Where are skis used? See what "Skiing" is in other dictionaries. Popularization of skis among our ancestors, the emergence of skiing
From time immemorial, northern peoples have used skis not only as a means of transportation, but also as one of the means of subsistence. On the Zalavruga rock (Karelia), near the mouth of the Vyg River, there is an image of Neolithic skiers, and in the Pskov region a ski was found that is about 4000 years old. Quite primitive skis were used by the ancient Siberian tribes, the Chinese, and the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic regions of America. In the Nikon chronicle of 1444 there is a miniature that tells about the battles of Russian troops with the Tatars. There is a mention of such rats in chronicles starting from the 16th century. From the records of the Swedish archbishop Otto Magnus, it is known how people went skiing three centuries ago. At the beginning of the 16th century, skis from Scandinavia came to Europe. At the same time, the Polish commander Stefan Batory created teams of skiers in his army.
In the 18th century, the Scandinavians used skis of various lengths: the short, right-handed one was used for repulsion, while the long, left-handed one was used for gliding. About one hundred and sixty years ago, the Norwegians held the first skiing competition, in which the future head of government won. In 1856, the Norwegian Ion Thorsteinson crossed the mountains of the Siera Nevada on skis three meters long, carrying a cargo of American mail. For this he was nicknamed "Snow Thompson". Skis sometimes had a bend both in front and behind. The sliding surface of the skis was lined with fur so that they would not slide back on the slopes. For repulsion, as before, they used one stick. When descending, for balance and braking, they sat astride a stick.
The polar explorer Nansen crossed Greenland on oak skis at the end of the 19th century, which served to popularize skiing.
Early 20th century Russian skiers organized competitions at a distance of one hundred meters. In 1911, a 724 km long route was laid between Moscow and the northern capital. The winner completed it in 294 hours and 22 minutes. Marathon runs up to two hundred kilometers long were popular in Sweden. Women took to the track in long skirts and large hats. In 1896, at the Winter Olympics, athletes competed in white trousers and black boots.
For a long time, skis were made from one piece of wood. Birch was the best material. Then the skis began to be made glued, from several layers. From the bottom, along the edges, a piping was made of hard wood.
Since 1974, they began to manufacture plastic skis. They quickly replaced wooden skis. Plastic skis had less weight, greater strength and excellent speed qualities. Plastic skis hold lubrication well and have good grip on snow. With the advent of plastic skis, there have been changes in running technique. In the manufacture of ski poles, fiberglass is also used, which is reinforced with carbon fibers. For their lightness and high strength, they began to be called "coal feather".
Cross-country skiing is extremely popular in the world. World Cups are held in cross-country skiing, biathlon and alpine skiing. Various ski disciplines are included in the program of the Winter Olympics.
Snow is one of the most common natural phenomena. On the globe, stable snow cover is located in the northern hemisphere and in Antarctica. Huge expanses of snow led to the early appearance of skis. To distant historical times to get food, to move from one settlement to another in winter in deep snow was unthinkable without special devices for legs, increasing the area of \u200b\u200bsupport, allowing you to easily and freely, like an elk on its wide-legged hooves, overcome snowdrifts in fields, forests, mountains. Thus was born the forced need to create skis - one of the most amazing inventions of primitive man.
The exact date, place, name of the inventor of the device for feet to fight snow have not been established. The first devices that man used for easier movement in deep snow were undoubtedly snowshoes or stepping skis. These oval, then rocket-shaped primitives! devices in the process of use changed significantly and gradually, through the so-called ski-shoe, took the form of sliding skis, which made it possible to significantly increase the speed of movement.
The history of skiing dates back several millennia, which is confirmed by rock paintings in the caves of Norway, made about 7000 years ago. It all started from the moment when a person discovered that by tying two pieces of wood of a special shape to his feet, he could move faster through snow-covered fields and forests while hunting. Many centuries later, approximately in the middle of the 16th century, skis began to be used by the armies of the Scandinavian countries, a little later the military was put on skis in Russia.
The appearance of skis in ancient Rus' before the beginning of our era is evidenced by studies of rock carvings near the shores of Lake Onega and the White Sea. On the rocks located near the village of Zalavruga near the Fortieth Bay of the White Sea, where the Cherny rock is located on the Vyg River, primitive man left carved inscriptions and drawings that have survived to this day. Among the many rock carvings discovered by the expeditions of A.M. Linevskiy (1926) and V.I. Ravdonikas (1936), there were also found those that are indisputable proof of the invention of skis by primitive man of the Neolithic era many thousands of years before our era. Moreover, even then it was sliding skis.
