Can cross-country skiers change skis during a race?

• Poles: changed only if broken or damaged, or in a skiathlon pit box.
• Skis: changed only if broken, at pit boxes or in classic sprint finals with tested skis.
• Proof: a broken ski or binding must be shown to the jury afterwards.
• No help: the skier changes alone, outside the track.
• Pit boxes: one change at most in long races; one pair of skis per box.
• Waxing: banned during the race; classic distance skiers may scrape and add kick wax.
• Fluorinated wax: skis must pass the test; a positive test means no start.
• Radios: two-way communication with coaches is banned in races.

The glossary has the equipment exchange, the pit box, the glide wax, the wax, the ski and the poles.

Limits on changes keep the race a test of the skier, not the service team. The fluorinated-wax ban protects health and the environment, and keeps budgets level.