Ski

(ca. 1755) [from Old Norse skith, stick of wood]

Wintersport: One of a pair of narrow strips of wood, metal, or plastic curving upward in front that are used especially for gliding over snow. The word is also used as a verb, to ski, when a skier glides on skis for traveling or as a sport.

Cross-country skiing is the recreation with one of the greatest demands for energy and involves rates of 15 kilocalories per minute, or even more, for long periods.

Famous events:

The Birkebeiner (Birchlegs), a yearly ski competition in the memory of the partisans Torstein Skjelva and Skjervald Skrukka escaping in the year 1206, 60 kilometers on skis, from the bagler faction with the two-year-old Prince Håkon, future King Håkon IV.

Børge Ousland expedition history, from 1986 to 2005. Born in 1962, Ousland is one of the greatest adventurers/explorers of our time. He has accomplished solo expeditions to both the South and North Poles and solo crossings of both the Antarctic and the Arctic from coasts to coasts.

Read about wintersports in Norway

Read an interesting article about Skiing and the Creation of a Norwegian Identity

Another article, about Norway as The cradle of skiing