The composition of three people on skis is a unique monument of primitive art. The different degree of bending of the figures, as well as the different degree of turn of their torso, give the whole composition a special harmony and expressiveness. The figures of fifteen skiers, twelve of which have one stick in each hand, and the figure of a skier in tow are very impressive with their grace. The age of the rock drawing of a skier with an ax found off the coast of the Arctic Ocean - he is jokingly called the first biathlete - archaeologists determine the age of 12 thousand years.
Fossilized skis and their parts, which are thousands of years old, have been found in many parts of Russia, where people lived in snowy winters. One of the finds (A.M. Miklyaev, 1982) was discovered on the territory of the Pskov region. According to experts, this ski is one of the oldest - made about 4300 years ago.
The oldest example of sliding skis of the modern type was discovered (1953) in ancient Novgorod in a layer of the first half of the 111th century. The length of the ski is 1 m 92 cm, the average width is 8 cm, its front end is somewhat raised, curved and pointed. The place for installing the leg is slightly more massive, here the thickness of the ski reaches 3 cm. To thread the belt that attaches the ski to the skier's shoes, it has a through horizontal hole with a diameter of 0.5 cm.
Over the entire period of the evolution of ski equipment, which is several thousand years, there were very different versions of skis, boots and poles. The first devices for moving on snow, of course, were more like modern snowshoes, but over time they transformed, became longer and narrower to increase speed, they could already slide on the snow and their appearance looked like our usual skis.
The first ski shoes did not have a hard sole and were simply tied to the skis, since there were no special bindings. This was the case until the 30s of the 20th century, when welted boots appeared, which were actively used by skiers until the 70s.
Sticks also have an interesting history. It turns out that until the end of the 19th century, skiers used only one stick. This is due to the fact that skis were used mainly for hunting and in the army. The first sticks were wooden or bamboo, about the height of a person. Only in our time, sticks have become a high-tech product, made from lightweight aluminum or composite materials.
Later, skis began to be used, covered from below with the skin of an elk, deer or seal with a short pile located back, which made it possible to avoid slipping when climbing uphill. There is evidence that northern and eastern peoples glued skins to skis using glue made from horns, bones and blood of elk, deer or fish scales. It is known that a similar method of making skis was used by some nationalities of our country at the beginning of the 20th century.
In order for the weight of the skier to be evenly distributed along the entire length of the skis, they were given a smooth curvature, called the weight deflection. In order for the skis to better keep the track, to keep the direction, a groove was made in the sliding surface - a groove. For greater strength and flexibility, skis began to be made from several layers of wood. different breeds: birch, ash, beech, hickory. So that the sliding surface does not wear out so quickly, does not become "round" and has better grip with snow, they began to turn it over with especially durable wood, and over time - with metal edges.
The first documentary references to the use of sliding skis appeared in the 11th-UP centuries. The Gothic monk Jordanes in 552 mentions "sliding Finns" in his book. Similar data are given in the same period by the Byzantine writer Prokop, the Greek historians Iornad (6th century), Deacon (770) and other ancient authors. They described in detail the skis and their use by the northern peoples in everyday life and hunting. Skis and their use in everyday life, hunting and in military affairs are described in most detail in the book of Bishop Olaf Magnus (Olaf the Great), who was expelled from Sweden and fled to Norway. In his book "History of the Northern Peoples", published in Rome in 1555, not only a description is given, but also engravings depicting skiers are published.
Among the northern peoples of our country (Nenets, Ostyaks, Voguls, etc.), skis were widely used in everyday life and hunting. “The Saami (Lapps), Nenets, Ostyaks beat wild deer, wolves and other similar animals more with clubs, because they can easily catch up with them on skis. skiing a man,” writes Magnus.
Russian pre-revolutionary historians have repeatedly mentioned in their works that, in addition to hunting, skis in Rus' were often used during holidays and winter folk fun, where strength, agility, and endurance were demonstrated in racing and downhill. Along with other entertainment and exercises ( fist fight, horseback riding, various games and fun) skiing played an important role in physical development Russian people. Swedish diplomat Palm, who visited in the XVII century. in Rus', testified to the widespread use of skis in the Muscovite state. He described in detail the skis used local residents, and the ability of Russians to move quickly on them.
