipment, it has changed a lot as well and with all this new technology, manufactures are looking at redesigning or creating new equipment that will help improve an individual’s performance when Nordic skiing.

There are different kinds of skiing, four-track, three-track, two-track, one-track, mono-ski and bi-ski. Traditionally this sport involves a person to use two skis and go down the hill at a fast speed. The differences simply involve which kinds of equipment are being used and how the skier maneuvers down the mountain with the kind of equipment they are using. While traditional skiing is used with two skis, certain people with disabilities participating in this adapted sport of downhill skiing can use two skis, called two-track. This is typically for people with minor cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and more who use adaptive equipment that may help in strengthening their legs. To medal in this sport, you need to be classified. Once you’re classified you are able to place. All skiers are required to wear a crash helmet as they train and when they compete. There are gates that are placed down the mountain and the skier must ski through each gate as they go down the mountain in order for their run to count. The results of those who are competing are compared by the times each skier receives. Therefore, whoever can ski down the mountain through their gates at the fastest speed wins.

Classification System

Someone wanting to take part in downhill skiing must be evaluated by medical and sport professionals to see how the person’s disability affects their own ability to ski. Using a classification system, they place you in a classes form 1-9 which is for stand up skiers, then classes 10-12 are for mono skiers, and there are three different classes for people with a visual disability. Competing athletes must have an IPC license to race. Along with the IPC is a fee and an Eligibility Code Form that requires a signature. The National Paralympic Committee now will have the athlete registered and they will be placed and counted for in the IPACS point system.

Benefits

The benefits from someone participating in downhill skiing are endless. Socially, it can increase your exposure to people alike and different from yourself. Also, when engaging with your trainers, and other competes you get to meet new people, make friends and benefit emotionally from social interactions. Physically, it uses your muscles throughout the skier’s body, this will help to increase the skier’s overall body strength. Emotionally, this can help someone because it is a thrill, skiing downhill and being in complete control of yourself and doing a sport on your own has uniquely different emotional benefits than compared to working on a team. While working on a team is amazing for one’s emotional health playing in a sport like downhill skiing can increase a person’s faith in themselves and their confidence for being independent. Spiritually, as you are in the zone skiing down the mountain you are completely focusing on your body’s movement and trying to stay in control to achieve your fastest possible speed, this requires focus and for one to be spiritually in touch with their mind and their body. After successfully completing a downhill ski race, one may feel more in touch with their body than ever before. Intellectually, someone can benefit from this by learning new things about their control and ability to control their body during skiing downhill. You have to really comprehend the motor skills, and the logistics of how your body movements and ski equipment must be used together in order to stay up and ski down the mountain at your fastest speed.

Assistive Technology

Depending on the individual playing the sport, different assistive technology is used. The different kinds of things that are used are Mono-skis, Bi skis, Adaptive ski bike, outriggers, adaptive braces, sit ski simulator, turning pole, and ski-2 prosthetic ski poles. Not everyone uses all of this equipment, it depends on the individuals skiing abilities. Technology like these, allow players to play the game by enabling them to use either one ski, two skis, or a sitting ski to make it down the mountain.

The organization which oversees downhill skiing is called the NSAA, The National Ski Areas Association. The NSAA encourages that people use the proper equipment for safety, and how to be aware of themselves while skiing down the mountain and being aware of others. They also have a responsibility code that has seven different responsibilities all skiers should follow. There is competition for this sport, downhill skiing is included in the winter Paralympics. It is also competed in the FSI and in the winter Olympics.

Scientists have previously demonstrated that ski wax has an effect on friction force. Our data has a general trend that shows how friction force will decrease with more wax. Despite the accurate trend, our data was not entirely precise, and we had sources of error and several outliers within our graph. The calculated average slope ended up at -0.05 / layer. Our slope’s dependent variable, the coefficient of friction, depended on our independent variable, wax. This negative slope aligns with the focus of our experiment. It suggests that the average slope means there was less friction force on the ski as more layers of wax were added. The maximum and minimum slopes are proof of the errors in our experiment. However, we could successfully find trends based on our values for the coefficient of friction. The average slope line doesn’t represent our data as well as it could, making it possible for a curved, negative exponential line to better represent it. This would only make sense if the wax made a large difference in friction force after adding the first few layers and then didn’t make a difference in friction force after a certain amount of wax had filled in all the scratches on the bottom of the ski. The line of best fit shown on our graph runs through most of our error bars despite three outliers at 4, 6, and 10 layers of wax. Our maximum and minimum slopes have significantly different values from our line of best fit, this is mainly because the final data point is an outlier. And our outliers are due to the following errors.

As we mentioned previously, our data did not completely support our hypothesis that the friction force will decrease with more wax. An example of this is how it started to decrease from 0.18 N at the 1st layer to 0.07 N at the 4th layer, but then it increased back to 0.19 N at the 5th layer. In this case, we decided that the fourth layer is certainly an outlier, but that our overall experiment is correct.

Sources of error in this experiment could result from several incidents. The errors could be due to the amount of wax that was on the ski, and how much rubbed off based on the rough texture of the carpet we dragged it along. The carpet was not cleaned every day, so there could have been additional dirt and on the floor that got caught in the wax. The length of the string we used to tie the tip of the ski to the friction probe could have caused the ski to waiver left to right thus causing a path that wasn’t parallel to the floor. This could have resulted in force against the grain of the ski. Another source of error was the assumption that the ski was not accelerating in the vertical direction, so the net force was 0. This error could be caused by the simple fact that we moved the ski manually. If the ski accelerated, we would need to alter our Newton’s Law equations used throughout the experiment, as the net force would be mass multiplied by acceleration, not 0. This is why we needed to keep our velocity constant. An additional source of error could be the equipment used. The string used to tie the ski to the friction probe could not be perfectly even, dividing out the force to one side more than to the other. A failure to calibrate or “zero” the instrument is also a possible error. We could have also experienced an instrument drift. A lot of electronic instruments drift over time. The amount of drift is not always concerning, but can occasionally be of significance and therefore should be addressed.

Improvements that could be made to our experiment are as follows. We could clean the surface of the carpet before each layer of wax is added so that dirt won’t potentially be caught in the wax. We could also ensure that the string we use is perfectly even, at a short length, and not in the ski’s path. To address potential problems with acceleration, we would ensure that the same person is moving the ski in the same area and keeping the velocity and length constant. To make sure we don’t have a faulty zero, we can calibrate the equipment two times.

Although we can try to manage the errors, no physical quantity can be measured with perfect certainty. There are always errors in any measurement and it does not mean the experiment is wrong.