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Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 25th 08, 07:10 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Terje Mathisen
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Posts: 262
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

wrote:
I would say that any sport that enjoys 60-70% particiaption is a
national sport. I am highly doubtful of their numbers, just think


Indeed.

about it 60-70% of the country skis? Imagine that in the city the size
of Oslo. Weekend and holiday traffic at the local ski areas, resorts
and trails would be insane. There is no sport, that I am aware of,


It is "insane", the reason it works so well is simply that a significant
part of the (skiing) Oslo population will be off to their mountains
cabin on any given weekend, and for the remainder there's public
transport to pretty much every single possible trail head, and 2600 km
of trails to spread out on.

winter or summer, in the US that has anyhting close to that percentage
of of particiapation.


You'd have to count "watching sports on TV" to get even close I think.

Local survey's in the past for Anchorage have indicated about a 30%
particaption rate in cross coutnry skiing. That would be about 180,000
skiers. I tend to think that is a bit high as well.

What ever the numbers really are their is no question that Norway is a
hotbed of skiing.


As I wrote in a previous post, nearly 1/4 of Norway's entire population
will spend Easter at some mountain cabin/resort. That's a good
indication that the number is believable.

Terje
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  #12  
Old February 25th 08, 08:10 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Terje Mathisen
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Posts: 262
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

tassava wrote:
From Aftenposten (http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/
article2269555.ece)
"A public opinion poll conducted by research firm Norstat for sporting
goods retailer Anton Sport indicates that around 40 percent of the
Norwegian population never goes skiing. Four out of 10 women
questioned, and 32 percent of men, said they are not keen to go cross-
country skiing, downhill skiing or snowboarding, according to
Aftenposten-no's report on the new poll."

I enjoy the fact that Aftenposten depicts this finding as proof that
"much of the Norwegian passion for skiing is pure myth." A clear
majority of women and an overwhelming majority men do ski!


Well, you know that "only" about 25% or so will actually travel up into
the mountains for the traditional 10-day Easter celebration.

Try to imagine "only" 60 million Americans going to the ski areas at the
same time. :-)

Terje

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"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"
  #13  
Old February 25th 08, 01:00 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Blowhardbuster
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Posts: 11
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

On Feb 21, 9:38 pm, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - 'Roid Rage Edition ®"
wrote:
"tassava" wrote in message

...

From Aftenposten (http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/
article2269555.ece)
"A public opinion poll conducted by research firm Norstat for sporting
goods retailer Anton Sport indicates that around 40 percent of the
Norwegian population never goes skiing. Four out of 10 women
questioned, and 32 percent of men, said they are not keen to go cross-
country skiing, downhill skiing or snowboarding, according to
Aftenposten-no's report on the new poll."


I enjoy the fact that Aftenposten depicts this finding as proof that
"much of the Norwegian passion for skiing is pure myth." A clear
majority of women and an overwhelming majority men do ski!


Christopher


Well.... compared to the United States (where I am), where 9 out of 10
people probably do not even know what cross-country skiing is (except a few
northern states, such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, etc.), I'd say 60%
majority makes Norway a nation of skiers. As far as professional athletes
go, Norway has by far the most World Cup nordic skiing medals than any other
country (Finland 2nd, Sweden 3rd). So I say Norway still retains the title
"hotbed of skiing."


A better research question would be how many of them know how to cross-
country ski, but don't do it now. I live in Ma. and often I am looked
at as some pervert in tights when skiing. It's really the southerners
who have moved up here that demonstrate a stupid attitude, but in a
way, to question this article seems rather southern, too.
  #14  
Old February 25th 08, 01:14 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Blowhardbuster
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Posts: 11
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

On Feb 25, 8:00 am, Blowhardbuster wrote:
On Feb 21, 9:38 pm, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - 'Roid Rage Edition ®"



wrote:
"tassava" wrote in message


...


From Aftenposten (http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/
article2269555.ece)
"A public opinion poll conducted by research firm Norstat for sporting
goods retailer Anton Sport indicates that around 40 percent of the
Norwegian population never goes skiing. Four out of 10 women
questioned, and 32 percent of men, said they are not keen to go cross-
country skiing, downhill skiing or snowboarding, according to
Aftenposten-no's report on the new poll."


I enjoy the fact that Aftenposten depicts this finding as proof that
"much of the Norwegian passion for skiing is pure myth." A clear
majority of women and an overwhelming majority men do ski!


Christopher


Well.... compared to the United States (where I am), where 9 out of 10
people probably do not even know what cross-country skiing is (except a few
northern states, such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, etc.), I'd say 60%
majority makes Norway a nation of skiers. As far as professional athletes
go, Norway has by far the most World Cup nordic skiing medals than any other
country (Finland 2nd, Sweden 3rd). So I say Norway still retains the title
"hotbed of skiing."


A better research question would be how many of them know how to cross-
country ski, but don't do it now. I live in Ma. and often I am looked
at as some pervert in tights when skiing. It's really the southerners
who have moved up here that demonstrate a stupid attitude, but in a
way, to question this article seems rather southern, too.