The oldest skis are in the Ski Museum in Oslo: they are 110 cm long and 20 cm wide. Hunters had skis of the same size for many centuries: hunters and trappers in Greenland, Alaska, residents of the North, Siberia, Far East still use such skis. East.
The history of the appearance of alpine skiing
According to historians, the first ski competitions took place in 1844 in the Norwegian city of Tremsey. At dawn skiing flat skis differed little from mountain skis, and competitions often, in addition to running on the plain, included descents from the slopes of the surrounding mountains and ski jumping.
Such ski triathlon has long retained its rights in different countries. In 1879, the inhabitants of the town of Telemarken staged the first "pure" skiing competitions near the Norwegian capital on Mount Gusby. Known for their skiing skills, they challenged the skiers of Christiania (that was the name of the present capital of Norway, Oslo).
Competitions on the Holmenkollersky mountains gathered a huge number of spectators. According to the description of eyewitnesses, the skiers raced along a very steep slope, from which "it was almost impossible to go down." The spectacle was so unusual and exciting that the rumor about it swept across Europe. The best skiers of the capital were put to shame. They "descended hunched", cautiously slowed down, throwing a stick from one side to the other, and did not jump from the springboards, but "fell down in bags." But the athletes from Telemarken "ride proudly straightening up, instead of a stick defiantly holding right hand spruce twig", from the springboard they flew 25 meters, and below, "raising fountains of snow, they made a spectacular turn without the help of a stick and stopped."
The art of the adherents of the new sport amazed the audience, a wave of imitation began, and the turn, called Telemark, became a model for a long time and received the widest distribution. It was performed like this: the skier put forward strongly bent leg forward and used it as a steering wheel; the other, supporting leg rested with the toe and knee on the ski; arms, like wings, were placed to the sides to maintain balance.
Needless to say, the reception was spectacular, but unreliable. At high speed, the skiers could not withstand the combat with centrifugal forces and fell. It was difficult to make such a turn on an uneven slope that required cushioning movements. Over time, the telemark was replaced by a plow, and then a turn on parallel skis, called "Christianity". They say that the Norwegians invented "Christianity" by accident: ski jumpers, in order to stop, leaned to the side in a deep squat, holding on to the snow with one hand, and the skis turned in the same direction. And yet, the founders of modern skiing are considered not Norwegians, but Austrians.
The Austrian alpinist and skier Matthias Zdarsky in 1896 applied a non-stop descent with turns; he invented the plow, there was a thrust technique. Turning in the plow required stiffer boots and stronger bindings. At the end of the last century, he published the first textbook on skiing technique, where he summarized all the achievements available at that time, proposed a more progressive form of skis and bindings (although Zdarsky's technique also relied on one stick), outlined the basics of group training.
Since 1905, skiers have been competing in the Alps for ... the number of turns. was taken into account maximum amount turns in a given segment, as well as the number of turns per unit of time (these rules are somewhat reminiscent of the current water skiing competitions).
6 years later, in the winter of 1911, in the Swiss Alps near Montana, downhill competitions were held for the first time: 10 skiers simultaneously raced from the upper reaches of the glacier across the virgin lands to a common finish.
It took almost 20 years for fans of a new sport to convince the International Ski Federation (FIS) to "recognize" skiing as an independent species. Slalom and downhill for men and women were included in the program of the World Ski Championship only in 1931, where the British excelled. However, representatives of the Alpine countries soon become leaders of the new sport: Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy. Only from time to time athletes from other countries "break" into their dense ranks.
History of cross-country skiing
Interest in skiing as a sport was first shown by Norwegians. In 1733, Hans Emahusen published an instruction on ski training troops from sports bias. In 1767, competitions were held in all types of skiing (in modern terminology): biathlon, slalom, downhill and racing. The world's first exhibition various types ski and ski equipment was opened in Trondheim, in 1862-1863. In 1877, the first ski sports society was organized in Norway, and a sports club was soon opened in Finland. Then ski clubs began to function in other countries of Europe, Asia and America. The popularity of ski holidays grew in Norway - the Holmenholen Games (1883), Finland - the Lakhta Games (1922), Sweden - the mass ski race "Vassalopet" (1922). At the end of the 19th century skiing competitions began to be held in all countries of the world.
Ski specialization in different countries was different. In Norway, cross-country racing, jumping and biathlon have received great development. In Sweden, cross-country racing. In Finland and Russia - racing on flat terrain. In the United States, Scandinavian immigrants contributed to the development of skiing. In Japan, skiing, under the influence of Austrian coaches, received a ski direction. In 1910, an international ski congress was held in Oslo with the participation of 10 countries. It created the International Ski Commission, reorganized into the International Ski Federation (1924).
