Classical style: The older style of cross-country skiing in which the skis remain parallel to each other as the athlete moves forward.
Drafting: Skiing directly behind another skier in order to take advantage of his or her slipstream. Drafting enables the skier to do less work, and makes it easier to maintain an even pace.
Freestyle: A recently developed style of skiing in which one ski points straight ahead, and the other is used to push off in a manner similar to a skating stride. Freestyle first appeared in Scandinavian countries in the early 1970s, and made its Olympic debut at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. The skis used for freestyle are shorter, and the poles longer than those used in classical events.
Herringbone: Moving forward on cross-country skis in a stepping mode with the ski tips further apart than the tails, forming a herringbone pattern in the snow.
Pursuit (also combined pursuit): A race which features both a classical and a freestyle race. The order in which the competitors finish in the classical section determines their starting order for the freestyle leg of the race, and the first athlete over the finish line wins.
Skating style: Another term for freestyle.
Wax: The most crucial part of a skier's equipment, determining how effectively a ski will move over the snow under specific weather conditions. Ski teams typically employ 6 to 30 "wax technicians" whose sole job is to evaluate, remove and apply wax to skis. Glide and grip waxes are applied to different parts of the skis to decrease friction and improve traction respectively. Alternately, skiers sometimes use a technique know as harries to scuff the base of their skis with a wire brush.
