Telemark skiing
Encyclopedia
Telemark skiing is a form of skiing using the Telemark turn. Unlike alpine skiing
equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing
, or may be released to only connect there.
Telemark turns are led with the heel flat on the outside ski (the downhill ski at the end of the turn), while the inside (uphill) ski is pulled beneath the skier's body with a flexed knee and raised heel. The skis are staggered but not quite parallel, and 50% to 60% of the body weight is distributed on the outside ski, depending on snow conditions.
The Telemark turn came to the attention of the Norwegian
public in 1868, when Sondre Norheim
took part in a ski jumping competition. Norheim's technique of fluid turns soon dominated skiing, and in Norway it continued to do well into the next century. Starting in the 1910s, newer techniques based on the stem
gradually replaced Telemark in the Alpine countries. Newer techniques were easier to master and enabled shorter turns better suited for steeper alpine terrain and skiing downhill. The Telemark turn became the technique of ski touring in rolling terrain.
The technique is named after the Telemark
region of Norway, just as the stem Christie
turn was named after Christiania (now Oslo
), Norway. As well as inventing the Telemark turn, Sondre Norheim and his fellow skiers used and refined parallel skiing techniques. Thus, while the Telemark is part of early skiing's foundation, parallel techniques are of equal importance.
in the 1970s. Telemark skiing was a back-to-basics reaction to the high-tech equipment developments of alpine skiing
, and the increasing reliance on crowded groomed pistes served by ever larger and faster mechanical ski lifts. The use of traditional clothing is associated with the Telemark skiing revival.
The Telemark revival started almost simultaneously in Crested Butte, Colorado
and the northern part of the Green Mountains in Vermont. The Vermont revival was led by Telemark enthusiast Dickie Hall. At the same time in southern VT Filippo Pagano aka Telemarkfil was leading the revival with opening the first Telemark Ski School in the Eastern USA at Bromley MT. Also started the Telemark racing series. It came to the attention of a larger public with a demonstration by a team from the Professional Ski Instructors of America
at Interski, Italy
in 1983. It grew to prominence during the 1990s; however, although organizations such as NATO (North American Telemark Organization) and NET (New England Telemark) sponsor telemark festivals and Instruction as the sport continues to grow, it is still considered a minority sport.
above the toes to allow the necessary flex for a telemark turn. All standard telemark boots have a trapezoidal "duckbill" at the front, which interfaces boots with the binding. While most telemark skiers use cables to attach boots to bindings, the duckbill has three reinforced holes in the bottom to attach three-pin bindings. NTN boots are also becoming more popular, which instead of the duckbill, attach to the binding by a hook in the front and ball of the boot.
From the 1980s onwards, telemark equipment has become progressively heavier and more durable as manufacturers seek to answer the demand for telemark equipment offering greater downhill performance and durability.
During the 1980s cable bindings that have a spring-loaded cable to hold the boot in the binding became popular. These have a socket that the duckbill fits into, but usually no pins. The spring-loaded cable is stretched onto the boot heel by a throw. Cable bindings are stronger than three-pin bindings and offer more control in turns, but they are heavier and produce more resistance to flexing the boot, therefore are not as suitable for ski touring.
To address ski touring issues, since 2005, cable binding manufacturers have introduced touring-mode bindings. These switch between a "free pivot" mode (borrowed from randonnee binding design) for touring and a downhill mode with more cable tension applied to the boot.
Also available are hinged plate bindings, combining the lateral stiffness of a traditional alpine binding with the flexibility of a traditional Telemark binding. Despite performance benefits, these bindings have failed to gain a significant following during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and most manufacturers have withdrawn models from production. Examples include the Voile VPII, Bomber Bishop (both USA) and Linken (Norway).
Since the 1990s Telemark news media have referred to the concept of a telemark binding "holy grail". This is a vision of a telemark binding design that offers the ability to perform telemark turns combined with touring-mode, step-in entry and safety-release features.
An international consortium of Fritschi and Black Diamond produced the first binding to address this ambition with the hinged plate "Skyhoy" binding. Production ceased when equipment from the first production run displayed faults that were uneconomic to rectify.
