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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Cross-country skiing, a cornerstone of EYOF, invites young athletes to glide through snowy landscapes using their own strength and endurance. This sport promotes fitness, resilience, and a deep connection with nature. Discover the joy of pushing your limits and exploring winter wonderlands on skis!  
BASIC RULES
Cross-country skiing is divided by technique: classical and freestyle. In the classical technique, the skier glides along tracks etched in the snow, while in the freestyle technique (also called ’skate’), the skier makes lateral movements relative to the direction of travel.
For EYOF 2025, the events have the following format: boys individual 10 km Free, individual 7.5 km Classic and Sprint Free, while girls individual 7.5 km Free, individual 5 km Classic and Sprint Free. For mixed gender event we have 4×5 km Mixed Relay event.
In individual free and classic events athletes have interval starts and an athlete who skies the course in the shortest time wins the race.
In the sprint, the race has a qualifying phase and then athletes progress to quarter finals, semifinals and finals, where in each heat there are 6 athletes. The best 2 athletes from each heat and specific number of “lucky losers” progress to the next phase. In the final an athlete who reaches the finish line first wins the race.
In the 4 x 5 km relay, the teams start all together in a line. A team consists of four athletes – two boys and two girls – each of which covers the same distance. The first team to reach the finish line wins.
HISTORY
Cross-country skiing is the oldest type of skiing. It emerged from a need to travel over snow-covered terrain and developed as a sport at the end of the 19th century.  
NORWEGIAN ORIGINS
For centuries in the snow-covered North, skis were required to chase game and gather firewood in wintertime. With long distances between the small, isolated communities and hard, snowy winters, skiing also became important as a means of keeping in social contact. The word “ski” is a Norwegian word which comes from the Old Norse word “skid”, a split length of wood.  
EARLIEST FORM
Different types of skis emerged in various regions at about the same time. One type had a horizontal toe-piece binding. The modern ski bindings are based on the Fennoscandian model of the 19th century. The East-Siberian type was a thin board with a vertical four-hole binding. Sometimes it was covered with fur. The Lapps used a horizontal stem-hole binding. Present-day cross-country skis were developed from the type used by the Lapps.
FIRST COMPETITION
Norwegian army units were skiing for sport (and prizes) in the 18th century. Skiing for sport appeared in Norway in the mid-19th century; the first race on record is 1842. The famous Holmenkollen ski festival started in 1892, with the focus initially on the Nordic combined event. However, in 1901, a separate cross-country race was added to the festival.   
OLYMPIC HISTORY
The men’s event debuted at the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924, and the women’s event debuted at the 1952 Oslo Games. The sport has traditionally been dominated by the Nordic countries.  
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AT EYOF 2025
Venue Disciplines / Events Categories (Age) Athletes Quota (Aa) Team Officials Quota (Ao)
Bakuriani Biathlon-Cross Country Stadium
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hvxXgCnJFwyQjzGj9 		Boys
10 km Free
7,5 km Classic
Sprint Free
4×5 km Mixed Relay
Girls
7,5 km Free
5 km Classic
Sprint Free
4×5 km Mixed Relay
2007-2008 4 Boys
4 Girls 		4 Ao