Exchange students experiencing cross-country skiing

For most of the exchange students mere snow is an exotic thing. They had a wonderful opportunity to try out something new by attending the cross-country skiing course held by the Welfare Services of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences.

Usually exchange students don't have their own skiing equipment but they had the opportunity to loan them for the course.

Cross-country skiing is one of the most popular winter activities in Finland. Cross-country skiing is a sport of skiing across the countryside. There can of course be hills and other variations of terrain. For the ordinary Finn the main idea behind cross-country skiing is to keep in shape and also spend time in the nature.

The equipment needed for skiing are skis which are long and thin. In addition the skier must have sticks, which allow you to push additional speed. The front of the skier's footwear is attached to the ski with a binding, while the heel remains free.

There are two kinds of techniques of skiing. The first one is the classic style where you move your skis back and forth while pushing more speed with the sticks. When skiing with the classic style there is usually a pair of parallel grooves cut into the snow.

The other style is the free or skating style. With this style the skier pushes his skis outward in turns much like in ice skating. Those who have learnt to ice skate or rollerblade may find skating technique easier to learn than classic style.

For the first time

Learning to ski in the guidance of a professional sports instructor is the best way to get started.

The first ten volunteers were able to join the cross-country skiing course. The course was very popular and the available slots were filled very fast.

Aki Hentilä, the Sports Officer of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences, was impressed by the group's performance.

- Every one of them learnt how to stand on the skis. This allowed us to move from the balance exercises to the skiing exercises. Also the cold weather kept everyone in motion naturally, Aki says.

- All of them got a hunch of the classic style and some of them were doing well also with the skating style. The biggest challenges were finding the right rhythm, Aki continues.

Some of the students had tried cross-country skiing in their youth, or at least practiced downhill skiing. Radek Roček, 24, who is from the Czech Republic, had tried cross-country skiing last time five years ago.

- I expected it to be fun and that I'll get sweaty and both were filled, Radek tells us.

Everyone in the group did well in the classic style skiing, tells Aki Hentilä, the Sports Officer of OUAS.

Michaela Polonská, 22, from Slovenia hadn't tried cross-country skiing before, though she was not unfamiliar with the sport.

- I have always admired the sportsmen on the TV. I consider this sport a very beautiful and dynamic, she explains.

Even though you are just starting, getting on the right track is not hard.

- It was not so difficult. Of course I need to practise a lot to have a real pleasure of this sport. It's great to start when someone can explain you exactly what to do, Michaela tells.

Enjoying the fresh air and moving outside

Cross-country skiing is not one of the lightest sports in the list. The professional skiers compete in races which vary in type and length. The length can be for example 5 km (about 3.1 miles) or 50 km (about 31 miles). When your technique is not perfect, skiing can be very strength consuming.

- I think the most important thing is to have a good physical condition and then you can improve your technique, Radek says.

But of course the most important thing is not to compete with each other but to have fun. Cross-country skiing has a lot to offer to everyone from the first-time skiers to the more advanced ones.

- The most I enjoyed of the joy of moving outside and in the fresh air, Radek tells.

Aki tells us that the cross-country skiing course hasn't received a lot of official feedback yet. According to him one positive feedback has been that one exchange student who attended the course has been spotted in the ski department of a sports store.