The Journey of Skiing: Starting from the Altay Region Extending to the Winter Olympic Games

Background. The skiing was first used in the history of mankind for transportation and hunting in the Altay Mountains, where harsh and long winter conditions exist. The use of skiing continued in many cultures and eventually turned into a sport where not the Winter Olympic Games serve as a venue for the competition. Objectives. This review aims to outline the phases of skiing and highlight how it started as means of transportation and hunting vehicle in nomadic Turkic tribes in the Altay region to meet the vital needs of the people and continued to develop as a sport during the thousands of years of adventure until the Winter Olympic Games and the cultural importance of ski in the nomadic Turkic tribes in the Altay Region. Methods. In the first stage of the study, the journey of two pieces of wood (ski) is analyzed, which were invented even before the wheel. In the second phase, we analyzed the technical development of this invention and its use during the wars. In the third phase, we examined how ski transformed into a sports branch and different disciplines. Results. In the researchers examined in the study, it has been mentioned that skiing starts from the vital need point and spread through migration and then used as a means of transportation and war. Attention has been drawn to the journey of rapidly spreading skiing into a modern Olympic sport. Today, skiing has become a sports branch and tourism which is made in large masses in the world. Conclusion. Skiing started from the vital need point by the nomadic Turkic tribes. The use of skies spread through migration and then used as a means of transportation and war. Thanks to this long journey of two pieces of wood, it has an essential place in the world in terms of economy, tourism, and sports.