The 7tm binding, manufactured by German company Rezotec GmbH, is a commercially successful design that offers "holy grail" features.
In late 2007 Rottefella introduced the New Telemark Norm (NTN) binding, a departure from the 75mm Nordic Norm, which uses a different boot sole, co-developed with the Crispi and Scarpa boot companies. Current NTN systems are at the heavier end of the boot/binding spectrum, primarily aimed at maximizing downhill control. However, the touring-mode feature is considered by many users to off-set the additional weight penalty.
The edges used in a Telemark turn are the same as with a parallel turn
, but a Telemark turn involves leading the turn with the outside ski while trailing the inside ski. When initiating a turn, the skier edges the outside ski (which becomes the downhill ski at the completion of the turn) with a flat heel
] while simultaneously lifting the heel on the inside ski to shift the ski to the back of the Telemark stance. Through the turn, between 50 and 80 percent of the skier's weight is shifted
onto the outside ski depending on snow conditions, and rests primarily on the toe-half of each foot—even the outside foot, which has its boot heel in contact with the ski. Inexperienced Telemark skiers often find it difficult to place enough weight on their trailing, inside ("heel-up") ski to force it to turn, or "carve" in unison with the outside ski. When skiing off-piste in light powder the weight ratio can be different than the suggested 50 to 80 percent on the outside ski. Developments in modern telemark technique subsequent to the release of modern, highly responsive boots
and bindings
have demonstrated an increasing preference toward a turn made in an aggressive, carving fashion that closely resembles the modern alpine turn; as such, the modern technique emphasizes a side-to-side weight distribution that closely resembles that of alpine skiing
. Often having the majority of the weight on the inside trailing ski can help compensate for poor technique, as it allows the skier to use the outside ski as a 'buffer' to control the snow, and to help keeping the outside ski tip above the snow.
There is no agreement on the respective angle between the skis during a Telemark turn. Increasing the angle increases the amount that both knees are bent and brings the skier's torso closer to the snow. Some Telemarkers enjoy an extremely low stance with the trailing knee almost in contact with the ski top, while others prefer a taller stance, with a consequently smaller angle, that allows quicker transitions between turns. As a general rule, the back leg should be tucked in, with the knee of the trailing leg aligned vertically over the leading foot. Telemarkers who turn with their trailing knee considerably behind their leading foot are often referred to as "dog-leggers" because their rear leg resembles that of a wounded dog. "Toe-dragger" can also be used to describe Telemark skiers who do not tuck in their rear leg. It is possible to make parallel turns using Telemark equipment, which is why penalties are assessed if the boots are not staggered by at least a boot's length in FIS
Telemark competitions. This element of technique is up to the skier, although a very low stance is to be avoided where hard uneven snow might cause the lowered knee to collide with the ground or ski. Some Telemark skiers, therefore, use kneepads to reduce the risk of injury.
Accomplished Telemark skiers, like accomplished alpine skiers, keep their torsos vertical and oriented downhill while linking turns, thus avoiding turning too far. This position also allows greater control over the fine-tuning of weight distribution. When skiing in thick powder
it is important that the skier not lean back; staying forward and facing downhill allows quicker response to changing conditions. The lack of a fixed heel means that it is easy to go head-first into the snow when hitting a hard patch, but if centered on the skis and facing downhill, the skier is less likely to fall. With or without poles, the skier's hands should be in front of the body.
Some Telemark skiers continue to ski with a single long pole
or lurk
held in both hands in traditional style. The lurk should only contact the snow on the inside of the turn, though some find better balance results if the lurk contacts the snow on the outside of the turn.
Telemark Committee. The Telemark disciplines are:
Telemark giant slalom
Telemark Classic
Telemark Sprint Classic
Mountain Telemark
U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Telemark Championships
Sun Valley Tele Series
Slopestyle/Half Pipe/Big Air
which has run every year since 1983. Festivals generally offer free lessons and gear as well as races and other telemark competitions. There are a number of telemark festivals in Europe, including one of the world's largest, held at Livigno in Italy. It usually takes place during the end of March/first week of April. Earlier it was known as 'La Skieda', then it changed its name in 'Free Heel Fest'. In 2009, it will be called again 'La Skieda'. The International Telemark Film Festival Livigno runs concurrently. Another noteworthy event is California's Bear Valley Telemark Festival typically scheduled the weekend before Presidents Weekends in February.
