Practical Applications
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Long before competitive sport became popular in Scandinavian countries, hunters, farmers and other long distance trekkers utilized skis to steady themselves upon the deep snows of northern winters.
Military
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During the Middle Ages, Norwegian soldiers took advantage of the mode of transport, and by 1750, entire companies formed on skis. In 1767, Norwegian soldiers began competing against each other in skiing competitions.
Recreation
The first non-military ski competition took place in Tromso, Norway, on March 21, 1843. The first ski jump, which also utilized Nordic skis, occurred much earlier, in 1809, although the first organized competition came later, in Trysil, Norway, in 1862.
Telemark Turn
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Sondre Norheim of the Telemark area in southwestern Norway perfected the graceful Telemark turn, wowing crowds at a national skiing competition in 1868.
Olympics
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The inaugural Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France, in 1924, featured two skiing events, ski jumping and Nordic combined. Today's Olympics include biathlon and cross country skiing, which also utilize Nordic skis.
