The History of the 50km Cross-Country Skiing Race
By Thor Gotaas
The world’s first 50 km cross-country skiing race was held on February 7, 1888. Several of the runners waiting at the starting line in Holmenkollen had smoked pipes to enhance…
Description
The world’s first 50 km cross-country skiing race was held on February 7, 1888. Several of the runners waiting at the starting line in Holmenkollen had smoked pipes to enhance their lung capacity. The winner, Torjus Hemmestveit, was rewarded with 400 kroners worth of gold.
Capacities such as Matti Koskenkorva, Thomas Wassberg, Thorleif Haug and Petter Northug Jr. have a natural place in the history of the 50 km race. But the race is just as much about industrious labourers who worked as lumberjacks when they weren’t competing on skis. Where others only saw deep snow and impossible conditions, they saw a way to make a living, and they would cross hundreds of kilometres of winter terrain in order to enter the races and win a fortune.
