Is the Diagonal Stride a dying technique?

Thu, Sep  9, 2010 - By Mike Muha

The Diagonal Stride is the oldest and most well known Cross Country Skiing technique, but today, in almost every race, there's a discussion whether to go with or without wax and just double pole. Is the Diagonal Stride a dying technique?

According to the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, it used to be that skiers could only get up to 80% of VO2 Max uptake while double poling. Today, they reach nearly 100%. Could diagonal stride disappear as an obsolete technique?

Even in Michigan Cup racing, there are skiers who double pole - and win - classic races. Will we see more of these skiers?

Listen to Lars Ljung, HC Holmberg, Glenn Björklund, Ola Rawald of the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre as they discuss the changing nature of diagonal stride and double poling in ski racing. (The first 25 seconds are advertising for the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.)