Ahhh Cross Country Skiing. A convenient and relaxing way of travelling across frozen barren tundra. For some reason the Russians and the Scandinavians do quite well at this. It's in their blood.
It's been on the program since the very first Olympic Winter Games, although there has been a number of variations added to the program since then.
There are three types, Classical, Freestyle, and Combined.
In a Classical race, you use straight forward-back leg movements, and your poles, to propel yourself forward.
In Freestyle you can use any movement, which often turns out to be a sort of skating type of motion, except you're wearing skis, so it looks a hell of a lot more difficult. But 'tis faster.
And in Combined, you ski half the race in Classical style, and half Freestyle. Fun!
Medal Count by Nation:
Women: Gold Silver Bronze
Russia 27 23 17
Finland 8 8 10
Norway 3 9 9
Italy 6 5 4
Sweden 3 2 2
Germany 2 1 1
Czech Republic 2 5
Switzerland 1
Canada 1
Men: Gold Silver Bronze
Norway 26 24 13
Sweden 17 13 12
Finland 11 13 19
Russia 12 8 12
Italy 2 6 6
Kazakhstan 1 2 1
Spain 2
Estonia 1 2 1
Austria 2 2
Germany 2 1
Switzerland 3
United States 1
Bulgaria 1
Czech Republic 1
- Salt Lake City, United States. 2002
Women's 1.5km Sprint
- Russia Julija Tchepalova - Gold
- Germany Evi Sachenbacher - Silver
- Norway Anita Moen - Bronze
Men's 1.5km Sprint
- Norway Tor Arne Hetland - Gold
- Germany Peter Schlickenrieder - Silver
- Italy Cristian Zorzi - Bronze
Women's 5km Combined
- Russia Olga Danilova - Gold
- Russia Larissa Lazutina - Silver
- Canada Beckie Scott - Bronze
Men's 10km Combined
- Spain Johann Muehlegg - Gold
- Norway Frode Estil - Silver
- Norway Thomas Alsgaard - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Norway Bente Skari - Gold
- Russia Olga Danilova - Silver
- Russia Julija Tchepalova - Bronze
Men's 15km
- Estonia Andrus Veerpalu - Gold
- Norway Frode Estil - Silver
- Estonia Jaak Mae - Bronze
Women's 15km Freestyle
- Italy Stefania Belmondo - Gold
- Russia Larissa Lazutina - Silver
- Czech Republic Katerina Neumannova - Bronze
Men's 30km
- Spain Johann Muehlegg - Gold
- Austria Christian Hoffmann - Silver
- Austria Mikhail Botvinov - Bronze
Women's 30km
- Italy Gabriella Paruzzi - Gold
- Italy Stefania Belmondo - Silver
- Norway Bente Skari - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Russia Mikhail Ivanov - Gold
- Estonia Andrus Veerpalu - Silver
- Norway Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
- Germany - Gold
- Norway - Silver
- Switzerland - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
- Norway - Gold
- Italy - Silver
- Germany - Bronze
Nagano, Japan. 1998
Women's 5km
- Russia Larissa Lazutina - Gold
- Czech Republic Katerina Neumannova - Silver
- Norway Bente Martinsen - Bronze
Men's 10km
- Norway Bjørn Daehlie - Gold
- Austria Markus Gandler - Silver
- Finland Mika Myllylae - Bronze
Women's 10km Freestyle
- Russia Larissa Lazutina - Gold
- Russia Olga Danilova - Silver
- Czech Republic Katerina Neumannova - Bronze
Men's 15km Freestyle
Norway Thomas Alsgaard - Gold
Norway Bjørn Daehlie - Silver
Kazakhstan Vladimir Smirnov - Bronze
Women's 15km
Russia Olga Danilova - Gold
Russia Larissa Lazutina - Silver
Norway Anita Moen-Guidon - Bronze
Men's 30km
Finland Mika Myllylae - Gold
Norway Erling Jevne - Silver
Italy Silvio Fauner - Bronze
Women's 30km Freestyle
Russia Julija Tchepalova - Gold
Italy Stefania Belmondo - Silver
Russia Larissa Lazutina - Bronze
Men's 50km Freestyle
Norway Bjørn Daehlie - Gold
Sweden Niklas Jonsson - Silver
Austria Christian Hoffmann - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Russia - Gold
Norway - Silver
Italy - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Norway - Gold
Italy - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Lillehammer, Norway. 1994
Women's 5km
- Russia Lyubov Yegorova - Gold
- Italy Manuela di Centa - Silver
- Finland Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi - Bronze
Men's 10km
- Norway Björn Dahlie - Gold
- Kazakhstan Vladimir Smirnov - Silver
