Norwegians: Hotbed of Skiing?

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

"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."

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."

Yeah, we have to remember to compare apples and apples. Only snow-
states would qualify. Well, states that are somewhat like Norway,
perhaps. I'd also rule out states that were overly mountainous or
perhaps even overly windswept or unpopulated. Overly cold isn't
conducive either. Russia is big on skiing---but is Siberia? I think
the first thing to do is look at states that are CONDUCIVE to skiing
if we want to consider how various places compare to Norway in "ski
desire."

Actually, I'd rather just look at what creates ski inclination rather
than worry about Norway.

What parts of the US and Canada qualify as being suitable for honest,
integral, sustainable, wholesome ski culture?

What states are snow states... now rule out the windswept north
plains---the Dakotas and Provinces above them. Rule out most of AK and
empty (plus overly cold and northern) provinces. Rule out the empty
parts of Wyo, MT and the very mountainous parts of CO, MT, WY, ID, CA,
etc.

I would note that mountainous areas are only popular for skiing in the
USA due to an artificial and unsustainable, elitist, exploitation/
consumption industry. They're very dangerous and mostly empty
otherwise. Europe seems to have a long-developed mt-culture---but our
mts tend to be more hostile, bigger. Take out the scattered money-
makers and you're left with a thin crust of individualistic nature
buffs and adventurers. It might be that in mountainous Europe that
most mountain folk---or those anywhere near mts---would ski even if
there weren't lifts---they'd go into the mts on weekends and picnic
and hike up, ski down---by the thousands. Without lifts our mt ski
culture would drop 95%, right? Anyway, I suggest that our big mt's ski
culture isn't so deep. It's more an employment situation for locals,
and spendy for outsiders, rather than something truly conducive to ski
love.

So what does that leave? MI, WI, MN, small parts of WA/CO/MT/WY/CA/ID/
AK, ONT, QUE, NY, VT, NH. That's nothing to sneeze at---it leaves half
of Canadians and, what, 10% of Americans who MIGHT have a natural,
lifelong, multigenerational interest in skiing per se.

It also leaves XC as the most natural type of skiing---because those
ski-conducive states have mellow terrain more suited for XC than
alpine.

...A wildly speculative thought, anyway.

--JP

On Feb 22, 4:50*am, "Jeff Potter (of OutYourBackdoor.com)"
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."

Yeah, we have to remember to compare apples and apples. Only snow-
states would qualify. Well, states that are somewhat like Norway,
perhaps. I'd also rule out states that were overly mountainous or
perhaps even overly windswept or unpopulated. Overly cold isn't
conducive either. Russia is big on skiing---but is Siberia? I think
the first thing to do is look at states that are CONDUCIVE to skiing
if we want to consider how various places compare to Norway in "ski
desire."

Actually, I'd rather just look at what creates ski inclination rather
than worry about Norway.

What parts of the US and Canada qualify as being suitable for honest,
integral, sustainable, wholesome ski culture?

What states are snow states... now rule out the windswept north
plains---the Dakotas and Provinces above them. Rule out most of AK and
empty (plus overly cold and northern) provinces. Rule out the empty
parts of Wyo, MT and the very mountainous parts of CO, MT, WY, ID, CA,
etc.

I would note that mountainous areas are only popular for skiing in the
USA due to an artificial and unsustainable, elitist, exploitation/
consumption industry. They're very dangerous and mostly empty
otherwise. Europe seems to have a long-developed mt-culture---but our
mts tend to be more hostile, bigger. Take out the scattered money-
makers and you're left with a thin crust of individualistic nature
buffs and adventurers. It might be that in mountainous Europe that
most mountain folk---or those anywhere near mts---would ski even if
there weren't lifts---they'd go into the mts on weekends and picnic
and hike up, ski down---by the thousands. Without lifts our mt ski
culture would drop 95%, right? Anyway, I suggest that our big mt's ski
culture isn't so deep. It's more an employment situation for locals,
and spendy for outsiders, rather than something truly conducive to ski
love.

So what does that leave? MI, WI, MN, small parts of WA/CO/MT/WY/CA/ID/
AK, ONT, QUE, NY, VT, NH. That's nothing to sneeze at---it leaves half
of Canadians and, what, 10% of Americans who MIGHT have a natural,
lifelong, multigenerational interest in skiing per se.

It also leaves XC as the most natural type of skiing---because those
ski-conducive states have mellow terrain more suited for XC than
alpine.

