Editing Skiing (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of skiing}}
[[File:Ski-kampioen Jan Boon demonstreert op Duinrell.ogv|thumb|right|Video demonstration of a variety of ski techniques used in the 1940s.]]
Skiing has a history of almost five millennia.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Formenti |display-authors=etal |title=Human locomotion on snow: determinants of economy and speed of skiing across the ages|journal=Proceedings. Biological Sciences |volume=272 |issue=1572 |pages=1561–1569 |date=2005|pmc=1559840 |pmid=16048771 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2005.3121 }}</ref> Although modern skiing has evolved from beginnings in [[Scandinavia]], it may have been practiced more than 100 centuries ago in the [[Altai Mountains]], according to an interpretation of ancient paintings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ancient paintings suggest China invented skiing|work=China View|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|date=25 January 2006|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/25/content_4098439.htm|access-date=2015-01-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329044654/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/25/content_4098439.htm|archive-date=29 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Marquand|first=Edward|title=Before Scandinavia: These could be the first skiers|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|date=15 March 2006|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0315/p01s01-woap.html|access-date=8 March 2015|archive-date=9 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009125303/https://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0315/p01s01-woap.html|url-status=live}}</ref> However, this continues to be debated.<ref>{{cite web|last=Krichko|first=Kade|title=China's Stone Age Skiers and History's Harsh Lessons|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=19 April 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/19/sports/skiing/skiing-china-cave-paintings.html|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=28 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528200711/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/19/sports/skiing/skiing-china-cave-paintings.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Larsen|first=Nils|title=Origin Story: Where did skiing begin?|work=International Skiing History Association|date=12 June 2017|url=https://www.skiinghistory.org/news/origin-story-where-did-skiing-begin|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502032612/https://www.skiinghistory.org/news/origin-story-where-did-skiing-begin|url-status=live}}</ref>

The word "ski" comes from the [[Old Norse]] word "skíð" which means to "split piece of wood or firewood".<ref>Caprona, Yann de: ''Norsk etymologisk ordbok''. Oslo: Kagge forlag, 2014. {{ISBN|9788248910541}}.</ref>

Asymmetrical skis were used in northern Finland and Sweden until at least the late 19th century. On one foot, the skier wore a long straight non-arching ski for sliding, and a shorter ski was worn on the other foot for kicking. The underside of the short ski was either plain or covered with animal skin to aid this use, while the long ski supporting the weight of the skier was treated with animal fat in a similar manner to modern [[ski wax]]ing.

Early skiers used one long pole or spear. The first description of a skier with two [[ski pole]]s dates to 1741.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hergstrom|first=P|title=Beschreibung von dem unter schwedischer Krone gehörigen Lappland|year=1748|publisher=von Rother|location=Leipzig}}</ref>

Troops in continental Europe were equipped with skis by 1747,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000085/17470620/014/0002|title=Newcastle Courant|access-date=29 September 2019}}{{subscription required|via=The British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> and into the 21st century many nations continue to equip and train specialized troops for [[ski warfare]].

Skiing was primarily used for transport until the mid-19th century but, since then, it has also become a recreation and sport.<ref name=Saur>Saur, Lasse (1999): ''Norske ski - til glede og besvær.'' Research report, Høgskolen i Finnmark.</ref> Military ski races were held in Norway during the 18th century,<ref>Bergsland, Einar (1946): På ski. Oslo: Aschehoug.</ref> and [[ski warfare]] was studied in the late 18th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=How concern for the national health and military preparedness led France to build the infrastructure for Chamonix, 1924|url=https://skiinghistory.org/news/french-connection-first-winter-games|date=30 January 2014|author=E. John B. Allen|work=International Skiing History Association|access-date=17 July 2014|archive-date=25 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725112252/https://skiinghistory.org/news/french-connection-first-winter-games|url-status=live}}</ref> As equipment evolved and [[ski lift]]s were developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, two main genres of skiing emerged—[[alpine skiing|Alpine (downhill) skiing]] and [[Nordic skiing]]. The main difference between the two is the type of [[ski binding]] (the way in which the [[ski boot]]s are attached to the skis).