cross-country skiing

Skiing in open country over rolling, hilly terrain. It originated in Scandinavia as a means of travel as well as recreation. The skies used are longer, narrower, and lighter than those used in Alpine skiing, and bindings allow more heel movement. The standard lengths of international races range from 10 to 50 km (6.2–31 mi) for men and 5 to 30 km (3.1–18.6 mi) for women. It has been included on the Olympics program since the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

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Skiing event in which contestants ski down a steep ramp curved upward at the end and launch themselves into the air for distance. Using a crouch position, skiers can achieve ramp speeds of 75 mi (120 km) per hour. After takeoff, they lean far forward from the ankles with knees straight and skis held open at the tips to form a V, a position that minimizes wind resistance and maximizes lift. Scoring is based partly on distance and partly on form.

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(born Aug. 3, 1901, Zuzela, near Lstrokomża, Pol., Russian Empire—died May 28, 1981, Warsaw, Pol.) Polish cardinal and primate of Poland. Ordained in 1924, he was assigned to the basilica at Włocławek. He founded and directed the Christian Workers University (1935–39), then joined the Polish resistance in World War II. He was appointed successively bishop of Lublin (1946), primate of Poland (1948), and cardinal (1952). For refusing to consent to communist demands, he was placed under house arrest (1953–56). After his release, he reached a compromise on church and state matters with Władysław Gomułka that avoided a potential Soviet invasion of Poland, and he thereafter maintained the unity of the church in an uneasy coexistence with the communist government. He later lent cautious support to such Polish movements as the Workers' Defense Committee, Solidarity, and Rural Solidarity, which sought greater freedom from the late 1970s onward. A doctrinal conservative, his last major act was to negotiate with the Polish authorities over the visit of Pope John Paul II to Poland in 1979.

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Płażyński began his political career in 1980 / 1981 as one of the leaders of the Students' Solidarity; he was governor of the Gdańsk Voivodship from August 1990 to July 1996, and was elected to the Sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament) in September 1997. From 1997 to 2001, he also held the office of marshal of the Sejm, after being elected without a single vote against him.

In January 2001, he founded the political party Platforma Obywatelska together with Donald Tusk and Andrzej Olechowski. He left Platforma Obywatelska due to personal reasons and is now an independent MP.

Maciej Płażyński is married to Elzbieta Płażyńska and has three children: Jakub, Katarzyna and Kacper.

See also

• Solidarity

External links

• Official site