Telemark ( English Telemark ) is one of the disciplines of skiing , as well as a popular type of outdoor activity , special skiing style, based on the footband and the natural movement for a person - step. A turn in the telemark is initiated by the leading (outer) leg, while both knees are bent, and the heel of the hind leg is raised above the ski. That is why the telemark mounts are significantly different from the ski mounts, they “tightly” attach only the toe (welt) of the boot to the ski, while leaving the heel unsecured [1] .
Content
- 1 History
- 2 Equipment
- 3 Skating technique
- 4 Competitions
- 5 notes
History
Telemark owes its name to the Norwegian province of the same name, where it originated. The founder of the telemark is Sondre Norheim (Aversen) ( Sondre Norheim , born June 10, 1825 on a farm in the town of Morgedal, in the Telemark fülk ). It was he who combined and systematized all the knowledge, skills and techniques of descent from the mountains, accumulated over the long period of the existence of skis. The fruits of his hard work were Telemark and Christianity (hereinafter the Alpine style ). Sondre Norheim continued the work of his father, a hereditary carpenter, which allowed him to experiment with the shape, length and material of manufactured skis. In 1868, he was invited to attend the very first national ski competition in Christiania (now Oslo ) and won it brilliantly. This victory foreshadowed the Telemark era in Norway, and also marked the beginning of the widespread expansion of Christianity (alpine style in the future). Later, Sondra Norheim migrates to America, where, after many years, the telemark that was thoroughly forgotten in Europe will revive again in the 70s thanks to hippies .
Equipment
Telemark skis
Different types of skis can be used as telemark skis, as this depends on the conditions of the descent. It can be skis for freeride, freestyle, mogul, skiing or ordinary skiing, although some ski manufacturers produce special skis for telemark.
Telemark boots
Modern telemark boots are made of plastic. In appearance they look like skiing , but the similarities between them end there. Telemark boots are equipped with a flexible element located in the area of the sock, it is called "flex" or "accordion". Flex allows plastic boots to bend in the toe. It is convenient to walk in such boots, they are warm and do not lose mobility even in severe frost. They are divided into hard, for lovers of active skiing, and soft, for lovers of long pedestrian crossings.
Telemark Mounts
Telemark mounts are divided into active and passive. Passive ones include the simplest 3Pin mount. This is a steel horseshoe with three studs and a detachable bracket; this mount only fixes the boot welt, leaving the heel free. Its advantage is strength and lightness. Active include cable and platform mounts.
Active mounts allow you to fix not only the front, but also the rear welt of the boot. The basis of cable mounts is a “wire” (from the word wire ), or “cord”, which is pulled onto the rear welt of the boot, secured with a plastic “frog”. When lifting the heel, the cables stretch and pull the ski up, while the toe of the boot presses down on it, increasing the load of the internal ski . The basis of the platform mounts is a special platform, it is connected to the ski in such a way that at some point the heel of the boot stops moving away from the ski and begins to pull it towards itself.
Sticks and pole (Lurg).
For telemarking, it is advisable to use telescopic sticks with wide rings.
A sixth, or lurg, is a traditional projectile for a telemark. It is made from hardwood, most often from bamboo . Riding with a pole, the skier alternately makes injections from the outside, then from the inside of the turn.
Driving Technique
Aggressive, or Scandinavian, style is characterized by a very low stance using the "Indian step" . At the same time, unloading the skis before the start of the turn takes place down, with the subsequent turn of the shoulders to the knee of the front leg. This style is characterized by high speed and stability of the rack, due to the low center of gravity.
Another, more “soft” style, popular in the USA , Germany , Great Britain and some other countries, is characterized by a higher resistance, with pronounced unloading of both skis up before the start of the turn, with uniform pressure on both legs. In this style, counter-rotation is actively practiced. This style involves a quiet long ride on any slopes, any steepness. In his spirit, he is close to tourism and backcountry .
Competition
Telemark is one of the skiing disciplines supported by the International Ski Federation . Under the auspices and according to the rules of the FIS [2] telemark competitions are held at various levels, including the World Cup . The following types of telemark competitions are distinguished:
- Telemark Giant Slalom
- Telemark Classic
- Telemark Sprint
- Telemark parallel slalom
- Parallel sprint
- Team Parallel Sprint
Club and fan competitions are also held. In general, one can say that telemark style skiing is possible in any of the skiing directions: freeride, carving, mogul, park ...