Obviously the principal use of skis until recently was for the transportation of goods and people or for the swift movement of soldiers patrolling remote, icy borders. Horses were clearly not much use in three metres of snow, so other methods had to be developed and skis quickly became as natural an accoutrement of everyday life as hats and gloves.

The Olympic Winter Games present five disciplines of Skiing: Alpine, Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle as well as Snowboarding. To compete in these various disciplines one needs to master speed, endurance, dexterity, and determination.

Alpine Skiing
People began strapping skis to their feet as far back as 5000 years ago. It is believed that Norwegians were the first - they used skis as a way of hunting across snow-covered terrain. From Norway, skiing spread throughout Scandinavia and Russia as a mode of winter transportation and eventually as a sport similar to cross-country skiing. Alpine skiing evolved from cross-country skiing. The first alpine skiing competition, a primitive downhill, was held in the 1850s in Oslo. A few decades later, the sport spread to the remainder of Europe and to the United States, where miners held skiing competitions to entertain themselves during the winter.

The first slalom was organised in 1922 in M�rren, Switzerland, and two years later such a race became the first Olympic Alpine event. The Arlberg-Kandahar, a combined slalom and downhill event, is now referred to as the first legitimate Alpine event - the race that planted the seed for Alpine's inclusion in the Olympic programme.

Alpine skiing became part of the Olympic programme at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Games with a men's and women's combined event.

Competition
The Olympic Alpine competition consists of ten events: five for women and five for men. The rules are the same for men and women, but the courses differ. In all cases, time is measured to .01 seconds and ties are permitted.

     The Alpine Events:

Downhill: The downhill features the longest course and the highest speeds in Alpine skiing. Each skier makes a single run down a single course and the fastest time determines the winner.

Super-G: Super-G stands for super giant slalom, an event that combines the speed of downhill with the more precise turns of giant slalom. The course is shorter than downhill but longer than a giant slalom course. Each skier makes one run down a single course and the fastest time determines the winner.

Giant Slalom: Also known as the GS. It is a similar version to the slalom, with fewer turns and wider, smoother turns. Each skier makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs take place on the same day, usually with the first run held in the morning and the second run in the afternoon. The times are added, and the fastest total time determines the winner.

Slalom: The slalom features the shortest course and the quickest turns. As in the giant slalom, each skier makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs take place on the same day. The times are added and the fastest total time determines the winner.

Combined: The combined event consists of one downhill followed by two slalom runs. The times are added together and the fastest total time determines the winner. The combined downhill and the combined slalom are contested independently of the regular downhill and slalom events, and the combined courses are shorter than the regular versions. In 2002, for the first time at an Olympic Winter Games, the entire combined event is being held on a single day at the same venue. Also, the combined slalom is held on the lower part of the combined downhill slope, which has not always been the case.

Cross Country Skiing
There is evidence that primitive skis were used in Norway over 5000 years ago. As early as the 10th century, Vikings used skis for transportation. It wasn't until the 19th century, however, that ski competitions came into existence, starting in Norway. The famous Holmenkollen ski festival was started in 1892. At first, the main focus of these Nordic festivals was the Nordic combined event - cross-country skiing and ski jumping. In 1900, a separate cross-country race was held at the Holmenkollen.

Competition
At the Olympic Winter Games, cross-country consists of twelve events. Women compete in the 1.5km sprint, 10km classical, combined pursuit, 15km freestyle, 30km classical, and 4x5km relay. Men compete in 1.5km sprint, 15km classical, combined pursuit, 30km freestyle, 50km classical and 4x10km relay.

The 1.5 km sprint
The 1.5 km sprint, is the shortest event on the cross-country programme, and any style of skiing is permitted. The sprint events are different from the other cross-country events in that they are contested in a series of elimination rounds.

The combined pursuit
The combined pursuit features two separate races on the same day. The first part of the event is 5 kilometres ski -classical style. The second part is a 5-kilometre freestyle race. Competitors start the freestyle portion staggered according to their finish in the classical portion. The athlete who crosses the finish line first is the winner.

The classical races
In the classical races, skiers use the traditional straight-striding technique (called a "diagonal stride") and do not deviate from distinct parallel tracks. The form required for classical skiing resembles the form used on a typical cross-country exercise machine.

The freestyle technique
The freestyle technique, which is often referred to as "skating," has no restrictions. The athletes do not keep their skis within narrow tracks but instead push off with both legs in a motion that resembles skating.

The relay event
For the relay event, each team is composed of four skiers, each of whom skis one of the four 5km or 10km relay legs. The first two legs of the relay are classical style. The final two are freestyle.

Freestyle Skiing
Freestyle skiing is a product of America in the 1960s, when social change and freedom of expression led to new and exciting skiing techniques. Originally a mix of alpine skiing and acrobatics, freestyle skiing developed over the decades into the present-day Olympic sport.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) recognised freestyle as a sport in 1979 and brought in new regulations regarding certification of athletes and jump techniques in an effort to curb the dangerous elements of the competitions. The first World Cup series was staged in 1980 and the first World Championships took place in 1986 in Tignes, France, featuring moguls, aerials and ballet.

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