In the second half of the 19th century In Russia, an organized sports movement began to develop. On December 29, 1895, the grand opening of the first organization in the country leading the development of skis, the Moscow Ski Club, took place in Moscow. This official date is considered to be the birthday of skiing in our country. In addition to the Moscow Ski Club, in 1901 the "Society of Ski Lovers" was created, and in 1910, the Sokolniki Ski Club. By analogy with Moscow, in 1897 the Polar Star ski club was created in St. Petersburg. In those years, skiing in Moscow was cultivated in winter time in 11 more clubs, in St. Petersburg in 8 clubs in other sports.
In 1910, the Moscow ski clubs merged into the Moscow Ski League. The League carried out public management of skiing not only in Moscow, but also in other cities of Russia. During the ski season 1909-1910. was held in Moscow record number competitions - eighteen, in which 100 participants performed. On February 7, 1910, 12 skiers from Moscow and St. Petersburg competed for the first personal championship of the country in a 30 km cross-country ski race. The title of the first Russian skier was awarded to Pavel Bychkov. The first competition of the country among women was played in 1921, Natalya Kuznetsova won at a distance of 3 km.
On international competitions the strongest Russian skiers, national champions Pavel Bychkov and Alexander Nemukhin participated for the first time in 1913 in Sweden at the Northern Games. Skiers competed at three distances - 30, 60 and 90 km. They performed unsuccessfully, but learned a lot useful lessons on the technique of skiing, ski lubrication, equipment design.
Before the start of the First World War, 5 championships of Russia were held. In 1918, skiing was included in the number of academic disciplines of the first curriculum of higher physical education.
By the number of victories in the national championships 1910-1954. Zoya Bolotova, an eighteen-time champion, occupies the highest rating. Among men, Dmitry Vasiliev was the strongest - 16 victories, he is the first holder of the title of "Honored Master of Sports". In total for the period 1910-1995. 76 national championships were held at distances from 10 to 70 km for men, and from 3 to 50 km for women. Since 1963, the ultramarathon distance for men has been included in the program of the national championship - 70 km. In women, since 1972, the longest distance has become 30 km, and since 1994 - 50 km. The record-breaking 4-day men's race was held in 1938 - 232 km from Yaroslavl to Moscow. Dmitry Vasiliev won - his time was 18 hours 41 minutes 02 seconds.
The record of the first skiing century in terms of the number of victories in the national championships was set by Galina Kulakova - 39 gold medals. Sports achivments Galina Kulakova was awarded by the International Olympic Committee - the Olympic Silver Order.
On the recommendation of the Russian Olympic Committee, the first international Coubertin prize among our compatriots was awarded to Raisa Smetanina, the leader of the world elite of skiers. A participant in five Olympics, eight world championships, Raisa Smetanina set another unique record for sports longevity - she was crowned with a gold medal at the age of 40 at her fifth Olympics.
Can you ski? Personally, I'm much better at skating. But today it doesn't matter. After all, only in ancient times to hunt, get food, move from one settlement to another in winter in deep snow was unthinkable without special devices.
It is believed that the history of skiing began 20 - 30 thousand years ago. For some peoples, these were round or oblong planks, for others, woven branches, somewhat reminiscent of a tennis racket with a leg mount. Even horses were shod in such "skis" by the inhabitants of the mountainous regions.
At the same time, the inhabitants of warm countries could not even think of such an invention. Returning from travels in the snowy lands, they told amazing stories: “Monsters live in those snows on one leg, and they run through the snow with incredible speed.
- real devils! But these words were all true. scandinavian hunters they were dressed in fur skins from head to toe, and they glided on one long ski, the other - a small one - was used for pushing. Also, very long skiers used only one pole. After all, they are primarily hunters or warriors, and they needed a free hand to hold a bow, a gun or prey.
Later skis began to be covered with elk skin from below, deer or seals with a short pile located back. When the skier went uphill, the fur did not let him slip back. Northern and eastern peoples glued skins to skis using glue made from the horns and bones of an elk, deer or fish scales.
Gradually, the skis began to take on the shape familiar to you and me: in order for the weight of the skier to be evenly distributed along the entire length of the skis, they gently curved; so that the skis keep the track better, keep the direction, make a recess in the sliding surface - gutter. For greater strength and flexibility, skis began to be made from several layers of wood of different species: birch, ash, beech, hickory. So that the sliding surface does not wear out so quickly, does not become “round” and has better grip with snow, they began to upholster it around the edges with durable wood, and eventually with metal twigs.
