Winter Olympic Sports

Alpine Skiing or Ski Racing

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Alpine Skiing or Ski Racing History Skiing was initially used for hunting and transportation from as early as 10,000 BC by people in Northern Asia and Europe. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces of wooden skis dating back about 10,000 years. Later, soldiers used them in different Alpine Skiing or Ski Racing

Biathlon

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Biathlon History Skiing has been around northern European countries and Northern Asia for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces of wooden skis dating back about 10,000 years. The biathlon was initially used for hunting in the northern Scandinavian countries as long ago as 4,000 Biathlon

Bobsledding

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Bobsledding History There are early references to people using sledding for fun and sport around the 1400s in northern European countries. In the early 1880s, English soldiers stationed in Switzerland made a curved road (track) between two cities where they would use metal sleds and toboggans to get Bobsledding

Cross-country Skiing

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Cross-country Skiing History Skiing has been around northern European countries and Northern Asia for about 10,000 years. Archaeologists discovered cave paintings and ski pieces in parts of Russia and China dating back to this time. People from these regions also use skiing for transportation and fun. In later Cross-country Skiing

Curling

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Curling History The sport of curling is one of the oldest team sports. It began in Scotland in the 1500s. People would play on frozen lakes or lochs and use different rock materials from the regions of Perth and Stirling. In 1838, the first curling club was formed Curling

Figure Skating

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Figure Skating History Ice skating was first used as a helpful way to travel during winter in Scandinavian countries as far back as 5,000 years ago. They used animal bones like cattle and horses and would attach them to the bottom of their feet. Figure skating became a Figure Skating

Freestyle Skiing

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Freestyle Skiing History Skiing has existed for over 10,000 years and was first used for hunting and transportation. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces of wooden skis dating back about 10,000 years. Over the years, skiing became fun for people in their free time and eventually became Freestyle Skiing

Ice Hockey

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Ice Hockey History Ice skating was first used as a helpful way to travel during winter in Scandinavian countries as far back as 5,000 years ago. They used animal bones like cattle and horses and would attach them to the bottom of their feet. Different forms of “ball Ice Hockey

Luge

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Luge History Sleds have been around for thousands of years. They have been found in the cold Scandinavian countries and the warm sands of Egypt as far back as 4,000 years. They were used as tools at first to help move things from place to place. There are Luge

Nordic Combined

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Nordic Combined History People have been using skis for over 10,000 years to help them travel from place to place and to help them hunt. The people living in northern Europe, Russia, and Asia were the first to use this technology. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces Nordic Combined

Skeleton

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Skeleton History Sleds have been around for thousands of years. They have been found in cold Scandinavian countries and the warm sands of Egypt as far back as 4,000 years ago. They first used sleds to help move things from place to place. In the early 1880s, English Skeleton

Ski Jumping

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Ski Jumping History Skiing was initially used for hunting and transportation from as early as 10,000 BC by people in Northern Asia and Europe. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces of wooden skis dating back about 10,000 years. The sport of Ski jumping started around 1808 in Ski Jumping

Snowboarding

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Snowboarding History There are a few countries that claim to have invented the snowboard. Some say it began in Eastern Europe over 150 years ago, and others say it was invented in America about 115 years ago. The most widely accepted place of creation is in America. Many Snowboarding

Speed Skating

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Speed Skating History Ice skating was first used as a valuable way to travel during winter in Scandinavian countries as far back as 5,000 years ago. They used animal bones like cattle and horses and would attach them to the bottom of their feet. Around the 1600s, speed Speed Skating

Equipment Then and Now

Return to the Classroom Winter Olympic Sports Equipment Then and Now Early Ice Skate Made From Animal Bone Different styles of snowboards Snurfers Example of an early sled Early Bobsleds Modern Bobsled Early Skis Modern Skis Biathlon.22 rifle Speed Skating Clap Skates Speed Skates Short Track Speed Skates Long Track Men’s Figure Skates Women’s Figure Equipment Then and Now