Anchor leg: The fourth and final leg of the relay race in the team event 

Classic technique: A kick-and-glide skiing style in which the skis move parallel to each other, with one remaining stationary while the other pushes forward    

Course profile: The characteristics of a cross-country course, such as elevation, terrain, etc.

Equipment control: Refers to the rigorous inspection process an athlete’s equipment undergoes before and after an event to ensure it complies with the standards established by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation

Fall line: A designated line on the outrun of a ski jumping hill. If a ski jumper loses balance and falls after the fall line, style points are not deducted from the jump.

Feed zone: Designated area on a cross-country skiing course where coaches are allowed to hand energy drinks, gels and other nutrition to athletes mid-race. These typically only are found on longer courses. 

Freestyle technique: A skiing technique in which the skier pushes the inside edge of the ski simultaneously backward and out in a motion resembling ice skating. Developed in the 1970s, it is faster than the classical technique and thus always used in Nordic combined, though there are no rules that stipulate which technique is to be used.

Flight phase: The part of a jump in which the athlete is in the air 

Gate compensation: Points that are added to or subtracted from a jumper’s final score to account for changes in the gate’s elevation. Points are deducted for a higher starting gate, while points are added for a lower start gate.

Glide wax: Wax used to decrease the friction between the skis and the snow. It typically is applied to the entire length of the ski in freestyle races.

Gundersen method: A scoring system developed to evaluate Nordic combined events. Because ski jumping and cross-country skiing are graded on two different scales (points versus time), the Gundersen method allows the performances in each discipline to be added together, converting the points an athlete earns in the ski jumping competition to time penalties. In the two individual events, one point equals four seconds. On the other hand, one point is equal to 1.33 seconds in the team event.

Hill size: The distance between the takeoff table and the end of the landing area, which is beyond the K-point

In-run: The portion of the jump during which the athlete travels down the ramp

K-oint: The point of the hill where it begins to flatten out, which is equivalent to the height of the hill. The K-point typically is designated by two red lines which run down both sides of the landing hill and determines the number of distance points awarded to a jump, meaning jumpers can earn more points for landing beyond the K-point.

Mass start: A cross-country race format in which all athletes start simultaneously. This format is not used in Olympic Nordic combined competitions.

Outrun: The flat area at the bottom of the jumping hill where skiers decelerate and stop

Piste: The snow-covered track or course that is used for cross-country racing

Pursuit start: A cross-country race format in which athletes start separately at staggered intervals. In all three Nordic combined events, the start positions and time deficits of the individual (or team) at the beginning of the cross-country skiing portion are dictated by the individual (or team) score in the preceding ski jump. The top jumping individual (or team) is pursued by the second-placed individual (or team), who is pursued by the third, and so on.

Red card: A newly-implemented sanction given for equipment violations. If an athlete is disqualified from an event due to an equipment violation, they receive a yellow card. A subsequent violation results in a red card and a suspension from the following event. In that case, the athlete’s country also loses its quota spot in that World Cup competition.

Relay exchange zone: The moment in a relay event in which the current racer taps in the next team member in line. The exchange occurs when the current skier taps the next racer with their hand while both are in the relay exchange zone.

Speed trap: A section of the course, often set by coaches, used to measure a skier’s speed and determine the ideal type of wax before a race

Split time: Like in track and field, refers to the amount of time it takes an athlete to complete one lap of a cross-country skiing race

Style points: Points awarded based on flight, landing and out-run. Several factors impact style points, such as balance, body position, movement during flight, elegance and form.

Takeoff: At the end of the inrun, the moment where the jumper takes flight

Telemark position: Landing with one ski in front of the other, lunging forward

V-position: The position of the skis most jumpers use while in the air. The skis are touching or nearly touching at the tail and spread apart at the tips to form a “V.” The position improves the aerodynamics of the ski jumper.

Vertical: An uphill climb

Wax technician: Called a wax tech for short, a staff member responsible for finding the ideal glide and/or kick wax for a given race and snow temperature

Yellow card: A newly-implemented sanction given for equipment violations. If an athlete is disqualified from an event due to an equipment violation, they receive a yellow card.