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Nordic Skiing
Photo from VIII Paralympic Winter
Games. (2001). Challenge Magazine, 5(3), 28. |
Nordic skiing is an
official sport of the Paralympic Games, Deaflympics, and Special
Olympics World Games. |
Athlete Eligibility and Classification
Paralympic competition accommodates athletes with
physical disabilities such as spinal injury, cerebral palsy, amputation,
and les autres conditions, athletes with vision impairments and
blindness, and athletes with cognitive disabilities. There are ten
classifications for athletes with physical disabilities, three for athletes
with vision loss, and one for athletes with cognitive disabilities. When
classifications are combined in competition due to an insufficient
number of athletes in a class, a formula is used to "factor" athletes'
times according to their classification status. A more
detailed description of the classification profiles is posted on the
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) web site at
http://www.paralympic.org. Click
on "sports," then "classification," then "winter sports."
|
Class |
Disability |
Equipment* |
| LW2 |
Disability of one leg, above the knee |
1 ski, 2
poles |
| LW3 |
Disability of both legs, below the knee |
2 skis,
2 poles |
| LW4 |
Disability of one leg, below the knee |
2 skis,
2 poles |
| LW5/7 |
Disability of both arms or hands |
2 skis,
no poles |
| LW6/8 |
Disability of one arm or hand |
2 skis,
1 pole |
| LW9 |
Disability of a combination of arm and leg - Class LW9/1 for
amputees, Class LW9/2 for cerebral palsy |
1 or 2 skis,
2 poles |
| LW10 |
Competes
sitting, lower limb disabilities with no functional sitting balance |
Sit-ski |
| LW11 |
Competes
sitting, lower limb disabilities with fair sitting balance |
Sit-ski |
| LW12 |
Competes
sitting, lower limb disabilities with good sitting balance - Class
LW12/1 for paraplegia, Class LW12/2 for double above-knee amputees |
Sit-ski |
| B1 |
No
usable vision for skiing |
2 skis,
2 poles |
| B2 |
Partially sighted with little remaining sight |
2 skis,
2 poles |
| B3 |
Partially sighted with more remaining sight |
2 skis,
2 poles |
| |
Intellectual disability - IQ score of 70 or less and need for
special services in school, work, or community settings. |
2 skis,
2 poles |
Skiers who compete in Special Olympics events must
have a primary diagnosis of mental retardation. They are classified
according to a process called divisioning in which athletes are
grouped by ability levels for competition. Divisioning is described on
the SOI web site at
http://www.specialolympics.org. Click on "games and competitions,"
then choose "general rules" from the drop-down menu, then go to "Section
V - Special Olympics Divisioning." Athletes without mental retardation
may compete as partners to Special Olympics athletes in Unified Sports
events.
Skiers who are deaf compete under CISS rules which
require a minimum hearing loss of 55 dB in the better ear.
Classification procedures and criteria are described on the CISS web
site at http://www.ciss.org. Click on
"about," then "regulations," then scroll down to Article 1.3 on
eligibility.
Events
Nordic skiing at the
Paralympic Games involves two disciplines, cross-country skiing and
biathlon.
 | "Standing" cross-country events for men include
the 5km classic style and 10km and 20 km freestyles. Standing
events for women include the 5km classic style, 10km and 15km freestyles. |
| Sit-ski distances for men are 5km, 10km, and
15km. Sit-ski distances for women are 2.5km, 5km, and 10km. |
| Men's events also include a three-person relay
(2.5km sit-ski + 5km classic style + 5km freestyle). Women compete in
a 3 x 2.5km relay in classic style. In the women's relay, at least one
skier must be from the B1, LW3, LW5/7, or LW10-12 classifications. |
|
Photo from VIII Paralympic
Winter
Games. (2001). Challenge
Magazine, 5(3), 28. |
| There are four biathlon events - men's freestyle,
men's sit-ski, women's freestyle, and women's sit-ski - all of which are
7.5km in distance. |
The cross-country skiing events contested at the
Deaflympics are the men's 10km classical, 15km pursuit, and 3 x 10km relay, and the
women's 5km classical, 10km pursuit, and 3 x 5km relay.
Special Olympics cross-country skiing events include
the 500m, 1km, 3km, 5km, 7.5km, 10km, and 4 x 1km relay. All distances
except the 500m are also contested as Unified Sports events. Four additional
events are held for athletes with less ability, namely the 50m race, 100m
race, 10m-15m glide, and 10m ski walk. Athletes in these special events
compete head-to-head on a flat course with eight parallel marked lanes. The
classical style is used for the 50m and 100m races. The 10m-15m race
involves gliding on skis, and the 10m ski walk involves walking with skis.
Playing Area
Nordic skiing events are held on groomed
snow-covered trails
over natural terrain with hills, valleys, etc. (but no mountains!).
Obstacles must be removed, and the course must be marked with
checkpoints and distance markers. According to Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) rules, in principal,
cross-country skiing courses should consist of: (a)
⅓ up hills with a grade between 9%-18%; (b)
⅓ undulating, rolling terrain with short climbs and downhills; and ⅓
varied downhills. The FIS rules further regulate the maximum height
difference between the lowest and highest part of the course, the
maximum height of any single climb, the total climb distance across a
course, and the grades of the up hills and downhills. The maximum height
of single climbs is illustrated in the following figure.
