Has anyone else noticed the skyrocketing popularity of telemark skiing in the last few years?
I moved away from Vermont and skiing in general in 2004 and there were some scattered telemarkers . . . now I come back in 2010 and it seems like everyone I know is into it! (I even got a pair myself.)
Seeing as how this is often called the winter equivalent of cboating -- has anyone else noticed this trend and figured out why it has occurred??
Alden
Maybe I missed something....
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
Alden... thread hijack'n are we.... 
I also agree with you .. back in the day of skinny skis and cow style boots there were only the few, proud and insane.
Now pretty much everyone wants to give it a go! The change in technology has made the difference (just like in boating) where its easier, more readily available and .. did I say "easier" (plastic boots, beefy bindings, and user friendly skis)!
Our local hill is having its 9th annual tele fest (Telepaloozia 2011) next weekend and its grown from 20 folks to about 100. Lots of kids too (they get in for free). For the most part once someone tries (guessing ~ 80%) it they are hooked.
The draw (from what I have heard is....)
1.) its graceful (particurally when the women are doing it),
2.) its a great work out,
3.) it makes the mtn bigger
4.) you can do anything on Tele you can do on Alpline or boarding and
5.) its different.
Generally its the same type of person as boaters (a lot of them are boaters) who want to get outside and have fun.
Again I'm in agreement with you!
PS:
Free the heel to free the mind!
You don't need no stink'n training heel
etc.....
I also agree with you .. back in the day of skinny skis and cow style boots there were only the few, proud and insane.
Now pretty much everyone wants to give it a go! The change in technology has made the difference (just like in boating) where its easier, more readily available and .. did I say "easier" (plastic boots, beefy bindings, and user friendly skis)!
Our local hill is having its 9th annual tele fest (Telepaloozia 2011) next weekend and its grown from 20 folks to about 100. Lots of kids too (they get in for free). For the most part once someone tries (guessing ~ 80%) it they are hooked.
The draw (from what I have heard is....)
1.) its graceful (particurally when the women are doing it),
2.) its a great work out,
3.) it makes the mtn bigger
4.) you can do anything on Tele you can do on Alpline or boarding and
5.) its different.
Generally its the same type of person as boaters (a lot of them are boaters) who want to get outside and have fun.
Again I'm in agreement with you!
PS:
Free the heel to free the mind!
You don't need no stink'n training heel
etc.....
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
I think the advance in alpine gear has made a lot of mediocre skiers capable of skiing the hardest stuff on the mountain (especially at New England ski areas). Taking up telemark skiing is a way to re-differentiate oneself from the teeming masses. Actually sounds a bit like the FullGnarlz OC pitch!
Seriously, though, most of the people I patrolled with at Stowe who telemark started simply because they were feeling bored with alpine skiing. Lots of former snowboarders like myself chose tele over alpine because it requires more "finesse" and feels "surfier". (Although I still snowboard much more than I ski, and my skill level reflects that)
my 2 cents,
Shep
Seriously, though, most of the people I patrolled with at Stowe who telemark started simply because they were feeling bored with alpine skiing. Lots of former snowboarders like myself chose tele over alpine because it requires more "finesse" and feels "surfier". (Although I still snowboard much more than I ski, and my skill level reflects that)
my 2 cents,
Shep
-
Barskekarsten
- Pain Boater
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 12:26 pm
- Location: Trondheim, Norway
This is my first post here so: Sorry for my bad/simple english writing, it is not my intension to be unpolite in any way.
Here in Norway there are actually less Telemark skiers than a few years ago. Now everyboady is back on slalom/randonee skis. I think that is because randonee skies is getting cheaper and then you have the same ability to lift your heel as on Telemark skis.
There are enough Telemark skiers in Norway, but there are almost no c-boaters here. I am the only c-boater in the university paddeling club.
It is actually impossible to buy a WW canoe in Norway. I have been speaking to most of the large kayak/flatwater canoe dealers and the only possibility was to have a Mad River for ca 25000NOK =5000USD and that does not fit my student budget. Now i am converting a used Jefe to a C1 because that was the best option i had.
