Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) was measured in 51 females and males classified as either world‐class, medium‐class or less successful elite skiers. The V̇O2maxin the male world‐class skiers was significantly higher (mean 85.6 ml·kg−1·min−1or 355 ml·min−1kg−23) than in the other elite skiers. World‐class and medium‐class female skiers had identical mean V̇O2maxexpressed in ml·kg−1·min−1(70.7 and 70.6, respectively), but the values differed significantly when the unit ml·min−1kg−2/3was used (274 and 264, respectively). V̇O2maxexpressed as ml·min−1·kg−2/3reflects differences in performance capability among elite