Classical comeback?

For the past twenty years or so, the skating techniques have been very strong in cross-country, but are the classical techniques now enjoying a real their comeback?  Paddy Field firmly believes they are.  

A common starting point?

Although there was no specific point when skating suddenly evolved, its genesis is equal partners with the age-old classical techniques.  For a time, skating looked likely to take over the sport; the smaller nations, particularly those which relied on roller skiing to develop their athletes, and the North American countries as well, saw skating as a means to get onto even terms with the Scandinavian nations.

Here, it seemed, was the opportunity for everybody to begin again from a common starting point.  There appeared to be no reason why Norway and Sweden should be any better than the USA or even the Netherlands, who had a great tradition of skating on ice.

Public pressure for skating

Skating blossomed.  And nowhere was this more evident than in the long distance popular races.  Marcialonga, la Transjurassienne, Dolomitenlauf, the American Birkebeiner, the Engadin Skimarathon and other races all went over to the new style.  An attempt was made to sustain the classical techniques through the introduction of the World Classic Grand Prix, which included such races as the Marxa Beret and the Pustertaler Ski Marathon, but this too failed as these races found that public pressure took them over into the skating camp.

Italy led the comeback

Now more than 20 years have gone by and the indications are that the classical techniques are strongly on the comeback trail.  First to take the plunge was Marcialonga.  Going back to its roots, Italy’s foremost long distance race decided to revert to Classical and immediately their numbers rose dramatically, to the point where their limit is now reached several months before the event. 

Responding to demand

Other races felt the need to respond to the public demand for classical races:  la Transjurassienne introduced a ‘Classical Day’ on the Saturday, the American Birkebeiner had to cut a completely new and separate  classical trail to cater for demand.  Meanwhile the number of competitors in the great classical races has continued to grow, whilst support for the major skating races has at best stood still. 

Classic growth

The biggest growth has been seen at Norway’s Birkebeinerrennet, which at one time appeared to have lost its appeal, but which has almost doubled its numbers over the past five years, while Jizerska Padesatka, Bieg Piastow, the Tartu Maraton, all classical races, are seeing year on year growth.  The classical giant, Vasaloppet, simply gets bigger and bigger.  Concurrently, the four races which have consistent difficulty in meeting their Worldloppet targets are all skating races:  Dolomitenlauf, Kangaroo Hoppet, Gatineau Loppet and Sapporo Ski Marathon.

Going back to their roots

In the latest developments, two more well-established skating races have gone back to their roots.  Dobbiaco-Cortina will this year once again be run in its original classical technique, while La Sgambeda has not gone quite as far, but is introducing a Classical Half Marathon into its programme.

A continuing trend?

How far will this trend go?  Since an estimated 65% of our sport is carried out in the classical techniques (a staggering 75% of Worldloppet’s 100,000+ competitors take part in the classical races), it could be that the top of the pyramid has not yet been reached.  More and more races could revert to their origins, as financial constraints lead them to serve the needs of the greatest possible number of their potential participants.

Classic first and foremost

As Club members who have been on our courses will know, we have always preferred to start by teaching classic, believing it to be not only the basis of cross-country skiing, but also the essential precursor to perfect skating technique.  If the trend back towards the classical techniques continues, this philosophy will have increasing relevance in the future.