- Italy Marco Albarello - Bronze
Women's 10km Combined
- Russia Lyubov Yegorova - Gold
- Italy Manuela di Centa - Silver
- Italy Stefania Belmondo - Bronze
Men's 15km Combined
Norway Björn Dahlie - Gold
Kazakhstan Vladimir Smirnov - Silver
Italy Silvio Fauner - Bronze
Women's 15km Freestyle
Italy Manuela di Centa - Gold
Russia Lyubov Yegorova - Silver
Russia Nina Gavriluk - Bronze
Men's 30km Freestyle
Norway Thomas Alsgaard - Gold
Norway Björn Dahlie - Silver
Finland Mika Myllylä - Bronze
Women's 30km
Italy Manuela di Centa - Gold
Norway Marit Wold - Silver
Finland Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi - Bronze
Men's 50km
Kazakhstan Vladimir Smirnov - Gold
Finland Mika Myllylä - Silver
Norway Sture Sivertsen - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Russia - Gold
Norway - Silver
Italy - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Italy - Gold
Norway - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Albertville, France. 1992
Women's 5km
- Finland Marjut Lukkarinen - Gold
- Unified Team Lyubov Yegorova - Silver
- Unified Team Yelena Wälbe - Bronze
Men's 10km
- Norway Vegard Ulvang - Gold
- Italy Marco Albarello - Silver
- Sweden Christer Majbäck - Bronze
Women's 10km Combined
- Unified Team Lyubov Yegorova - Gold
- Italy Stefania Belmondo - Silver
- Unified Team Yelena Wälbe - Bronze
Men's 15km Combined
Norway Bjørn Daehile - Gold
Norway Vegard Ulvang - Silver
Italy Giorgio Vanzetta - Bronze
Women's 15km
Unified Team Lyubov Yegorova - Gold
Finland Marjut Lukkarinen - Silver
Unified Team Yelena Wälbe - Bronze
Men's 30km
Norway Vegard Ulvang - Gold
Norway Bjørn Daehlie - Silver
Norway Terje Langli - Bronze
Women's 30km Freestyle
Italy Stefania Belmondo - Gold
Unified Team Lyubov Yegorova - Silver
Unified Team Yelena Wälbe - Bronze
Men's 50km Freestyle
Norway Bjørn Daehile - Gold
Italy Maurilio de Zolt - Silver
Italy Georgio Vanzetta - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Unified Team - Gold
Norway - Silver
Italy - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Norway - Gold
Italy - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Calgary, Canada. 1988
Women's 5km
- Finland Marjo Matikainen - Gold
- Soviet Union Tamara Tichonova - Silver
- Soviet Union Vida Venciene - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Soviet Union Vida Venciene - Gold
- Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Silver
- Finland Marjo Matikainen - Bronze
Men's 15km
Soviet Union Mikhail Devyayarov - Gold
Norway Pal-Gunnar Mikkelsplass - Silver
Soviet Union Vladimir Smirnov - Bronze
Women's 20km
Soviet Union Tamara Tichonova - Gold
Soviet Union Anfissa Rezova - Silver
Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Bronze
Men's 30km
Soviet Union Alexeiy Prokurorov - Gold
Soviet Union Vladimir Smirnov - Silver
Norway Vegard Ulvang - Bronze
Men's 50km
Sweden Gunde Svan - Gold
Italy Maurillo de Zolt - Silver
Switzerland Andi Grünenfelder - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Norway - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Sweden - Gold
Soviet Union - Silver
Czechoslovakia - Bronze
Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. 1984
Women's 5km
- Finland Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen - Gold
- Norway Berit Aunli - Silver
- Czechoslovakia Kvetoslava Jeriová - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Finland Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen - Gold
- Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Silver
- Norway Brit Pettersen - Bronze
Men's 15km
Sweden Gunde Svan - Gold
Finland Aki Karvonen - Silver
Finland Harri Kirvesniemi - Bronze
Women's 20km
Finland Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen - Gold
Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Silver
Norway Anne Jahren - Bronze
Men's 30km
Soviet Union Nikolai Simyatov - Gold
Soviet Union Alexander Zavialov - Silver
Sweden Gunde Svan - Bronze
Men's 50km
Sweden Thomas Wassberg - Gold
Sweden Gunde Svan - Silver