Actually, I meant myth not article and don't want to leave it at 13
messages here. As to football and baseball, they are the national
spectator sports, but when it comes to claims about them being the
"National Past Time" and other stupid assumptions, I often am miffed
regarding the claimants. Many people have played these sports as
children, but adults rarely play them. In fact, Lacrosse has
surpassed American Football as the most popular collegiate sport.
Rowing possibly outnumbers them both. Of course you see many crowded
football stadiums during the fall on the idiot box, but in the region
that contains the most schools, the N.E., the stadiums are never full
for the saturday games and the practice fields often used for soccer
and lacross. In fact, when I lived in Cambridge I saw many baseball
fields kept in meticulous conditions by the moronic city employees
because they were seldom played on. The soccer fields were always
worn and grassless due to use. Boston can be said to be the same,
although softball was more popular amongst male adults. Futhermore,
Harvard had a ski team, not the best, but a team. I used to skate all
over their practice fields in the winter snows, but saw no other
skiers. I doubt if there is one school in Norway that you could have
the fields all to yourself.
  #15  
Old February 25th 08, 01:38 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
John Forrest Tomlinson
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Posts: 447
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:14:36 -0800 (PST), Blowhardbuster
wrote:

As to football and baseball, they are the national
spectator sports, but when it comes to claims about them being the
"National Past Time" and other stupid assumptions, I often am miffed
regarding the claimants. Many people have played these sports as
children, but adults rarely play them.


I don't think even "many" people have ever played football. Certainly
very few people have ever played tackle football.
  #16  
Old February 25th 08, 02:05 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
[email protected]
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Posts: 565
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

I wonder if an appropriate college sample would be intramural sports
participation.

rm

Blowhardbuster wrote:

A better research question would be how many of them know how to cross-
country ski, but don't do it now. I live in Ma. and often I am looked
at as some pervert in tights when skiing. It's really the southerners
who have moved up here that demonstrate a stupid attitude, but in a
way, to question this article seems rather southern, too.


Actually, I meant myth not article and don't want to leave it at 13
messages here. As to football and baseball, they are the national
spectator sports, but when it comes to claims about them being the
"National Past Time" and other stupid assumptions, I often am miffed
regarding the claimants. Many people have played these sports as
children, but adults rarely play them. In fact, Lacrosse has
surpassed American Football as the most popular collegiate sport.
Rowing possibly outnumbers them both. Of course you see many crowded
football stadiums during the fall on the idiot box, but in the region
that contains the most schools, the N.E., the stadiums are never full
for the saturday games and the practice fields often used for soccer
and lacross. In fact, when I lived in Cambridge I saw many baseball
fields kept in meticulous conditions by the moronic city employees
because they were seldom played on. The soccer fields were always
worn and grassless due to use. Boston can be said to be the same,
although softball was more popular amongst male adults. Futhermore,
Harvard had a ski team, not the best, but a team. I used to skate all
over their practice fields in the winter snows, but saw no other
skiers. I doubt if there is one school in Norway that you could have
the fields all to yourself.

  #17  
Old February 25th 08, 02:12 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
[email protected]
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Posts: 565
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

Yes, that's the problem with these sorts of population-based
comparisons. A better one in the States would include participation in
all sports, but would have to include golf - and maybe repairing the
roof.

rm

Terje Mathisen wrote:

Well, you know that "only" about 25% or so will actually travel up into
the mountains for the traditional 10-day Easter celebration.

Try to imagine "only" 60 million Americans going to the ski areas at the
same time. :-)

  #18  
Old February 25th 08, 05:27 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
tassava
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Posts: 136
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

On Feb 25, 8:12 am, wrote:
Yes, that's the problem with these sorts of population-based
comparisons. A better one in the States would include participation in
all sports, but would have to include golf - and maybe repairing the
roof.

rm

Terje Mathisen wrote:
Well, you know that "only" about 25% or so will actually travel up into
the mountains for the traditional 10-day Easter celebration.


Try to imagine "only" 60 million Americans going to the ski areas at the
same time. :-)


The best thing I can find online are some Census numbers for 2002
which show that 55.1% of all Americans participated in an "exercise
program" (55% for men, 55.1% for women) and 30.4% (presumably a
subset?) participated in "playing sports" (38.8% for men, 22.7% for
women). The estimated U.S. population in 2002 was about 288 million,
so 55% would be roughly 158 million people; 39% would be about 112
million, and 23% would be about 66 million.
(Table 1222 at http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/arts.pdf)

You can extrapolate more depressing numbers from a Centers for Disease
Control report. In 2002-03, researchers assessed how many Americans
got the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise of 20 minutes at
a moderate pace and how many got less than 10 minutes. About 45% fell
into the minimally-active first category, about 16% into the not-
active second category.
See http://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5447a3.htm
  #19  
Old February 25th 08, 06:10 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
[email protected]
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Posts: 565
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

I wonder if those stats include walking around once or many times a day
as part of daily life is included. While we wouldn't think of these
people as active, they are getting some of the benefits of exercise.

tassava wrote:

You can extrapolate more depressing numbers from a Centers for Disease
Control report. In 2002-03, researchers assessed how many Americans
got the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise of 20 minutes at
a moderate pace and how many got less than 10 minutes. About 45% fell
into the minimally-active first category, about 16% into the not-
active second category.
See http://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5447a3.htm

  #20  
Old February 26th 08, 12:19 AM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Camilo
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Posts: 144
Default Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

On Feb 24, 1:49*pm, John Forrest Tomlinson
wrote:
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:20:51 -0800 (PST), "Jeff Potter (of

OutYourBackdoor.com)" wrote:
The main thing, as has been suggested, is WATCHING.


Yeah. *I laugh/cringe when I hear someone say they're really "into
sports" and they mean watching it on TV.


Indeed. In the early to mid-90s I joined a men's hockey league after
being away from the sport pretty much since the late 70s/early 80s.*
Yes, the usenet was on line back then! I looked up some newsgroups
related to hockey to get the skinny on latest skates, gear, etc. and
found that 99% of those that posted either had never played the game,
or didn't have any knowledge about it because they hadn't played since
they were teenagers. Worthless....

*I got it out of my system after about 5 years and decided (a) I liked
skiing much better and (b) for the money I was spending on gear and
ice time I could keep stocked up with really nice skiing gear!


 




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