| Telemark skiing or telemarking is becoming very popular because it feels GREAT and it works really well off-piste. The 'telemark' itself is a turn – alternately one ski then the other is advanced while both legs are flexed then extended ready for the next turn. Something like a series of curtsies while stepping down the slope. The back heel has to be able to lift a little because of the position. The skis are parallel, equally weighted and equally edged in modern telemark turns. The low point is much higher than in traditional telemark turns (about the same amount of leg bend as for parallel turns).
The strength of the Telemark turn is in difficult and off-piste conditions and is due to the increased fore-and-aft stability and the adjustability of the longer stance. Imagine what you would do if you stood with your feet side by side (parallel skiing) and were pushed forward. You would quickly put one foot in front and to stop yourself falling forward (telemark position).
Also important is the fact that you do not have to radically change your weighting on the skis when you go off piste. In parallel skiing (alpine / downhill skiing), after learning to ski with most weight on the outside ski, you eventually become good enough to go off piste. Then you have to change and learn to equally weight your two skis! Telemark skiers always weight their telemarks about 50-50. Lateral stability is the same as in parallel turns as telemark skiers also have their feet hip-width apart.
Latterly, with the development of 'shaped' or 'carving' skis there has been an associated change in Alpine skiing technique – Alpine skiers, whilst using a carving approach to their skiing, are now far more equally weighted on their skis. The transference of skills from Alpine to Telemark is now a lot easier and skiers are 'Ôtwo-footed' in their skiing whatever the equipment or technique. It could be said that Alpine or downhill skiers are finally realising that 'two-footed' is best and are catching up with Telemark skiers whom have always been 'two-footed'!
Where can you use the Telemark turn?
The greatest misunderstanding is that you can only Telemark turn on free-heel equipment. In fact, ploughs, basic swings and parallel turns are all possible and EASY! This is called 'Free-heel Downhill'.
We teach complete beginners just the same way as on alpine equipment. They can only learn to Telemark once they can ski parallels confidently. All the basic body management / ski use elements are the same. Experienced free-heel skiers will use the turn most suitable for the conditions. E.g. there is no advantage in telemarking on icy surfaces so we parallel; if we're touring and meet difficult snow when carrying a heavy sac, we use step swings, etc.
Modern skis and boots allow us to ski what was previously thought only possible on alpine equipment. Good, modern telemark gear and technique can cope with 'shredding' on-piste at any level, including moguls and extreme off-piste descents.
Telemark skiing equipment
As the gear has to cope with greater forces, high plastic telemark boots and very strong bindings with release attachments are used. Telemark skis have metal edges, the same camber as alpine skis and all the latest technical features like torsion boxes, caps, various amounts of side-cut for carving, etc. There are even telemark Fat-boys!
Many tours such as the Haute Route are regularly telemarked and extreme skiing descents made, but we still enjoy the advantage of ease and speed of travel compared with skiers on alpine ski mountaineering gear because of the ability to flex the mid-foot when striding forward. See the section on 'Alpine Mountain Touring' below.
So really, when say we are 'telemarking' or 'telemark skiing' we are actually 'free-heel downhill skiing' – it is just an awful lot easier to say we are 'telemark skiing'! Also telemark skiing has very little to do with 'cross-country skiing', 'track skiing' or 'skating': telemark skiing is done in an environment which is the same as alpine / downhill skiing whereas cross-country skiing is usually an activity of the forests, valleys and plateaux with no uplift. The similarity is the equipment angle – the free-heel binding.
Born again skiers – free the heels and free the mind!
If you already ski on alpine gear, you should be able to ski parallels straight away using modern telemark equipment. You can enjoy learning to telemark whilst being able to get around happily. However, as alpine gear has been developed to set you within acceptable limits on your skis, you may have to revise your stance if you've become rather lazy. A few sessions of serious concentration whilst sitting on the snow usually does it!
You will find that telemarking really revitalizes your interest in skiing because of the tremendous feeling of freedom the gear gives and it will open your eyes to the limitless potential beyond the piste. As a bonus, when (if?) you swop back to alpine skis you will find your skiing has really benefited as you balance will be much better. A friend who recently tried his alpine gear again said he felt 'wooden' in it and couldn't wait to unclip his heels!
• Nordic skiing or Track skiing, XC, cross-country skiing, langlauf, skating, biathalon –read more >
• Mountain touring, hut-to-hut touring – read more >
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