Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IV. Education and Mental Culture. Introd. by P. E. Lindström - 7. Athletics and Sport (Idrott). By [V. G. Balck] G. Åsbrink
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452
iv. education and mental cultulle.
Ski-running — without doubt the grandest sport in existense — had lost
ground in Sweden between 1860—80, and, practically, was seldom seen south
of the river Dalälven. In the northern districts, on the contrary, ski-running
has always been relied upon as a useful means of swift locomotion, and
magnificent feats have occasionally been accomplished by the hardy inhabitants of those
regions. In consequence of the newly awakened interest in sport everywhere
in the country, this so-called "sport of sports" has become famous wherever there
is snow. The rising generation now assiduously practises ski-running,, which has
attained such popularity among old and young, men and women, that it bids
fair to put every other winter sport into the shade. In this instance, too, the
stir brought about by racing has been productive of more general practice and
greater development. Föreningen för skidlöpningens främjande i Sverige (The
Society for the Promotion of Ski-running in Sweden) — a remarkably energetic
association — has brought this branch of sport to the front by arranging
contests in different parts of the country, and by appointing instructors to teach
the young. The Society, moreover, issues a valuable Annual. More than a
hundred ski-running matches take place every year, and there are a great many
ski-clubs in the country. In addition, Svenska skidförbundet (the Swedish Ski
Association) works for the development of the sport.
Ski-running — which has for its object to teach people how best to cross
snow-covered country, in woods and fields, over ice and meadow, up and down
slopes and fells — has two characteristic features: distance running, and
hill-ski-ing with jumping. In both, distinct matches are arranged; sometimes with
the two features combined. On hilly ground more than 30 meters have been
covered at one jump, and mention is made of a jump of even 40 meters down
a steep slope.
Another winter sport affording great pleasure to its votaries and which is a
remarkable sight to watch, is Skate-sailing. During the last few decades, this
has also developed into a true sport with highly interesting races, in which
beating to windward and sailing with side-winds and leading winds occurs. On
the fiords round Stockholm, when the ice is smooth, one can revel in the sight
of the beautiful picture presented by some fifty white sails chasing each other
with astounding velocity. On one occasion, when the wind was high, the speed
was shown by the log to be 50 knots (about 58 miles an hour). There are also
a number of skate-sailing clubs.
Ice-yachting, too, is much practised in Sweden, when the fiords are covered
with smooth ice, the sport then being carried on with the liveliest interest by a
large number of persons of both sexes, and it is not uncommon to see some
forty or fifty beautiful ice-yachts flying across the wide stretches of ice in the
immediate neighbourhood of Stockholm. The speed attained by these yachts is
almost unlimited. Ice-yachting and skate-sailing are the two most characteristic
winter-sports on the fiords around the Swedish capital, and there is hardly any
place in the world with such a large number of devotees of these sports, or
where ice-yachting and skate-sailing are so well directed by the clubs as in
Sweden, and in Stockholm especially.
Sledge-kicking is a purely Swedish winter sport, which was originally a
practical means of progression along the country roads; it is, however, now so
common amongst the young people of Norrland that the "Sparkstötting"
(kick-sledge) forms part of the winter equipment. It is, as it were, the winter bicycle,
and on hard-beaten roads, during a sharp frost, or across ice, when the snow is
not too deep, a good speed can be attained. Clubs have been organized and
matches arranged for this sport, too.
Tobogganing has also been developed into a sport by the erection of ice-hills,
one of which is kept up by Föreningen för befrämjande av skolungdomens fria
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