...A wildly speculative thought, anyway.

--JP- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would say that any sport that enjoys 60-70% particiaption is a
national sport. I am highly doubtful of their numbers, just think
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,
winter or summer, in the US that has anyhting close to that percentage
of of particiapation.

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.

wrote in message
...
On Feb 22, 4:50 am, "Jeff Potter (of OutYourBackdoor.com)"
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."

Yeah, we have to remember to compare apples and apples. Only snow-
states would qualify. Well, states that are somewhat like Norway,
perhaps. I'd also rule out states that were overly mountainous or
perhaps even overly windswept or unpopulated. Overly cold isn't
conducive either. Russia is big on skiing---but is Siberia? I think
the first thing to do is look at states that are CONDUCIVE to skiing
if we want to consider how various places compare to Norway in "ski
desire."

Actually, I'd rather just look at what creates ski inclination rather
than worry about Norway.

What parts of the US and Canada qualify as being suitable for honest,
integral, sustainable, wholesome ski culture?

What states are snow states... now rule out the windswept north
plains---the Dakotas and Provinces above them. Rule out most of AK and
empty (plus overly cold and northern) provinces. Rule out the empty
parts of Wyo, MT and the very mountainous parts of CO, MT, WY, ID, CA,
etc.

I would note that mountainous areas are only popular for skiing in the
USA due to an artificial and unsustainable, elitist, exploitation/
consumption industry. They're very dangerous and mostly empty
otherwise. Europe seems to have a long-developed mt-culture---but our
mts tend to be more hostile, bigger. Take out the scattered money-
makers and you're left with a thin crust of individualistic nature
buffs and adventurers. It might be that in mountainous Europe that
most mountain folk---or those anywhere near mts---would ski even if
there weren't lifts---they'd go into the mts on weekends and picnic
and hike up, ski down---by the thousands. Without lifts our mt ski
culture would drop 95%, right? Anyway, I suggest that our big mt's ski
culture isn't so deep. It's more an employment situation for locals,
and spendy for outsiders, rather than something truly conducive to ski
love.

So what does that leave? MI, WI, MN, small parts of WA/CO/MT/WY/CA/ID/
AK, ONT, QUE, NY, VT, NH. That's nothing to sneeze at---it leaves half
of Canadians and, what, 10% of Americans who MIGHT have a natural,
lifelong, multigenerational interest in skiing per se.

It also leaves XC as the most natural type of skiing---because those
ski-conducive states have mellow terrain more suited for XC than
alpine.

...A wildly speculative thought, anyway.

--JP- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would say that any sport that enjoys 60-70% particiaption is a
national sport. I am highly doubtful of their numbers, just think
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,
winter or summer, in the US that has anyhting close to that percentage
of of particiapation.

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.


I would say that channel surfing enjoys about 93% participation in the US
and hence considered a national sport. Heh.

On Feb 22, 9:13*am, wrote:
On Feb 22, 4:50*am, "Jeff Potter (of OutYourBackdoor.com)"





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."

Yeah, we have to remember to compare apples and apples. Only snow-
states would qualify. Well, states that are somewhat like Norway,
perhaps. I'd also rule out states that were overly mountainous or
perhaps even overly windswept or unpopulated. Overly cold isn't
conducive either. Russia is big on skiing---but is Siberia? I think
the first thing to do is look at states that are CONDUCIVE to skiing
if we want to consider how various places compare to Norway in "ski
desire."

Actually, I'd rather just look at what creates ski inclination rather
than worry about Norway.

What parts of the US and Canada qualify as being suitable for honest,
integral, sustainable, wholesome ski culture?

What states are snow states... now rule out the windswept north
plains---the Dakotas and Provinces above them. Rule out most of AK and
empty (plus overly cold and northern) provinces. Rule out the empty
parts of Wyo, MT and the very mountainous parts of CO, MT, WY, ID, CA,
etc.

I would note that mountainous areas are only popular for skiing in the
USA due to an artificial and unsustainable, elitist, exploitation/
consumption industry. They're very dangerous and mostly empty
otherwise. Europe seems to have a long-developed mt-culture---but our
mts tend to be more hostile, bigger. Take out the scattered money-
makers and you're left with a thin crust of individualistic nature
buffs and adventurers. It might be that in mountainous Europe that
most mountain folk---or those anywhere near mts---would ski even if
there weren't lifts---they'd go into the mts on weekends and picnic
and hike up, ski down---by the thousands. Without lifts our mt ski
culture would drop 95%, right? Anyway, I suggest that our big mt's ski
culture isn't so deep. It's more an employment situation for locals,
and spendy for outsiders, rather than something truly conducive to ski
love.

