Someone please break down cross country skiing, biathlon and nordic combined for running fans?

Super skier wrote:

Now the classic victory generally goes to whoever skates the most without getting penalized for it. The main factors that determines if you get penalized for "micro-skating" is the skier's nationality and the judge's nationality.

Not true. It's just not an issue. This isn't race walking. There is little controversy about skating in classic races. Everyone gets to do it in corners and when switching tracks. No one wins or loses based on skating illegally in a classic race.

Being nitpicky, but the World Cup courses should have more climb than you suggest, 200+ feet per mile. Also times could be a lot faster for the 10k, 15k, and 30k than you suggest (which a lot of hobby skiers could hit even on homologated course), but totally course condition dependent. For instance, there was a sub-30 15k this winter on the World Cup.

Bad Wigins wrote:

The greatest skier used to be Northug but not anymore. Dario Cologna is gonna win, unless Legkov gets back in.

Cologna is having an excellent season and if he holds form has a good chance at medals -- but the guy to watch in cross country skiing is Johannes Hoesflot Kaebo. Has rocketed to the top of the World Cup rankings as a 21 year old. Could come out of Pyeongchang as a new Norwegian national hero.

Klæbo is already the new Norwegian hero, and he'll probably take home a lot of golden hardware, assuming he isn't popped for doping. Going back to a year ago last season, he as won every World Cup race he has entered except for three second places. I hope he is clean.

He has a lot of influence on ski technique already even though he is only 21, making everyone else look slow on uphills with his new technique running and herringboning up steep hills. People already call that style Klæboing up a hill.

https://youtu.be/GQ5iAB1xlNI

Indeed you are being nitpicky. The toughest 50K course in the world is the Holmenkollen in Norway. It is just 2 meters under the limit (1998 meters), and averages 37 m climb/km (188 feet/mile); in North America Fairbanks AK has a course that's nearly as tough, with just under 37 m/km (183 ft/mile). But these are exceptionally difficult courses. At Holmenkollen last year the World Cup skiers went 2:02-03 in the 50K classic for the podium/top Americans (perhaps hobby skiers in your book) went 2:11-2:12. At the US nationals these guys went 2:19-22 (these are Olympic skiers who have had top 30 results at World Cup. Perhaps hobby skier by Norwegian standards, but any other country in the world would be glad to have skiers of that level on their team).

I thought your 50K estimates were reasonable. I was thinking more that the 10, 15, and 30K finish times were slow estimates on a fast day. Your 22 minute10K freestyle estimate has the same pace as your 1:50 50K estimate, for example. I've done under 1:20 for a 30K freestyle at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, and I'm sure I would have been smashed by top WC women.

The 5K loop that was supposed to be used at last month's US Nationals at Kincaid for the distance races, but wasn't due to limited snow has 204 meters climb, or over 200 ft/mile. The 5K loop that they actually used had only 150 meters climb. That had an effect on the men's 30K, where the top distance guys like couldn't drop the guys better known for sprinting.

Would be awesome to see a summer Biathlon. Looped xc course with target every 3k.

Also is there any talk of SkiMo being added to the olympics? Would be fun to watch.

First race, the women's 15K Skiathlon is up now. I'm watching on free stream of Eurosport 1 (use an adblocker):

http://cricfree.sc/euro-sports-1-live-stream

live splits here:

https://data.fis-ski.com/cross-country/live-timing.html

US is starting Jessie Diggins, Kikkan Randall, Caitlin Patterson, and Rosie Brennan.

Diggins is on the front at the moment, with several others, side by side.

Diggins in the front group of 9 after they switch skis to the freestyle portion.

Bjoergen home devastated!

Kalla broke away for the win from about 3K out. Diggins 5th.

Norweigan wrote:

XC skiing is the real deal.

Biathlon is just for worse skiers

Dont get me started on nordic combination.

Post of the day. Points 1, 2, 3 sums it up 100%.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a community where they support xc skiing (trail grooming) pick up the sport!!! You will love it and reap the best fitness, especially upper body and core (big time).

jorvack wrote:

Would be awesome to see a summer Biathlon. Looped xc course with target every 3k.

Also is there any talk of SkiMo being added to the olympics? Would be fun to watch.

They used to have a summer biathlon world championship - cross country running and shooting but they replaced it its roller skiing and shooting .

Beautiful Day wrote:

And I say this as someone who XC skis, and has ski crap in the garage. Like running, you should be able to XC ski however you want, to go as quickly as possible. If they want to limit speed or skating, all they have to do is adjust grooming. I skate ski, but I can't do that when the snow is deep and I'm hoofing it uphill. Simple.

There are two events: classic and freestyle.

Freestyle *is* "however you want". Everyone skates, because it's fastest.

It's the same as swimming. There are "freestyle" events, but there is not "freestyle" stroke. Everyone does the crawl in major competitions, but you can do any stroke in freestyle.

It's more like cycling than running. Riddled with cheaters. More doping and more dopers. Watch with a grain of salt.