From historical to downright cool, we've rounded up some of the most interesting facts on one of your favorite winter sports activities. Share with fellow winter sports lovers and skiers!

12 Fascinating Facts
  • The word “ski” originates from the Old Norse word “skio,” meaning a split piece of wood
  • The oldest know ski was discovered in Sweden and dates back to 4,500-2,500 BC
  • Skiing was originally a form of transportation in the mountains of Europe before it became a sport
  • During the 19th century, skiing was considered to be a “man’s sport” and women were encouraged to ice skate instead
  • 80 countries offer some form of ski area
  • 350 million people visit ski resorts or areas annually, all across the globe
  • In the Altai Mountains in the Xinjiang province of China, a Mongol/Kazakh tribe still makes skis by splitting spruce trees by hand and wrapping them in the dried skin of horses
  • In 1965, Sherman Poppen from Michigan made a snowboard for his daughter by binding 2 skis together
  • Speed skiing is one of the fastest non-motorized sports on land
  • Skiing downhill using moderate effort burns 350-400 calories per hour
  • Skiing is very popular in the United States with 40 states hosting ski resorts
  • Harrison Schmitt, one of the members of the 1972 Apollo crew, said cross country skiing was ideal training for moon walking

Sources

Jackie

Posted on 17 December, 2014 by Jackie in Winter.