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, or may be released to only connect there.
Telemark turns are led with the heel flat on the outside ski (the downhill ski at the end of the turn), while the inside (uphill) ski is pulled beneath the skier's body with a flexed knee and raised heel. The skis are staggered but not quite parallel, and 50% to 60% of the body weight is distributed on the outside ski, depending on snow conditions.
The Telemark turn came to the attention of the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
public in 1868, when Sondre Norheim
Sondre Norheim
Sondre Norheim, born Sondre Auverson, was a Norwegian skier and pioneer of modern skiing. Sondre Norheim is known as the father of Telemark skiing.-Background:...
took part in a ski jumping competition. Norheim's technique of fluid turns soon dominated skiing, and in Norway it continued to do well into the next century. Starting in the 1910s, newer techniques based on the stem
Stem (skiing)
The stem technique in skiing is a method for turning the skier. It is usually credited to the Austrian Mathias Zdarsky who developed it in the 1890s. Its variations gradually replaced the telemark technique in Alpine skiing....
gradually replaced Telemark in the Alpine countries. Newer techniques were easier to master and enabled shorter turns better suited for steeper alpine terrain and skiing downhill. The Telemark turn became the technique of ski touring in rolling terrain.
The technique is named after the Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
region of Norway, just as the stem Christie
Stem Christie
The stem Christie is a technique in skiing for turning. It is a refinement of the basic stem technique, where prior to the turn the uphill ski is stemmed from being parallel with the downhill ski to form a V shape....
turn was named after Christiania (now Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
), Norway. As well as inventing the Telemark turn, Sondre Norheim and his fellow skiers used and refined parallel skiing techniques. Thus, while the Telemark is part of early skiing's foundation, parallel techniques are of equal importance.
The Telemark revival
The revival in the Telemark technique, after its decline from popularity in the mid-1940s, started in United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 1970s. Telemark skiing was a back-to-basics reaction to the high-tech equipment developments of alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, and the increasing reliance on crowded groomed pistes served by ever larger and faster mechanical ski lifts. The use of traditional clothing is associated with the Telemark skiing revival.
The Telemark revival started almost simultaneously in Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is a Home Rule Municipality in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. A former coal mining town now called "the last great Colorado ski town," Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities...
and the northern part of the Green Mountains in Vermont. The Vermont revival was led by Telemark enthusiast Dickie Hall. At the same time in southern VT Filippo Pagano aka Telemarkfil was leading the revival with opening the first Telemark Ski School in the Eastern USA at Bromley MT. Also started the Telemark racing series. It came to the attention of a larger public with a demonstration by a team from the Professional Ski Instructors of America
Professional Ski Instructors of America
The Professional Ski Instructors of America is an organization offering training and certification for U.S. Ski Instructors, and trains the bulk of U.S ski instructors...
at Interski, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1983. It grew to prominence during the 1990s; however, although organizations such as NATO (North American Telemark Organization) and NET (New England Telemark) sponsor telemark festivals and Instruction as the sport continues to grow, it is still considered a minority sport.
Skis
While most modern telemark skis are virtually identical to today's alpine skis, they differ in one critical way: the heel of the skier's boot is detached from the ski. This detachment allows the skier to kneel as he turns, thus creating a deep smooth turn. Developments in shape and manufacture have seen skis get shorter and wider, taking design cues from both alpine skiing and snowboarding. The unique mechanics of the telemark turn could distinguish telemark equipment from alpine equipment, but advances in boot and binding technology have helped reduce the need to have the ski itself meet any such demands. Many manufacturers still have lines of telemark-specific skis, which are, in general, lighter and softer than comparable alpine skis. Telemark-specific skis may also entail a different shape.Boots
Leather boots are still used by some, but durable polymer ("Pebax") is now the usual choice. Polymer boots feature a bellowsBellows
A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location.Basically, a bellows is a deformable container which has an outlet nozzle. When the volume of the bellows is decreased, the air escapes through the outlet...
above the toes to allow the necessary flex for a telemark turn. All standard telemark boots have a trapezoidal "duckbill" at the front, which interfaces boots with the binding. While most telemark skiers use cables to attach boots to bindings, the duckbill has three reinforced holes in the bottom to attach three-pin bindings. NTN boots are also becoming more popular, which instead of the duckbill, attach to the binding by a hook in the front and ball of the boot.