Finland Aki Karvonen - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Norway - Gold
Czechoslovakia - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Sweden - Gold
Soviet Union - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Lake Placid, United States. 1980
Women's 5km
- Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Gold
- Finland Hikka Riihivuori - Silver
- Czechoslovakia Kvéta Jeriová - Bronze
Women's 10km
- East Germany Barbara Petzold - Gold
- Finland Hikka Riihivuori - Silver
- Finland Helena Takalo - Bronze
Men's 15km
Norway Thomas Wassberg - Gold
Finland Juha Mieto - Silver
Norway Ove Aunli - Bronze
Men's 30km
Soviet Union Nikolai Simyatov - Gold
Soviet Union Vasiliy Rochev - Silver
Bulgaria Ivan Lebanov - Bronze
Men's 50km
Soviet Union Nikolai Simyatov - Gold
Finland Juha Mieto - Silver
Soviet Union Savyalov - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
East Germany - Gold
Soviet Union - Silver
Norway - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Norway - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Innsbruck, Austria. 1976
Women's 5km
- Finland Helena Takalo - Gold
- Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Silver
- Soviet Union Nina Baldycheva - Bronze
Women's 10km Freestyle
- Soviet Union Raisa Smetanina - Gold
- Finland Helena Takalo - Silver
- Soviet Union Galina Kulakova - Bronze
Men's 15km
Soviet Union Nikolai Bajukov - Gold
Soviet Union Yevgeniy Beliayev - Silver
Finland Arto Koivisto - Bronze
Men's 30km
Soviet Union Sergey Savelyev - Gold
United States Bill Koch - Silver
Soviet Union Ivan Garanin - Bronze
Men's 50km
Norway Ivar Formo - Gold
East Germany Gert-Dietmar Klause - Silver
Sweden Benny Södergren - Bronze
Women's 4 x 5km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Finland - Silver
East Germany - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Finland - Gold
Norway - Silver
Soviet Union - Bronze
Sapporo, Japan. 1972
Women's 5km
- Soviet Union Galina Kulakova - Gold
- Finland Marjatta Kajosmaa - Silver
- Czechoslovakia Helena Sikolová - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Soviet Union Galina Kulakova - Gold
- Soviet Union Alevtina Olunina - Silver
- Finland Marjatta Kajosmaa - Bronze
Men's 15km
Sweden Sven-Ake Lundbäck - Gold
Soviet Union Fedor Simaschov - Silver
Norway Ivar Formo - Bronze
Men's 30km
Soviet Union Vyacheslav Vedenine - Gold
Norway Pål Tyldum - Silver
Norway Johannes Harviken - Bronze
Men's 50km
Norway Pål Tyldum - Gold
Norway Magne Myrmo - Silver
Soviet Union Vyacheslav Vdenine - Bronze
Women's 3 x 5km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Finland - Silver
Norway - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Norway - Silver
Switzerland - Bronze
Grenoble, France. 1968
Women's 5km
- Sweden Toini Gustafsson - Gold
- Soviet Union Galina Kulakova - Silver
- Soviet Union Koltshina - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Sweden Toini Gustafsson - Gold
- Norway Berit Mørdre - Silver
- Norway Inger Aufles - Bronze
Men's 15km
Norway Harald Grönningen - Gold
Finland Eero Mäntyrants - Silver
Sweden Gunnat Larsson - Bronze
Men's 30km
Italy Franco Nones - Gold
Norway Odd Martinsen - Silver
Finland Eero Mäntyranta - Bronze
Men's 50km
Norway Ole Ellefsæter - Gold
Soviet Union Vyacheslav Vedenine - Silver
Switzerland Josef Haas - Bronze
Women's 3 x 5km Relay
Norway - Gold
Sweden - Silver
Soviet Union - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Norway - Gold
Sweden - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Innsbruck, Austria. 1964
Women's 5km
- Soviet Union Klaudia Boyarskikh - Gold
- Finland Mirja Lehtonen - Silver
- Soviet Union Alevtina Koltshina - Bronze
Women's 10km
- Soviet Union Klaudia Boyarskikh - Gold
- Soviet Union Yevdokia Mekshilo - Silver
- Soviet Union Maria Gusakova - Bronze
Men's 15km
Finland Eero Mäntyrants - Gold
Norway Harald Grönningen - Silver
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Bronze
Men's 30km
Finland Eero Mäntyrants - Gold
Norway Harald Grönningen - Silver