So what does that leave? MI, WI, MN, small parts of WA/CO/MT/WY/CA/ID/
AK, ONT, QUE, NY, VT, NH. That's nothing to sneeze at---it leaves half
of Canadians and, what, 10% of Americans who MIGHT have a natural,
lifelong, multigenerational interest in skiing per se.

It also leaves XC as the most natural type of skiing---because those
ski-conducive states have mellow terrain more suited for XC than
alpine.

...A wildly speculative thought, anyway.

--JP- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would say that any sport that enjoys 60-70% particiaption is a
national sport. I am highly doubtful of their numbers, just think
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,
winter or summer, in the US that has anyhting close to that percentage
of *of particiapation.

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.-

I agree totally that any country that has the percentages that Norway
has would consider skiing to be the national sport. In the US, things
like baseball and football are considered "national sports". What a
joke. I have played and enjoy watching both, but national sports? Not
on the basis of participation. I would bet that far, far less than
1/2 of adult US males regularly play baseball, and very few females -
and I'm including softball in each. Football, even less. I'd also
venture to bet than less than 1/2 of the population watches either
sport regularly - but we're talking participation, not watching.

If you've ever been to Norway, you know that there are some people
that never ski, but it is definitely a huge deal with most people
viewing winter as a ski season. Not a TV season like the US.

As for your stats on Anchorage, check again. The population of
Anchorage (which includes the entire municipality, including many
areas that really wouldn't be considered "Anchorage") is not 600,000
as you state (i.e. 30%=180,000). It is about 1/2 that. Maybe
your'e mistaking Anchorage's for the entire state? A lot of people
there make that mistake 8-)

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:50:23 -0800 (PST), "Jeff Potter (of
OutYourBackdoor.com)" wrote:

Russia is big on skiing---but is Siberia?

I don't know, but can think of at least one world cup race winner from
Siberia.

On Feb 22, 4:50*am, "Jeff Potter (of OutYourBackdoor.com)"

... I'd also rule out states that were overly mountainous

... or perhaps even overly windswept or unpopulated.

.. Overly cold isn't conducive either.

What parts of the US and Canada qualify as being suitable for honest,
integral, sustainable, wholesome ski culture?

...now rule out the windswept north plains---the Dakotas and Provinces above them.

...Rule out most of AK and empty (plus overly cold and northern) provinces..
...Rule out the empty parts of Wyo, MT and the very mountainous parts of CO, MT, WY, ID, CA, etc.


I would note that mountainous areas ...They're very dangerous and mostly empty otherwise.

Spoken like a true midwesterner, no? Some think the best fishing is
in the midwest too 8-)

I wonder what sports participation numbers in general in the US look
like.

It doesn't seem like it would be very high for any of them.

And I don't mean self-reported. --Which might put a twist on a lot of
stats out there.

I'd think that each type of main activity might have 1% participation.

Perhaps with all the various main types all added up we do have a
physically active population rating of about 15%. (Baseball/soft,
football, soccer, golf, bowling, run, bike, gym...)

I just don't have a picture of the US as being all that active, I
guess. And certainly I doubt that there is a national favorite by any
stretch---as relates to participation.

The main thing, as has been suggested, is WATCHING.

And that relates to what maybe HALF of adults even did as a kid in
school. So that activity for most USA adults is IN THE PAST and then
only for half of them.

USA heart disease is on the rise again, too---right?

How many adults even have active jobs or do anything that involves
regular activity that they might say they look forward to? Positive
attitudes toward activity would have to be a key to a healthy active
culture. With the pace of work today I wouldn't be surprised if a lot
of job activity is considered harmful by workers---and this probably
makes them even less likely to be active afterhours.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 1970's marked the biggest transition
between people living in a way that was based on diverse, traditional
physical activity. Even if the work was risky the pace might have been
endurable in 1970. After that we saw a new era of sedentary,
mechanized lifestyles---with repetitive-type injuries probably hugely
on the rise. Farming in the country and jobs in the cities all seemed
to shift to automation on a huge scale. Is physical outdoor activity
even considered a positive adult value anymore? Or do most folks tend
to avoid it?

--JP

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.