Skiing has become not only popular, but also fashionable., and this gave rise to many funny situations. Elegantly dressed ladies attacked the woodworkers, begging them to carve small skis for their dogs, and ardent gentlemen gave the ladies skis designed for riding together.
In our time skiing is, first of all, a sport or a winter hobby. And they improve only in order to give the skier more speed and maneuverability. More recently, about 50 years ago, the history of plastic skis. In just a few years, they almost completely replaced wooden skis from the sport. This was due to their lighter weight, greater strength and excellent "running" qualities.
Improved and ski poles. For example, a smooth rod pressed from a mixture of crushed coal and clay is inserted inside each handle, which is lit with a match and smolders for 4 hours. Even in cold weather, you can walk on the track without gloves.
Originated in the Scandinavian countries in the Middle Ages. Even in the records of 1700, it is told about ski races after making a bet. It was probably the first competition.
Officially, the history of skiing began in the Norwegian military department. Sports skiing was encouraged among the recruits of ski formations. Hans Emahusen in 1733 published the first instruction for troops on ski training, with a sports bias. The first rules appeared ski competitions who held in 1767 by different types for today's slalom, biathlon, racing and downhill. Top Athletes were awarded. In order to promote skiing among the civilians of the country, a sports and military review was held in Oslo in 1814.
The rich history of skiing, which began in Norway, has been rapidly developed in all major world states. After the organization in 1877 of the first Norwegian ski sports society, for 20 years, similar problems arose around the world. sports clubs. Finland was the first to adopt the experience, in 1883 - Hungary, in 1891 - Austria and Switzerland, in 1803 - Germany and Italy, in 1895 - Sweden and Russia, in 1900 - the USA and Bulgaria, in 1902 - England, in 1912 - Japan.
A huge contribution to skiing was made by Arctic explorers: Adolf Nordenskiöld in 1883-1884, Fridtjof Nansen during the ski crossing through Greenland in 1889, Roald Amundsen in 1910-1911, on an expedition to the South Pole, whose participants passed over 2800 km skiing. At the end of XIX - beginning of XX centuries. competitions began to be held regularly in all major countries of the world. However, the direction of development of species in different countries was different. Jumping, cross-country racing and biathlon developed in Norway. In Finland, cross-country skiing on the plain has developed. mountain views popular in the Alpine countries. In the United States, the specialization of the development of sports was influenced by Scandinavian immigrants. Ski direction, under the influence of coaches from Austria, got skiing in Japan.
The history of skiing received a new impetus after the international ski congress with the participation of 10 countries in 1910 in the city of Oslo. The International Ski Commission created here, reorganized in 1924 into the International Ski Federation (FIS), began to actively conduct worldwide ski competitions, including all types. In 1924, the first Winter Olympic Games took place, in 1926 - the World Championship, and in 1928 - the Universiade.
The development of skiing in Russia
Russian history skiing began at the end of the 19th century. For a long time, domestic athletes were inferior to foreign ones, because development was slow, skiing was more of an entertaining nature. The first competition took place in 1894 in St. Petersburg. The Moscow Ski Club (MKL) appeared in 1894 and had only 36 members in the first year. Ski enthusiasts promoted their hobby in Moscow and other cities, attracting new active participants to their ranks. The Polar Star club in St. Petersburg was their next achievement.
Due to the high cost of sports equipment, the entrance broad masses in ski clubs was not available. Despite the creation of new ski clubs Petersburg, Moscow, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Smolensk, Tula and other cities, at the beginning of the 20th century. skiing could not be widely spread in Russia. Only after the creation in 1910 of the Moscow League of Skiers (MLL), which united 10 clubs at once, and soon the establishment of the All-Russian Union of Skiers, the number of competitions increased, and it became possible to coordinate the country's ski movement.
At the moment, the situation with skiing in Russia is radically different. It can be safely attributed to mass sports, especially for skiing. Our athletes take an active part in all world competitions and compete for gold medals on an equal basis with the leaders.
Characteristics of the types of skiing
Skiing includes alpine skiing, cross-country skiing at various distances, biathlon (race and jumping), ski jumping. Conventionally, the types of competitions in can be divided into northern types, alpine types, freestyle and snowboarding.