What i am doing for the sport is: I will never go with the crowd and become a kayaker!
Here in Norway there are actually less Telemark skiers than a few years ago. Now everyboady is back on slalom/randonee skis. I think that is because randonee skies is getting cheaper and then you have the same ability to lift your heel as on Telemark skis.
There are enough Telemark skiers in Norway, but there are almost no c-boaters here. I am the only c-boater in the university paddeling club.
It is actually impossible to buy a WW canoe in Norway. I have been speaking to most of the large kayak/flatwater canoe dealers and the only possibility was to have a Mad River for ca 25000NOK =5000USD and that does not fit my student budget. Now i am converting a used Jefe to a C1 because that was the best option i had.
What i am doing for the sport is: I will never go with the crowd and become a kayaker!
Barskekarsten made me think of a good point... Shipping some tele bindings and boots from an online store where you can find them, to where you live that no-one is tele-skiing, isn't very difficult. Most people would think that moving a WW canoe from a place it is available for sale, to where you live, would be impossible. I only learned how cheap it can be to ship a canoe from seeing Kaz and others post here.
Shep
Shep
Welcome Barskekarsten. Don't worry about the english... we have issues with it too and its our native language!
Keep us posted on the conversion and hopefully you can find one of the new OC designs there in the near term. Bummer on nothing being available...
Interesting words on Telemarking... have to agree randonee is getting play here as well. Each have pros and cons ... sort of like C1s and OC1s!
Keep us posted on the conversion and hopefully you can find one of the new OC designs there in the near term. Bummer on nothing being available...
Interesting words on Telemarking... have to agree randonee is getting play here as well. Each have pros and cons ... sort of like C1s and OC1s!
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
-
Craig Smerda
- L'Edge Designer
- Posts: 2815
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2002 3:59 am
- Location: WaUSAu Wisconsin USA North America Earth, etc.
Welcome to Cboats.net Barskekarsten!!!Barskekarsten wrote:This is my first post here so: Sorry for my bad/simple english writing, it is not my intension to be unpolite in any way.
Here in Norway there are actually less Telemark skiers than a few years ago. Now everyboady is back on slalom/randonee skis. I think that is because randonee skies is getting cheaper and then you have the same ability to lift your heel as on Telemark skis.
There are enough Telemark skiers in Norway, but there are almost no c-boaters here. I am the only c-boater in the university paddeling club.
It is actually impossible to buy a WW canoe in Norway. I have been speaking to most of the large kayak/flatwater canoe dealers and the only possibility was to have a Mad River for ca 25000NOK =5000USD and that does not fit my student budget. Now i am converting a used Jefe to a C1 because that was the best option i had.
What i am doing for the sport is: I will never go with the crowd and become a kayaker!
Get in touch with James Weir... I think he makes trips to Norway with some regularity.
http://www.jamesweir.net/
Raphael Kuner also seems to know how to get boats over the pond... if you'd like send me a private message and I'll get you his contact information.
Esquif Canoes Paddler-Designer-Shape Shifter
@barsekarsten
the guys from belguim go to norway as well
chris is a member here jakke also ,but I do not think that he goes,
but with luck try http://www.canoeadventure.be/ and perhaps in summer you can get your hands on a boat.
You live in a great paddling country, just not a lot of single stickers over there.
the guys from belguim go to norway as well
chris is a member here jakke also ,but I do not think that he goes,
but with luck try http://www.canoeadventure.be/ and perhaps in summer you can get your hands on a boat.
You live in a great paddling country, just not a lot of single stickers over there.
Propper Writing in English, how do you do that, with dyslexia, bad hand eye coordination, ect. and in a foreign language
sorry fore all the mistakes.
sorry fore all the mistakes.
Sivretta 404's
I don't know how the thread got onto Ski Mountaineering and Tele but since we are here...
...anyone know of a single or set of wire heel bails for Silvretta 404's or 405's ? I'll pay shipping from Europe or U.S. + cost.