Soviet Union Voronchikin - Bronze
Men's 50km
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Gold
Sweden Assar Rönnlund - Silver
Finland Arto Tiainen - Bronze
Women's 3 x 5km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Sweden - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Sweden - Gold
Finland - Silver
Soviet Union - Bronze
Squaw Valley, United States. 1960
Women's 10km
- Soviet Union Maria Gusakova - Gold
- Soviet Union Lubov Baranova-Kozyryeva - Silver
- Soviet Union Radja Jeroschina - Bronze
Men's 15km
Norway Haakon Brusveen - Gold
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Silver
Finland Veikko Hakulinen - Bronze
Men's 30km
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Gold
Sweden Rolf Rämgard - Silver
Soviet Union Nikolai Anikin - Bronze
Men's 50km
Finland Kalevi Hämäläinen - Gold
Finland Veikko Hakulinen - Silver
Sweden Rolf Rämgard - Bronze
Women's 3 x 5km Relay
Sweden - Gold
Soviet Union - Silver
Finland - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Finland - Gold
Norway - Silver
Soviet Union - Bronze
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. 1956
Women's 10km
- Soviet Union Lubov Kosyryeva - Gold
- Soviet Union Radya Yeroschina - Silver
- Sweden Sonja Edström - Bronze
Men's 15km
Norway Hallgeir Brenden - Gold
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Silver
Soviet Union Pavel Kolschin - Bronze
Men's 30km
Finland Veikko Hakulinen - Gold
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Silver
Soviet Union Pavel Kolschin - Bronze
Men's 50km
Sweden Sixten Jernberg - Gold
Finland Veikko Hakulinen - Silver
Soviet Union Fedor Terentyev - Bronze
Women's 3 x 5km Relay
Finland - Gold
Soviet Union - Silver
Sweden - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Soviet Union - Gold
Finland - Silver
Sweden - Bronze
Oslo, Norway. 1952
Women's 10km
- Finland Lydia Widemann - Gold
- Finland Mirja Hietamies - Silver
- Finland Siiri Rantanen - Bronze
Men's 18km
Norway Hallgeir Brenden - Gold
Finland Tapio Mäkelä - Silver
Finland Paavo Lonkila - Bronze
Men's 50km
Finland Veikko Hankulinen - Gold
Finland Eero Kolehmainen - Silver
Norway Magnar EStensad - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Finland - Gold
Norway - Silver
Sweden - Bronze
St. Moritz, Switzerland. 1948
Men's 18km
- Sweden Martin Lunström - Gold
- Sweden Nils Östensson - Silver
- Sweden Gunnar Eriksson - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Sweden Nils Karlsson - Gold
- Sweden Herald Eriksson - Silver
- Finland Benjamin Vanninen - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Sweden - Gold
Finland - Silver
Norway - Bronze
The 1940 and 1944 Winter Olympics, planned for Sapporo, Japan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, where canceled due to this little thing called World War II.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. 1936
Men's 18km
- Sweden Erik-August Larsson - Gold
- Norway Oddbjörn Hagen - Silver
- Finland Pekka Miemi - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Sweden Elis Viklund - Gold
- Sweden Axel Wilkström - Silver
- Sweden Nils-Joel Englund - Bronze
Men's 4 x 10km Relay
Finland - Gold
Norway - Silver
Sweden - Bronze
Lake Placid, United States. 1932
Men's 18km
- Sweden Sven Utterström - Gold
- Sweden Axel T. Wikström - Silver
- Finland Veli Saarinen - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Finland Veli Saarinen - Gold
- Finland Väinö Liikkanen - Silver
- Norway Arne Rustadstuen - Bronze
St. Moritz, Switzerland. 1928
Men's 18km
- Norway Johan Gröttumsbraaten - Gold
- Norway Ole Hegge - Silver
- Norway Reidar Ödegaard - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Sweden Per Erik Hedlund - Gold
- Sweden Gustaf Jonsson - Silver
- Sweden Volger Andersson - Bronze
Chamonix, France. 1924
Men's 18km
- Norway Thorleif Haug - Gold
- Norway Johan Gröttumsbraaten - Silver
- Finland Tapani Niku - Bronze
Men's 50km
- Norway Thorleif Haug Norway - Gold
- Norway Thorlaf Strömstad - Silver
- Norway Johan Gröttumsbraaten - Bronze