Cross-country skiing is sometimes called the oldest sport on skis. In northern Europe, people used skis to travel through snowy forests thousands of years before skiing became a sport. In Estonia, children learn to ski at school and many Estonians ski to work, to school, or simply for the joy of moving quietly through a white winter forest.
Estonia produces world-class cross-country skiers who compete at the Winter Olympics and World Championships. Kristjan Paluson, Andrus Veerpalu and other Estonian athletes have won Olympic medals, inspiring a whole nation to lace up their ski boots and head outdoors.
Cross-country skiing is excellent exercise because it uses almost every muscle in the body — legs, arms, core, and back all work together. It is also very peaceful. When you ski through a quiet forest, the only sounds are the hiss of your skis and the wind in the pines, and the world feels very still.
Many Estonian towns have illuminated ski tracks that are lit up in the evenings so people can ski after dark in winter. Some families ski together on Saturday mornings as a regular tradition — packing a snack and spending two hours gliding through the trees before heading home for a warm lunch.