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Cross Country
Cross country is without a doubt one sport which demands that the athlete be in the upmost physical condition.
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(Jan. 19, 2002)------ It doesn't recieve as much media attention here as it does in the Scandinavian countries, but some hope with the Games in our backyard, that may change. Keith McCord shows us what the sport is all about.
Tom Kelly/Senior Vice Pres., USSA: "CROSS COUNTRY IS A PARTICULARY INTERESTING SPORT BECAUSE WE'RE USED TO, IN MANY OF OUR SKI SPORTS, TO EXPLOSIVENESS. ITS THE EXPLOSIVENESSS OF FREESTYLE AERIAL SKIING OR A JUMPER COMING OFF A NORDIC JUMP. BUT IN CROSS COUNTRY SKIING, IT'S AN AEROBIC ACTIVITY, YOU'RE OUT THERE FOR SOMETIMES AS LONG AS AN HOUR AND HALF, TWO HOURS. SO IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SKI SPORTS."
Cross country is just that. Endurance is the name of the game and although it lacks the explosiveness, it makes up for it in endurance.
TOM: "ITS VERY GRUELING. SKIERS ARE VERY SUCCEPTABLE TO ILLNESS AND TO PROBLEMS WITH BREATHING. YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE FIT AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR BODY PHYSIOLOGICALLY IN THE BEST CONDITION POSSIBLE AT THE TIME FOR THE DISTANCE YOU'RE RUNNING."
Cross country skiing doesn't get too much limelight here in the States. But elsewhere, it's big news.
Tony Noztli/Int'l Press Coordinator FIS: "WELL ESPECIALLY IN NORWAY, CROSS COUNTRY IS A NATIONAL SPORT. IT MIGHT BE LIKE PROBABLY IN THE STATES BASKETBALL OR BASEBALL OR ICE HOCKEY. SO A LOT OF YOUNG CHILDREN START IN CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AND IT'S A WAY TO BECOME FAMOUS AND ALSO TO EARN SOME MONEY."
TONY: "SO THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY THEY ARE SO STRONG."
For that reason, it's difficult to beat the Scandinavian teams. But the sport is no longer dominated by a few nations-- countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Italy are also making a run for it.
Last season U.S. team member Justin Wadsworth had the best World Cup finish the U.S. has had in the past 15 years--8th place in the Men's Pursuit.
Not only do the athletes respect this course, but good reviews are coming in from the spectators as well.
You see, in the old days, spectators didn't see much action.
TOM: "THE SKIERS BASICALLY WENT OUT INTO THE WOODS AND THEN YOU DIDN'T SEE THEM AGAIN FOR 45 MINTUES, THE BEAUTY OF THE VENUE AT SOLDIER HOLLOW IS THAT AS A SPECTATOR YOU CAN STAY IN ONE PLACE, AND YOU CAN SEE LITERALLY THE ENTIRE VENUE. ITS GREAT FOR TV ITS GREAT FOR SPECTATORS AND REALLY SHOWCASES THE SPORT BETTER THAN ANY VENUE IN THE WORLD SIMPLY BECUASE YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE TRACKS FROM THE FINISH AREA."
So, which country will take the gold? Even Tony had to think about that one.
TONY: "MMM. I SHOULD GO TO LAS VEGAS PROBABLY AND GAMBLE A LITTLE BIT, IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO EARN A BALL OR SOME MONEY."
Suffice it to say, there will be more than just a handful of countries heading for the finish line now that the sport's popularity is growing.
TONY: "IT'S MADE THE SPORT MORE INTERESTING. IN THE OLDEN TIMES, EVEN IN THE 50'S AND THE 60'S WHEN YOU HAD JUST THREE, FOUR NATIONS COMPETEING FOR THE MEDALS, WELL, FOR THEM IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT FOR THE OTHER PART OF THE WORLD IT WAS RATHER BORING."
TONY: "AND I THINK IT MAKES IT MORE EXCITING."
U.S. Team Head Coach Christer Skog hopes that his athletes who have been training at 6-thousand feet here at Solider Hollow for the past three season will pay off next month.
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