(NEXSTAR) - Cross-country skiing features 12 total events, consisting of four team events and eight individual events. Competition distances range from 7.5 kilometers to 50 kilometers and utilize various ski techniques. There are two primary techniques used by athletes during competition: classical and skate skiing. Classical style follows a motion similar to walking as skiers move straight ahead. In the classic technique, skiers move straight on and in the skate technique, skiers move forward by moving laterally, pushing each ski out from center diagonally in the direction they're going. The Skiathlon is a specific event that requires mastery of both styles. Athletes utilize one technique for the first half of the race before switching to the other at the halfway point. Races also vary by their starting procedures. Some events use a mass start format where all competitors begin on the starting line together, with the winner being the first person to cross the finish line. Other competitions are decided through heats and timed placements. The men's and women's 10-kilometer free are the only events that utilize interval starts. In these specific races, the winner is the individual who records the fastest overall time. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published.