 The skiing
areas of biathlon courses are similar to cross-country skiing courses. The
rules of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) specify the dimensions and
characteristics of shooting ranges, as well as the distance between shooting
ranges. The 7.5km biathlon events in Paralympic competition are conducted as
three loops of a 2.5km course, punctuated with two bouts of shooting at five
targets. Cross-Country Skiing Rules
The international governing body for alpine skiing
is the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS). With a few exceptions,
the FIS rules are used for Paralympic, Deaflympics, and Special Olympics
competition. The FIS rules can be accessed at
http://www.fis-ski.com. The FIS
rules recognize several disciplines of cross-country skiing; however,
this discussion focuses only on the individual distance races, pursuit
races, and relays that are conducted in Paralympic, Deaflympics, and
Special Olympics World Games competition.
| Individual distance races. Two different
styles are used in individual races - classical and free style. The
skier must use the prescribed style. Skiers start individually at
predetermined start intervals. The athlete with the fastest time wins
the race. While racing, skiers must use a pre-determined course that
includes several checkpoints. Slower skiers must yield right-of-way to
faster skiers. Changing skis during a race is prohibited.
 | Classical style. In classical races, skiers use the traditional straight-striding
technique (called a "diagonal stride") and do not deviate from
distinct parallel tracks. According to FIS
rules, acceptable techniques include diagonal, double poling,
herringbone without a gliding phase, downhill, and turning.
|
| Freestyle. There are no technique
restrictions in freestyle events. Most athletes use a technique that
resembles ice skating. Freestyle races
usually are faster
than classical races. |
|
| Pursuit races. Athletes who competed in
the previous day's men's 10km or women's 5km classical individual
races are eligible to compete in the pursuit race. Skiers start
individually in order of their finish in the individual race, with the
winner skiing first. Subsequent skiers begin their pursuit based upon
the time difference from their finish in the individual race. The
first skier to cross the finish line is the winner. As in individual
races, slower skiers must yield right-of-way to faster skiers. A skier
may change one ski during a race in the event of a broken binding or
ski. |
| Relays. Relay teams are comprised of
three or four skiers depending upon the event rules. In a four-person
relay, the first two legs are skied using classical style and the last
two legs in freestyle. Hand-offs occur in a 30m long exchange zone.
The first team to finish the race is the winner. As in individual
races, slower skiers must yield right-of-way to faster skiers. A skier
may change one ski during a race in the event of a broken binding or
ski. |
FIS rules are used with few modifications in
Paralympic, Deaflympics, and Special Olympics competition.
| Paralympics. - sitskis, sighted guides,
black goggles, shorter courses and hills for some classes.
| Skiers with physical disabilities in the LW10,
LW11, and LW12 classifications use sit-skis that have a chair
mounted over two ski blades. |
| Skiers in the LW2 and LW9 classifications who
compete using only one ski are not allowed to use the free limb in
contact with the snow to gain speed or to keep balance. |
| Skiers in the B1 and B2 classifications are required
to have a sighted guide. Guides are recommended for B3
skiers.
 | Guidance must be by voice only. Radio
communication and voice amplification between skier and guide is
permitted. |
| No physical contact between the skier and
guide is permitted, except in the case of a fall. |
| The guide may lead or follow the blind
skier, or may use a parallel track if one is available. |
| Guides must wear specially colored bibs for
identification. |
|
| Skiers in the B1 classification must wear
black shades/glasses during competition. |
|
| Deaflympics. FIS rules are used without
modification. |
| Special Olympics World Games. FIS rules
are used without modification. In Unified Sports events, the aggregate
time of the Special Olympics athlete and the Unified Sports partner
determines order of finish. |
Biathlon Rules
The international governing body for alpine skiing
is the International Biathlon Union (IBU). With a few exceptions, the
IBU rules are used for Paralympic competition. The IBU rules can be
accessed at http://www.ibu.at. The
FIS rules recognize several disciplines of biathlon; however, this
discussion focuses only on the individual distance races that are
conducted in Paralympic competition.
Biathletes use freestyle skiing technique to
complete a cross-country skiing course. At specified intervals, the
biathlete stops to shoot at stationary targets. Ammunition may not be
loaded into the rifle until the athlete arrives at the shooting range.
The athlete must hit five targets using only five bullets, or s/he will
be penalized either with one minute added to his or her finish time or
by skiing an extra 150m "penalty loop" of the course.
The major modification for Paralympic competition
is a shorter course (7.5km for both "standing" and sit-ski events) and
only two bouts of shooting.
Equipment
| Skis. The skis used in classical style
events are lightweight, long, and narrow, while the skis used in
freestyle events are shorter and more rigid. The classical style skis
have an arched mid-section. Both types of skis have curved tips. |
| Sit-skis. Some athletes with physical
disabilities compete from a sitting position using sit-skis. The
sit-skis used in cross-country competition have a chair mounted over
two skis (see illustration next to the "events" heading on this page.
|
| Poles. Cross-country poles typically
extend to the athlete's armpits for classical style skiing, and to the
chin or mouth for freestyle skiing. Baskets and tips at the bottom of
the poles are designed to help the athlete obtain maximum propulsion |
| Boots and bindings. Cross-country skiing
boots are similar to running shoes. The boots used for freestyle
skiing are stiffer and provide more ankle support than boots used for
classical style events. The bindings secure the toe of the boot to the
ski. |
| Wax. Cross-country skiers use glide wax
on the bottom of their skis to decrease friction between the skis and
the snow. Kick wax (also known as grip wax) is often applied to the
middle arched section of the classical style skis to prevent slipping. |
| Rifle and harness (biathlon events).
Biathletes use .22 caliber rifles with a magazine designed to hold
five rounds of ammunition. Rifles are lightweight, but may not weigh
less than 7.5 pounds. A backpack-like harness is used to hold the
rifle on the athlete's back. |
| Clothing. Cross-country skiers and biathletes wear
lightweight, form-fitting body suits designed to reduce wind
resistance. Skiers who are blind or visually impaired wear a
specially colored vest
for identification purposes. |
Links
Page prepared by Mary Lou Schilling and revised by
Gail Dummer |
|