Nordic events consist of cross-country skiing, ski jumping, orienteering, or a Nordic combination. Alpine views are everything that makes skiing: slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super giant slalom, ski combination. Freestyle is called descent from the slope using elements of acrobatic jumps and ballet on skis. A snowboard is a descent on one special board.
There are also such types of skiing as biathlon, skitour, ski touring, orienteering skiing, ski mountaineering. Skiing is unusually diverse and rich various types. Anyone can choose for themselves a suitable direction that meets their needs and skills. In addition, it is a sport that improves health and brings a lot of pleasure.
“Skiing may not be happiness, but it may well replace it,” one of the great French skiers once said. In the midst of the ski season and before the main period of trips to ski resorts we offer you a photo story about how the skis themselves and their role in the lives of our compatriots have changed from time immemorial to the present day.
1. The first mention of skis was found in rock art thousands of years before our era. northern peoples, including our distant ancestors, this invention was simply vital in order to be able to move through the snow and get food in the winter.
2. Many centuries later, namely, from about the middle of the 16th century, skis began to be used by the military. In the photo: a painting by Ivanov S.V. "The campaign of the Muscovites. XVI century". The painting itself dates from 1903.
3. In general, until the very end of the 19th century, skis were used mainly for hunting and in the army, so skiers all this time used only one stick - the second hand had to remain free. As a sport, skiing in Russia received official recognition in 1895, when the first ski races took place. Photo: Getty Images
4. At first, skis did not have special shoes and were simply tied to the existing one. And given the famous Russian frosts, felt boots were most often the first ski shoes. So it was until the 30s of the twentieth century, when welt boots and bindings appeared, which were actively used by skiers until the 70s, and sometimes continue to be used today. In the photo: Russian soldier on skis and in felt boots, 1900-1919.
5. In the Soviet Union, as is known, physical culture and sports occupied a very honorable place in the life of every citizen. And skiing - first of all, cross-country skiing - has become one of the most common and popular winter views sports. Millions of fans of sports and healthy lifestyle life annually took part in mass ski races.
6. They began to get involved in skiing from childhood - in the long winter months, without exception, all Soviet schoolchildren went in for physical education on cross-country skis. In the photo: Moscow State University, Moscow, 1959.
7. And this is a physical education lesson in Ulyanovsk in 1967. Photo: Sergey Yuriev
8. For adults, skiing was also considered a great way to spend winter leisure and even often replaced romantic dates. It's time to remember the famous Soviet ski wax with its specific smell, far from any romance. However, without it, wooden skis, for which there was no alternative then, did not go. Photo: Sergey Yuriev
9. As for alpine skiing, they began to develop in Russia much later than cross-country skiing, and at first they were mainly part of the training of climbers. In the photo: Dombay, 1937
10. The first "breakthrough" in the Soviet skiing occurred in 1956, when Evgenia Sidorova (pictured) won the first Olympic medal for winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The athlete took third place, despite a shoulder injury.
11. After that, in the 60s, alpine skiing began to gain unprecedented popularity in the country. And Dombay began to turn from a climbing camp into the country's main ski resort. In 1964, the construction of a recreation and sports complex began here, including a network of hotels, bases, huts and cable cars. In the photo: modern Dombay
12. Another remarkable period in the history of Russian alpine skiing is the era of the "golden team", the time of our triumph in the late 70s - early 80s, when skiers led by Alexander Zhirov literally broke into the pedestals of the World Cup stages. The headlines of sports newspapers were impressive: “Akhtung! The Russians are coming”, “Russians are striving to become leaders”, “24 days of the Russian miracle”. The period of the "golden team" was the time of the flourishing of talents and the long-awaited victories of domestic sports. Photo: Roman Denisov
13. In 1974, there was a real revolution in the ski world - the first plastic skis appeared. At the same time, boots and bindings began to be actively improved. As a result, ski equipment acquired quite modern look, although the skis themselves, and the bindings and boots continue to be constantly improved even now. Photo: Roman Denisov
14. Modern lovers ski types There are many sports to choose from: shops provide a wide range of ski products, among which not only an amateur, but also a professional can find suitable equipment.
15. Nowadays, schoolchildren are still supposed to learn the basics of cross-country skiing.
16. Alpine skiing and trips to ski resorts are gaining more and more popularity among compatriots every year. Photo: Roman Denisov
17. Some parents begin to introduce kids to their favorite sport from the very beginning. early age- ski schools accept students from three years old.
18. And for those who can’t live without skis even in summer, covered ski resorts with artificial snow.
