skiër

A skiër is a person who participates in the sport of skiing, gliding on snow with skis attached to the feet. Skiing encompasses multiple disciplines, including alpine, Nordic (cross-country and ski jumping), and freestyle, as well as backcountry and recreational skiing.

The term skiër is used in some languages as the agent noun formed from ski. In Dutch, for example, skiër denotes a person who skis. The English equivalent is skier. Spelling variations reflect different orthographic conventions, but the concept remains the same: a person who skis.

Skiing has ancient roots in snow regions of Europe and Asia, where skis were used for travel and hunting. Archaeological finds date back several thousand years. Modern skiing evolved during the 19th and 20th centuries with the development of specialized equipment, organized clubs, and international competition, leading to standardized rules and events.

Typical equipment includes skis, boots, bindings, and poles, along with insulating clothing and protective gear such as helmets. Techniques vary by discipline: alpine skiing emphasizes turning and speed control on groomed slopes; Nordic disciplines focus on efficient propulsion over snow; freestyle combines jumps, spins, and tricks; backcountry skiing involves hill terrain outside patrolled areas.

Competitive skiing is governed internationally by the International Ski Federation (FIS). Major events include the Winter Olympics and the FIS World Championships, along with World Cup circuits that award discipline-specific titles. Skiing remains both a recreational activity and a high-performance sport practiced worldwide, with safety practices and avalanche awareness integral to participation in many environments.