Bindings
Bindings hold the Telemark boot to the ski by the toe only. The oldest version of manufactured bindings, 'three-pin bindings, had three pins pointing up from the ski to which boots attached with matching holes. The duckbill was placed on top of the pins and held down with a locking mechanism (the "bail"). This duckbill boot-binding interface is referred to as the 75mm Nordic Norm.From the 1980s onwards, telemark equipment has become progressively heavier and more durable as manufacturers seek to answer the demand for telemark equipment offering greater downhill performance and durability.
During the 1980s cable bindings that have a spring-loaded cable to hold the boot in the binding became popular. These have a socket that the duckbill fits into, but usually no pins. The spring-loaded cable is stretched onto the boot heel by a throw. Cable bindings are stronger than three-pin bindings and offer more control in turns, but they are heavier and produce more resistance to flexing the boot, therefore are not as suitable for ski touring.
To address ski touring issues, since 2005, cable binding manufacturers have introduced touring-mode bindings. These switch between a "free pivot" mode (borrowed from randonnee binding design) for touring and a downhill mode with more cable tension applied to the boot.
Also available are hinged plate bindings, combining the lateral stiffness of a traditional alpine binding with the flexibility of a traditional Telemark binding. Despite performance benefits, these bindings have failed to gain a significant following during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and most manufacturers have withdrawn models from production. Examples include the Voile VPII, Bomber Bishop (both USA) and Linken (Norway).
Since the 1990s Telemark news media have referred to the concept of a telemark binding "holy grail". This is a vision of a telemark binding design that offers the ability to perform telemark turns combined with touring-mode, step-in entry and safety-release features.
An international consortium of Fritschi and Black Diamond produced the first binding to address this ambition with the hinged plate "Skyhoy" binding. Production ceased when equipment from the first production run displayed faults that were uneconomic to rectify.
The 7tm binding, manufactured by German company Rezotec GmbH, is a commercially successful design that offers "holy grail" features.
In late 2007 Rottefella introduced the New Telemark Norm (NTN) binding, a departure from the 75mm Nordic Norm, which uses a different boot sole, co-developed with the Crispi and Scarpa boot companies. Current NTN systems are at the heavier end of the boot/binding spectrum, primarily aimed at maximizing downhill control. However, the touring-mode feature is considered by many users to off-set the additional weight penalty.
Skins
For those taking to the wilderness, climbing "skins" (in recent times, synthetic or mohair rather than the traditional sealskin) are used on the bottom of the ski to climb uphill. "Harscheisen" (ski crampons — also called "couteau" or "cortelli") are sometimes used to assist when skinning on hard, icy surfaces.Technique
Parallel turn
The parallel turn in alpine skiing is a method for turning. It is based on the idea of rolling the ski onto one edge, allowing it to bend into an arc. The ski then follows the arc shape and turns, without sliding. This is in contrast to earlier techniques like the stem Christie, which accomplishes...
, but a Telemark turn involves leading the turn with the outside ski while trailing the inside ski. When initiating a turn, the skier edges the outside ski (which becomes the downhill ski at the completion of the turn) with a flat heel
Heel
In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...
