With the high energy demands associated with just surviving at that time, it seems unlikely that "organized" competition was an important aspect of the Sami skiing culture 4000 years ago. The energy demands associated with mere survival in these conditions were far too great to leave anything left for "play". (Strangely enough, the "fight and survival" genes that were selected for by the severe conditions of our stone age ancestors express themselves today during our leisure time, as men invent artificial "do or die" situations and call them sport.) However, if we fast forward as few thousand years, a man's skill and stamina on skis was clearly a noteworthy and contested quality.
Norway's first "King", Olav I, (better known as Olav Tryggvason - around 995 AD) was described as a fine sportsman both on land and on the sea. "Han løper bedre på ski enn andre menn" wrote historians of the day. Historians also tells us that skiing was one of the eight "arts" that another Viking king, Harold Hardråde, mastered. Of course, others around the kings were also good skiers and occasionally there were competitions that resulted. One famous race pitted King Harold against a young unknown named Heming. King Harold thought that nobody could match him on skis, and went so far as to proclaim that thought quite publicly. So perhaps it was one of sport's early "upset" victories in the making when Harold the King found himself matched stride for stride by Heming the Young. Legend has it that the youngster won.
One particular race with death and the future of an entire country at stake occurred in the year 1206 and still lives prominently in the modern XC ski culture. Two of king Håkon of Norway's birkebeinerne, Torstein Skjeva and Skjevald Skrukka, were charged with the bloody serious task of skiing and/or fighting their way from Lillehammer to Østredalen while carrying the two-year-old son of the king, Håkon Håkonsson. King Håkon was attempting to unify Norway, and not everyone wanted to go along, especially other tribal leaders of the time. For these other would-be "kings", Killing Håkon's son and breaking the lineage was a major goal. The two gaunt and poorly clothed skiers ("birkebeiner" translates to bark legs, for the strips of wood bark that were used to help keep their lower legs warm) could not have known how important their tiny cargo would become. Thanks to their heroic efforts, the boy lived to become a king that expanded Norway's boundaries beyond what they had ever been, or would be again.
Today, this famous flight for survival lives on as the Norwegian "Birkebeiner", a popular 58 km "touring" race over the same trek that the two made in 1206 (along with American and Canadian races by the same name). Now competitors are required to carry a 5kg backpack as a memorial to the burden carried during that first "race". Food, drink, and first aid is available from well-wishers along the course. Not quite the same as 800 years ago!
As early as 1767, descriptions were written of "professional" skiing competitions in Norway. Many of the participants were members of the military who were part of the "ski-company". These competitions were not limited to what is today called Cross Country, but also included "skiskyting" (biathlon), and downhill racing. The winner's premium was sufficient to pay for a horse and two cows, so the competitions were fierce! Looking back 100 years or so, it is important to realize that the extreme specialization that we see today within skiing was not always present. Heck, before 1850, skiers didn't even use 2 ski-poles, just one, long multi-purpose staff. In the past, ski-jumping, "downhill" racing and cross country were all practiced and contested by the same skiers. In fact, athletes generally performed all three disciplines on the same pair of skis! Today, that "all-around" ability survives as a foundation of the approach to teaching skiing to children in Norway. Small children use one pair of skis for all disciplines, and learn to jump, skate, slalom, etc. Ski poles are considered optional equipment! Only later does specialization take place.
The performance velocity of champion XC skiers has improved at a dramatically faster rate than any other endurance discipline (speed skating, cycling, running, swimming). Since 1920, the average speed achieved in the 50km race has nearly doubled! Compare this with the 40% improvement in swimming (1500 meter), 20+% improvement in speed skating (10,000m), and 12% improvement in running (10k). Why has skiing velocity improved so much more than the other disciplines?
Skiing's advancement is due to the combined impact of significant developments in every single facet of performance. First, the courses are prepared better. Specialized track making machines appeared around 1960, in time to prepare the courses for the winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California. In Europe prior to 1974, it was the duty of the military, hundreds of soldiers on skis, to compact and prepare race courses for major competitions. Today, special grooming and track setting machines create consistent and ideal conditions for the skiers.
Second, the equipment used has been modified continuously. Skis and poles (and clothes) are lighter and more closely calibrated to the individual weight and technique of the skiers. In the last 90 years, racing skies have shortened one meter (from 3 to 2), narrowed by 150% (from 10cm to 4), and decreased in weight from over 2 kg each to about 0.5. Up to the 1970s, Scandinavia dominated innovations in ski design and manufacture. Then, several Austrian ski manufacturers introduced fiberglass skis to the sport. Today carbon fiber, fiber glass and other high performance materials have replaced the heavier wooden skis, and relegated these beautiful hand-crafted pieces to the walls of nostalgic skiers, or the fire place. Ski wax development, both the glide and the kick wax, has also contributed to improved ski performance. In Scandinavian public libraries, you can find numerous books on the art and science of ski-waxing!
Third, the skiers are better trained. At the elite levels, training is a full-time job, just as in other endurance sports. Certainly this has impacted racing speed. However, in defense of the racers of old, the physiological differences in the skiers is probably the least significant factor in the improvement of ski velocity over the last 30 years.
Finally, skiing technique has not been stagnant, but under constant development and improvement. The improvements in track conditions and equipment stimulated skiers to try innovative techniques. The most significant technical changes have some in the last 10 years, as the "skating style" of skiing has been adopted by the skiing world. As a result world class male skiers currently perform the 50 km race in under 2 hours!
At the elite level, women compete over distances of 5, 15, and 30 km. Men compete over distances of 10, 30, and 50km. The majority of races employ a time-trial type start such as you see in bicycle time-trialing. Skiers begin one at a time on 30 second intervals. Recently, a 30km race divided into two consecutive 15k races has become popular and is a part of the world cup calendar. On the first day, skiers race over 15k using the traditional time-trial start, and the classic technique. On the second day, the previous day's winner starts first followed by 2nd place, then third etc. On the second day, skiers use the freestyle or "skating" technique. The gap between each racer is based on the time differential the previous day. Consequently, the first racer across the line is the overall winner in this "Pursuit Race" format. Finally, team relays and long distance touring events like the Birkebeiner (Norway's climbing intensive 58km race) or Vasoløpet (Sweden's famous 90km, fairly flat race) are mass start affairs, just like a running marathon, except with thousands of sharp pointed objects (ski-poles) flying around!
According to international rules, a racing course should contain uphill, downhill, and flat terrain in equal proportions. However, because of the slower speed achieved during climbing, more than half of the total racing time is spent going uphill, and only 10 to 15% downhill. It is also not surprising the most significant time differences between performers is achieved during the climbing segments.
Age-group competitions are contested at the local, national, and international level. Age groups are divided into 5 year increments beginning at age 30. The distances and disciplines are basically identical to those contested at the international level. Master's national championships are contested in the US Canada, Scandinavia, and most other countries in Northern Europe. In addition, world masters events are contested annually.
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