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Skiing
Much of Scandinavia was covered with snow in the winter, so skiing was a very important skill that allowed you to get around easily. Skis were also used for tracking wild animals during a hunt - if you were a good skier and archer, you wouldn't go hungry in the winter. The Vikings' skis were different from our modern skis. They wore one long ski to glide on, one short ski to push themselves along with and used a long pole for balance. The Vikings would practice their skills in slalom and ski-jumping competitions. These were important in perfecting how to avoid and jump obstacles when skiing downhill. However, the most popular and challenging competitions were cross-country races. As well as downhill skiing, competitors would have to climb hills and mountains. These tough races could be as long as 500km and last for days.