Abstract: A cross-country ski extending along a longitudinal centerline has a forwardly pointed and tapered shovel, a rearwardly tapered tail, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween and defining a central binding-attachment location. The shovel is at its widest of a relatively great width and the tail is at its widest of a relatively small width substantially smaller than the great width of the shovel. The intermediate portion is comprised of a front intermediate portion flaring smoothly forward from the binding location where it is of the small width to the shovel where it is of the great width and a rear intermediate portion of a constant width equal to the small width and extending between the front portion and the tail.