What Are Skiers?

Skiing is a winter sport that is practiced on mountain ranges and in snow-covered regions in many locations all over the world. The use of skis, boot and bindings allow the skier to travel swiftly over snow. The first skiers are thought to have been Nordic people living in what is now known as Sweden and Norway. Skiers are people who practice the sport of skiing; some skiers are professional skiers and others enjoy skiing as a purely recreational activity.

  1. Alpine skiers

    • Alpine skiers, sometimes referred to as downhill skiers, make up a large portion of the skiing community. Alpine skiers are most commonly found at ski resorts that have a lift system to transport them to different runs. Alpine skiing is a popular recreational sport as well as a professional sport. Alpine skiers are featured in Winter Olympics events and compete in a variety of downhill races, including the super giant slalom, also known as Super-G.

    Cross-country Skiers

    • Cross-country skiing, also known as Nordic skiing, is possibly the oldest type of skiing, and is different from alpine skiing because the terrain is often flat. Cross-country skiers use telemark skis, a type of ski that connects the boot at the toe only. This allows the skier to propel himself across the snow more effectively than when using boots completely fixed to the ski, as in alpine skiing. Professional cross-country skiers can compete in the cross-country races at the Winter Olympics.

    Backcountry Skiers

    • Backcountry skiers are similar to alpine skiers; other common names for backcountry skiing include off-piste skiing, ski touring and ski mountaineering. The general idea of this type of skiing is to find fresh snow to ski by hiking up mountains or in backcountry areas where there are no ski resort pistes. Backcountry skiers often hike to an isolated slope where the snow is fresh, and enjoy the thrill of skiing between trees in fresh snow. Sometimes helicopters are used by backcountry skiers to give them access to the most remote locations.

    Freestyle Skiers

    • Freestyle skiers are making an impact on the sport of skiing because of the inventive new tricks they perform and their progressive nature. Its increasing popularity, especially with the younger generation, has made freestyle skiing an established discipline within the skiing family. During the 1990s, freestyle skiers in Canada began using snow parks originally designed for snowboarders. Use of ramps, rails and halfpipes by freestyle skiers is now common. Freestyle skiers generally use twin-tip skis, which allow them to take off and land from jumps while facing backwards.