Skate skiing is technically a form of cross country skiing, but one that most people don’t think of when they think of classic Nordic skiing. Cross country skiing — or Nordic skiing since it was popularized and still is widely done in Scandinavia — comes in two disciplines, classic and skate. Classic is the more traditional and generally easier of the two. Tracks, or grooves, are groomed into the snow and followed while on skis in a walking type of motion. Skate skiing, on the other hand, requires skiers to operate their skis more like roller blades or ice skates, using the inside edge of the ski for propulsion. This is done on a corduroy groomed trail or anywhere snow is compact enough to provide a smooth surface.
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