] while simultaneously lifting the heel on the inside ski to shift the ski to the back of the Telemark stance. Through the turn, between 50 and 80 percent of the skier's weight is shifted
Weight distribution
Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains.In a vehicle which relies on gravity in some way, weight distribution directly affects a variety of vehicle characteristics, including handling, acceleration, traction, and component life...
onto the outside ski depending on snow conditions, and rests primarily on the toe-half of each foot—even the outside foot, which has its boot heel in contact with the ski. Inexperienced Telemark skiers often find it difficult to place enough weight on their trailing, inside ("heel-up") ski to force it to turn, or "carve" in unison with the outside ski. When skiing off-piste in light powder the weight ratio can be different than the suggested 50 to 80 percent on the outside ski. Developments in modern telemark technique subsequent to the release of modern, highly responsive boots
Ski boot
Ski boots are specialized footwear that are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings. This ski-boot-binding combination is used to effectively transmit control inputs from the skier to the snow....
and bindings
Ski binding
A ski binding is an attachment which anchors a ski boot to the ski. There are different types of bindings for different types of skiing.-Universal designs:...
have demonstrated an increasing preference toward a turn made in an aggressive, carving fashion that closely resembles the modern alpine turn; as such, the modern technique emphasizes a side-to-side weight distribution that closely resembles that of alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
. Often having the majority of the weight on the inside trailing ski can help compensate for poor technique, as it allows the skier to use the outside ski as a 'buffer' to control the snow, and to help keeping the outside ski tip above the snow.
There is no agreement on the respective angle between the skis during a Telemark turn. Increasing the angle increases the amount that both knees are bent and brings the skier's torso closer to the snow. Some Telemarkers enjoy an extremely low stance with the trailing knee almost in contact with the ski top, while others prefer a taller stance, with a consequently smaller angle, that allows quicker transitions between turns. As a general rule, the back leg should be tucked in, with the knee of the trailing leg aligned vertically over the leading foot. Telemarkers who turn with their trailing knee considerably behind their leading foot are often referred to as "dog-leggers" because their rear leg resembles that of a wounded dog. "Toe-dragger" can also be used to describe Telemark skiers who do not tuck in their rear leg. It is possible to make parallel turns using Telemark equipment, which is why penalties are assessed if the boots are not staggered by at least a boot's length in FIS
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
Telemark competitions. This element of technique is up to the skier, although a very low stance is to be avoided where hard uneven snow might cause the lowered knee to collide with the ground or ski. Some Telemark skiers, therefore, use kneepads to reduce the risk of injury.
Accomplished Telemark skiers, like accomplished alpine skiers, keep their torsos vertical and oriented downhill while linking turns, thus avoiding turning too far. This position also allows greater control over the fine-tuning of weight distribution. When skiing in thick powder
Types of snow
Types of snow can be designated by the shape of its flakes, description of how it is falling, and by how it collects on the ground. A blizzard and snow storm indicate heavy snowfalls over a large area, snow squalls give heavy snowfalls over narrow bands, while flurries are used for the lightest...
it is important that the skier not lean back; staying forward and facing downhill allows quicker response to changing conditions. The lack of a fixed heel means that it is easy to go head-first into the snow when hitting a hard patch, but if centered on the skis and facing downhill, the skier is less likely to fall. With or without poles, the skier's hands should be in front of the body.
Some Telemark skiers continue to ski with a single long pole
Ski pole
Ski poles are used by skiers to improve balance and timing. Early ski poles were simply sticks, then bamboo , then steel . In 1958, Ed Scott invented the aluminium ski pole...
or lurk
Lurk
Lurk, lurker, or lurking may refer to:* Lurker, a person who often reads discussions on internet networks but seldom contributes to them.* Lurk, a single long pole held with both hands, used in telemark skiing...
held in both hands in traditional style. The lurk should only contact the snow on the inside of the turn, though some find better balance results if the lurk contacts the snow on the outside of the turn.
Competition Events
As a competition event, the sport is governed by the International Ski FederationInternational Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
Telemark Committee. The Telemark disciplines are:
Telemark giant slalom
- Similar to giant slalomGiant Slalom skiingGiant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
, but including a jump marked for style and distance.
Telemark Classic
- Classic involves a super-g section, a giant slalomGiant Slalom skiingGiant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
section, a jump (with time penalties of up to 7 seconds for short jumps as well as error in the landing), a 360° turn (Reipeløkke), and an uphill sprint.
Telemark Sprint Classic
- The same as Giant Slalom but with a 360° turn and a short cross-country part where the racers sprint for about 200 m using the free style or skate cross-country skiingCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
technique.
