Cross-country skiing first appeared at the 1976 Winter Paralympic Games in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The competition is open to athletes with a physical impairment and blindness/vision impairment.
Men and women used the classical technique in all cross-country distances until skating was introduced by athletes at the Innsbruck 1984 Paralympic Winter Games. Since then, events have been split into two separate races: classical and free technique. The new technique, however, was not officially used in a medal race until 1992 in Albertville, France.
Depending on functional impairment, a competitor may use a sit-ski, a chair equipped with a pair of skis. Athletes with vision impairment compete in the event with a sighted guide.
Male and female athletes compete in short distance, middle distance and long distance (ranging from 2.5km to 20km) or participate in a team relay using classical or free techniques.
Freestyle – 5km and 2.5km Classic – 5km, 10km, 15km and 20km Relay – 3X2.5km and 1X3.75km+2X5km Paralympic Cross-Country Skiing conforms to some of the parameters that have been laid down by the International Ski Federation with some adaptations. — Sit-Ski An athlete with a lower-body impairment uses a sledge, which is a specially built chair that can be attached to a pair of skis. The skis are almost identical to standard skis, although shorter, and are attached to the chair with a standard cross-country binding. — Ski Made from fibreglass, classical skis are usually 25cm to 30cm taller than the height of a skier. They are light, weighing less than 0.45kg each; and narrow, with curved tips and a cambered midsection, which is thicker and arched. Free technique skis are about 10cm to 15 cm shorter for greater manoeuvrability. They are also nominally stiffer and have tips that curve less than classical technique skis. The underside of both types of skis has a groove down the centre to keep the ski straight when going downhill.
Rules and Equipment
Documents:
| Hypertonia | Impaired Muscle Power |
| Ataxia | Leg Length Difference |
| Athetosis | Impaired Passive Range of Movement |
| Limb Deficiency | Visual Impairment |
Athletes are classified into classes depending on their functional ability. Results are factored to take each athletes’ degree of impairment into account when calculating a time.
| LW2 – LW4 | Athletes with a leg impairment |
| LW5 – LW8 | Athletes with an arm impairment |
| LW9 | Athletes with a combined arm and leg impairment |
| LW10 – LW12 | Athletes who compete in sit skiing |
| B1 – B3 | Athletes with a vision impairment |
Ireland currently does not have a Para Cross-Country Skiing National Governing Body member of Paralympics Ireland
| Governing Body | |
| International | World Para Nordic Skiing (WPNS) |
summary
