Telemark: a skiing style that appeared in Norway

Telemark has nothing to do with telephones and telemarketing. Quite the reverse, it is something that is concerned with skiing. Let us look at it in detail.

Skiing technique

Telemark is one of the most ancient sports from which cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and ski jumping evolved. This is based on a special position of a sportsman’s feet: the toe is fixed while the heel is moves loosely. When turning, a person must bend one of the knees, as is he or she were going to sit down. The body turns in the opposite direction. The outward ski moves forward, while the inner one moves backwards. A sportsman glides on the inner edge of the outer ski and on the outer edge of the inner ski. Sometimes a turn movement is accompanied by a jump.

This style of skiing makes is applicable in different disciplines because it helps to get up the hill and ski down a flat landscape.

Equipment

There are some differences between equipment that is used in telemark and in other types of skiing. The main one is connected with the form of boots. They have an “extended” toe which can be easily attached to the skis and stay firm on the turning points. The boots themselves are a bit different. Not only are they lower than boots for ski jumping and or cross-country skiing, but also they allow a person to move their feet freely. The sticks must be different, too: they have bigger circles in order to provide sportsmen with support because snow can be too powdery.

The ammunition is pretty much similar to what is used in any other type of skiing. A helmet is needed to protect oneself from injures. Knee and elbow pads serve the same purpose. As for the gloves, they should be thick and fit you perfectly to minimize risks of losing them or building up a callus. As for the suit, it should consist of three layers of clothing: thermal underwear, warm trousers and a sweater and a waterproof jacket.

In addition, if you want to improve your telemark skills off-track, you might need a flashlight, a first aid kit, a pair of extra gloves. All these things will come in useful in case something unexpected happens.

Attachments

The attachments are distinguished in accordance with several factors. The most basic ones are 75 millimeters in width. However, they might be even wider or narrower. It depends on the physiological characteristics of a sportsman. These attachments have an “extended” toe, which is why they are easy to recognize.

There is another kind of attachments. These are called NewTelemarkNorm, or NTN. It takes no effort to differentiate them from the basic ones because they do not have any toe extension. Instead, they are attached to skis with the help of soles. As a result, the boots become thicker and stronger and make movements more controllable.

Skis

They must be chosen accordingly to the height of a sportsman. Still, some variations are possible. Sorter skis are more controllable, whereas longer skis make it possible to reach higher speed. The shape of the telemark skis is similar to the shape of freeride skis: they should be thin in the middle and a little bit wider in other parts.

Boots

The boots must be chosen in accordance with the type of attachments. Otherwise, it will be impossible to ski and perform any stunts. It the attachments are basic, it is possible to choose boots with either three or fout contacts. Three-contacts boots are more flexible and softer because their heel is horter. They are more suitable for those who have just started telemark-skiing. As for the four-contacts boots, they are thicker and firmer, which is why it is advisable that they be used to ski off-track. They provide sportsmen with more control and stability at high speeds.

Apart from the differences that have to do with the type of attachments, the boots may be distinguished in accordance with the material they are made of. The first type of boots is dedicated to aggressive professional skiing. This footwear is made of plastic and has a great variety of models with various clasps.

The second type is made of leather. This material is flexible and soft, which is why it is perfect for different tricks. It is advisable to opt for these boots if you want to start telemark-skiing.

Organizations

Although telemark has a lasting history, it is not too popular worldwide. There are several organizations that establish its rules and hold competitions. The most famous one is International Ski Federation where a special telemark committee was established not long ago. It was formed by thirteen countries, most of them are located in Europe. Although the motherland of telemark is Norway, the most popular place where telemarkers go to improve their skills is located in France. Chamonix provides sportsmen with the best tracks that range from the easiest to the hardest ones.

Dangers and challenges

There are several dangers sportsmen might face when practicing telemark. They are mostly connected with weather conditions and risks of injuries. The first group of factors includes unexpected snowfalls or even avalanches that often occur in places where people ski off-track. The second one is based on the statistics that often sportsmen injure their ankles because of fallings.

All in all, telemark is a unique style of skiing that appeared in the 19^th century and soon became popular. It may be used to cover various distances in different disciplines.