Mountain Telemark
- Telemark competitions in unprepared snow. Gates and reipelykkje (360°). Telemark equipment. Backpack (5 kg senior, 3 kg junior), helmet. Free style. Most famous is the Norwegian Tinderittet, host of the first Norwegian championship ever in 2005, Galdhøpiggrennet, both in Jotunheimen, and AlperittetAlperittetAlperittet is a competition in the sport telemark skiing that is being held each year at the end of February. The race is arranged in a small Norwegian town called Stranda and attracts about 250 competitors each year...
in StrandaStrandaStranda is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Stranda....
(Norwegian championship in the year 2006), Norway.
U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Telemark Championships
- Similar to the like-named alpine skiingAlpine skiingAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
event. This event is held in Crested ButteCrested ButteCrested Butte is a mountain peak butte of the Elk Mountains in the U.S. State of Colorado. It is also a town with a population of about 2000 people. The greater area includes Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte, Riverland, Riverbend, and Crested Butte South....
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Sun Valley Tele Series
- The Sun Valley Tele Series is the longest running telemark series in the USA. It host numerous events throughout each ski season.
Slopestyle/Half Pipe/Big Air
- With the popularity of Telemark skiing in younger crowds, contests and events are popping up around the world for "Newschool" telemarkers. Including the BreckenridgeBreckenridge-Places:United States*Breckenridge, Colorado**Breckenridge Ski Resort**Breckenridge 100, annual bike race*Breckenridge, Michigan*Breckenridge, Minnesota*Breckenridge, Missouri*Breckenridge, Oklahoma*Breckenridge, Texas*Breckenridge Hills, Missouri...
"Spring Massive" festival, which includes a telemark division in Half Pipe, SlopestyleSlopestyleSlopestyle is a popular type of competition for winter action sports; which originated as a snowboarding competition format. Today, there are many sports that are considered to have this style of competition, of which skiing and snowboarding are two of the most common...
, and a Rail Jam. And new in February 2012, Vail Mountain will be hosting the first ever "Winter Teva Games", which will include a "Big Air" event for telemark skiing.
Telemark festivals
Telemark festivals are traditionally a gathering of telemark skiers at popular ski areas. The idea for a telemark festival was originally started by NATO (North American Telemark Organization) at Mad River Glen in Vermont and organizations such as NET (New England Telemark) and others now run festivals all around the U.S. and Canada. Québec has several festivals throughout the winter, at both small and large ski areas. These include the téléfestival at Mont ComiParc du Mont-Comi
Parc du Mont-Comi is an outdoor recreation center situated in St-Donat-de-Rimouski in the Bas-St-Laurent region of Quebec. In the winter time it's a ski resort, in the summer there is canoe, kayak, horseback riding and hiking and in the fall there are rides in the chairlift and mountain biking on...
which has run every year since 1983. Festivals generally offer free lessons and gear as well as races and other telemark competitions. There are a number of telemark festivals in Europe, including one of the world's largest, held at Livigno in Italy. It usually takes place during the end of March/first week of April. Earlier it was known as 'La Skieda', then it changed its name in 'Free Heel Fest'. In 2009, it will be called again 'La Skieda'. The International Telemark Film Festival Livigno runs concurrently. Another noteworthy event is California's Bear Valley Telemark Festival typically scheduled the weekend before Presidents Weekends in February.
See also
- History of skiingHistory of skiingSkiing, or traveling over snow on wooden runners, has a recorded history of almost five millennia.- Ancient history :The first hints to the existence of skis are on 4500 to 5000 year old rock drawings, e.g. at Rødøy in Norway or at Steinkjer , which depict a man on skis holding a stick...
- Backcountry skiingBackcountry skiingBackcountry skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes, including skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees , usually in pursuit of fresh fallen powder...
- Skiing and Skiing TopicsSkiingSkiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
- Ski touringSki touringSki touring is a form of backcountry skiing involving traveling over the winter landscape on skis under human power rather than through the assistance of ski lifts or snow vehicles. It can take place in terrain ranging from perfectly flat to extremely steep...