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WorldNet Service Installation Disk - Cybercathlon Games and Interactive Tour of Olympic Museum (1996).ISO
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00845_Field_wt9.txt.txt
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1996-06-03
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Cross-country skiing has been a
means of transportation for
thousands of years in Scandinavia,
but formal ski races were not held
until the mid-1800s in Norway.
Cross- country skiing was part of
the very first Winter Olympics but
women did not compete in cross
country events until 1952.
Cross country skis are narrower
and lighter than Alpine (downhill)
skis and special bindings allow the
heel to lift with each stride. Poles,
too, are longer and lighter than
those used in downhill skiing.
There are currently six women's
and six men's events in Nordic
skiing, including a relay race, and
for men only, a combined event
featuring skiing and ski jumping.
Norwegians, Finns and Swedes
dominated cross country events,
winning every Gold, Silver and
Bronze medal until 1956, when the
Soviet Union joined the Games.
The Soviet women in particular
have been very strong. The East
Germans also had great success
in the 1970s. The U.S. has won
only one medal in cross-country
events, when William "Bill" Koch
captured a Silver in 1976 at
Innsbruck. In both the 1992 and
1994 Winter Olympics, the Italians
made a very strong showing,
breaking the Soviet (now Russian)
and Scandinavian domination in
these events.