Sports

Para Cross-country

Haitao Du of China competes in the cross-country skiing 4x2.5 kilometre mixed relay during PyeongChang 2018. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

What's it all about?

Imagine going for a jog through a beautiful forest. Now add some snow, skis and ski poles. And now pretend it’s a race against other people, and the fastest person gets a shiny gold medal. That’s what para cross-country is all about.

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The sport: Para cross-country skiing is all about endurance and speed. It's a bit like the marathon running of the Winter Paralympics.

The events: Para-cross country includes a range of events of varying distances. Examples are the sprint, the 10 kilometre middle-distance and the 20 kilometre long-distance. Plus both mixed relay and open relay.

The equipment: Depending on their classification, you'll see skiers on sit-skis, skiing with a guide, or using skis with one or two poles. (See pictures below.)

The strategy: In cross-country skiing skiers can use two different techniques. The classic technique (forward strides) and the freestyle technique (side-to-side skiing).

The points: Depending on the event, either the fastest time or the first skier across the finish line wins.

The athletes: A physically demanding sport, para cross-country requires a lot of endurance, strength and focus.

Did you know? Para cross-country got its start at the 1976 Paralympic Games in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

Things to watch for

Yurika Abe of Japan competes in the women's 1.5 kilometre sprint classic standing cross-country skiing event at PyeongChang 2018. (Jung Yeon-Je/AFP via Getty Images)

Standing Skiers

Standing skiers are in a sports class of athletes with leg or leg and arm impairments.
You might see them ski with just one ski, just one pole or no poles at all.
They wear lightweight boots that attach at the toe, leaving their heels free for more flexibility.

Sin Eui Hyun of South Korea celebrates after winning gold in the men's para cross country skiing 7.5 kilometre sitting at PyeongChang 2018. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Sit Skiers

Sit skiers are in a sports class of athletes with an impairment that affects both of their legs.
They use a sit-ski to race — which is basically a seat attached to a single ski.
Sit skiers rely heavily on their upper body strength to race.

Zebastian Modin and his guide Robin Bryntesson of Sweden compete in the men's para cross country 1.5 kilometre sprint classic final, visually impaired at PyeongChang 2018. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Skiers With Guides

Athletes who are blind or have low vision can ski with a guide.
The guide skis in front of the athletes and gives them directions as needed.
The directions are given via headsets, used by both the skier and the guide.

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Canadian cross-country skier Brian McKeever has won 17 medals, including 13 gold, the most of any Canadian paralympic athlete.
Cross-country is the oldest type of skiing. In the snow-covered North, people would ski to hunt and gather firewood in the winter.
Athletes are divided into three categories depending on their functional ability: sitting, standing and vision impaired.