By Gerard Gallagher, Contributing Olympic Editor

Like all skiing disciplines, cross country has its origins in Norway, where there is evidence that skis were used primitively more than 5,000 years ago and where in the 1800s the first ski competitions were held.

Cross country has been featured at the Olympics since the very first Winter Games at Chamonix in 1924, though it wasn't included in the women's program until Oslo in 1952.

The cross country competition in Torino will take place from Feb. 12-26 at the Pragelato venue, about 45 miles outside the city. It features six different events in both the men's and women's program -- sprint, team sprint, individual start, pursuit, mass start and relay.

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Scandinavian countries have historically dominated cross country at the Olympics, and the sport's athletes have been especially prolific among medal winners.

In fact, five of the top 10 all-time winners at the Winter Olympics are from cross country: Norway's Bjorn Daehlie (eight gold, four silver); Russians Lyubov Yegorova (six gold, three silver) and Larissa Lazutina (five gold, one silver); Raisa Smatanina (four gold, five silver, one bronze) of the former Soviet Union; and Sweden's Sixten Jernberg (four gold, three silver, two bronze).

Even a cursory glance at the 2002 medal count from Salt Lake City will reveal that Norway and Italy dominated cross country in those Games. In fact, Norway was involved in all but one of the cross country medal ceremonies, and its athletes were often standing next to Italians.

They are the two countries to watch, but also keep an eye on the athletes from Germany, Sweden and Russia and the Estonian men's team, which collected three medals in 2002.

U.S. OUTLOOK

The United States has won only one Olympic medal in cross country skiing -- William Koch's bronze in the 30km mass start at the 1976 Innsbruck Games -- but the United States Olympic Committee believes that its team is the strongest it has been in years.

Among the men competing for the U.S. in Torino will be 25-year-old Kris Freeman, a diabetic who was a member of the U.S. relay team that placed fifth in 2002, the best ever finish by an American relay team in the Olympics.

At age 20, Freeman was diagnosed with diabetes, but he's managed to maintain his biathlon career even though he injects himself six times a day with insulin. He also tests his blood sugar up to a dozen times each day.

Freeman, who owns top 10 finishes at the World Cup, will be joined by Andy Newell and Carl Swenson, who the USOC considers challengers at distance and in the freestyle technique races, and sprinter Torin Koos.

On the women's side, Rebecca Dussault is seen as the top U.S. contender. She has returned to racing after taking time off to get married and have a son.

CANADIAN OUTLOOK

Canadian Becky Scott is one of the best cross country skiers in the world and has won her country's only Olympic medal ever in the sport, a gold in women's pursuit at the 2002 Games.

Scott and fellow Canadian team member Sara Renner have combined to win six World Cup medals for Canada this season, with Scott claiming two gold and two silver medals at back-to-back events and Renner winning a bronze medal. (The two women also combined for a silver medal performance in spring relay).

George Gray and Devon Kershaw will lead the Canadian men's team.