Top 10 Skiing Fun Facts
Skiing was originally a form of transportation in Europe before it became a sport.
And did you know? The oldest documented evidence of skiing is found in the region of Norway and Sweden from primitive carvings dating back to 5000 B.C. Until the 1800’s skiing was primarily used only for transport, it was after the turn of the 18th century that it became a recreational sport. Commercially the popularity of skiing holidays took off in the 19th century which increased substantially during the mid-1900s until today.
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Besides being a popular sport, below are 10 interesting skiing facts:
1. The Origin of the word ‘Ski’.
The word ‘Ski’ is derived from the Norwegian word ‘skíð’ which means a split piece of wood.
2. The first recorded downhill skiing race.
The first recorded downhill skiing race was held in Sweden, in 1879.
3. Alpine skiing made its first debut in the Winter Olympics of 1936.
Alpine skiing made its first debut in the Winter Olympics of 1936 and German born Franz Pfnür became the first man to win the gold medal in the championship.
4. ‘Skiing’ is the only six-letter word in the English language.
Did you know that the word ‘Skiing’ is the only six-letter word in the English language with a double ‘i’ exactly in the middle.
5. St Bernard of Montjoux is the patron saint of skiers.
St Bernard of Montjoux is the patron saint of skiers. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1923. Bernard became a patron and protector of skiers as a result of his four decades spent in missionary work throughout the Alps. St. Bernard dogs are named after him.
6. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the man who introduced skiing to Switzerland.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the man who introduced skiing to Switzerland. After returning from one of his ski trips in Norway, he brought with him some skis as he felt Switzerland had the perfect terrain for it. In his own words, ‘I am convinced that the time will come when hundreds of English men will come to Switzerland for the skiing season.’
7. Fastest non-motorised sport on land.
Skiing is one of the fastest non-motorized sports on land. Skiers can ski faster than a car and this was proven by Simon Billy in France on 22 March 2023 who set a world speed skiing record at 255.500 km/h (158.760 mph).
8. Many skiers invoke the name of ‘Ullr’ the Norse God
Many skiers invoke the name of ‘Ullr’ the Norse God of winter and make small offerings to get him to unleash a powder dump on selected ski hills.
9. Telemark bindings invented by Norwegian Sondre Norheim
Telemark bindings invented by Norwegian Sondre Norheim, that bind the ski to the plastic boot made it possible for skiers to jump in the air.
10. Astronauts travelling to the moon should learn the art of cross country skiing
Astronaut Harrison Schmitt said that astronauts travelling to the moon should learn the art of cross country skiing as he believed that the techniques involved in skiing will help walking on the moon easier and envisioned ‘lunar skiing holidays’ in the future.
Bonus fact!
According to the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism by Swiss expert Laurent Vanat :
Lift prices in the US are most expensive in the world, followed by Switzerland and Italy. Source: Skipedia
La Tania, Courchevel
La Tania has a reputation for being friendly and having good value accommodation, bars and restaurants.
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Le Praz, Courchevel
Courchevel le Praz is the prettiest of the six villages that make up the French ski resort of Courchevel.
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good source
Skiing was introduced to the Olympics in the year of 1940. This source is clearly unreliable. I do not recommend this for academic projects.
The IOC website provides 1936 as the year skiing was introduced: https://olympics.com/en/sports/alpine-skiing/