...anyone know of a single or set of wire heel bails for Silvretta 404's or 405's ? I'll pay shipping from Europe or U.S. + cost.
Maybe we need more visibility, like, I don't know, a bunch a cool slogans, that could be on stickers, that we could get on our boats, cars and rigs. I meen nothing offensive... ok maybe a few... i think kayaking is more popular because of the easyer learning curve, just like Downhill and boarding compare to Tele!!
Just my 0.02
Just my 0.02
Hi barsekarsten,
I know Kris from canoeadventure.be can deliver you Esquif. Mohawk is quite hard to get in Europe (except for the UK, they have new import, but non on the mainland).
You could also try to contact waterwalker.de, he might point you to a shop in Northern Germany.
Or join the c-boater armada, you could test canoes, and/or have one brought there for you.
There has also been a Northern Europe c-boater armada, 2 years ago I think. Might also be an opportunity to get to information and/or canoes.
I haven't been doing much whitewater paddling in Norway, but as long as it's not the steep crazy stuff I'm willing to go there, so if you have suggestions.
I know Kris from canoeadventure.be can deliver you Esquif. Mohawk is quite hard to get in Europe (except for the UK, they have new import, but non on the mainland).
You could also try to contact waterwalker.de, he might point you to a shop in Northern Germany.
Or join the c-boater armada, you could test canoes, and/or have one brought there for you.
There has also been a Northern Europe c-boater armada, 2 years ago I think. Might also be an opportunity to get to information and/or canoes.
I haven't been doing much whitewater paddling in Norway, but as long as it's not the steep crazy stuff I'm willing to go there, so if you have suggestions
.-
FullGnarlzOC
- C Maven
- Posts: 1329
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:31 am
- Location: York, PA
how about a "My grandma kayaks" sticker.
http://www.gnarlzoutdoors.com
Silverbirch Canoes - North American Distributor
Email: tom@gnarlzoutdoors.com
Silverbirch Canoes - North American Distributor
Email: tom@gnarlzoutdoors.com
regarding the growth of telemarking and comparing it to open boating..i tried telemarking for the first time on tuesday on a pair of 15 year old 205s with leather boots. it was fun and certainly a challenge, but i feel like the equipment i used was like using a big 13' oc1.
when i got home i was doing a little reading and video watching and one thing i read over and over was how much the equipment has changed: that telemarking today isn't what it used to be etc. it was a lot like the way people talk about shorter plastic boats compared with earlier oc1 designs.
maybe open boating has been being held back by the boats in the same way telemarking was. if the l'edge (and other boats coming down the pipe) will allow people to step their own boating up a class or whatever maybe that will provide the spark people need.
either that, or maybe people who tele and open boat just like falling and swimming.
when i got home i was doing a little reading and video watching and one thing i read over and over was how much the equipment has changed: that telemarking today isn't what it used to be etc. it was a lot like the way people talk about shorter plastic boats compared with earlier oc1 designs.
maybe open boating has been being held back by the boats in the same way telemarking was. if the l'edge (and other boats coming down the pipe) will allow people to step their own boating up a class or whatever maybe that will provide the spark people need.
either that, or maybe people who tele and open boat just like falling and swimming.
Any correlation you can make between telemarking and cboating is purely by accident (unless you let your mind wonder)!
User warning: Some of the language in the video might not be appropriate or be offensive to some!
http://vimeo.com/8913214
Since the thread has been ...some what... hijacked!
User warning: Some of the language in the video might not be appropriate or be offensive to some!
http://vimeo.com/8913214
Since the thread has been ...some what... hijacked!
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
-
french erick
- C Guru
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:24 pm
- Location: Scotland Glasgow, France Ubaye
Hijacked somewhat but still relevant. I grew up in the French Alps and took telemarking after seeing a boarder vid with a 30 sec sequence a Scany Alien...that was me hooked.
I was the only one about my valley for 5 seasons, went with boarder skiers all the time...it was different.
That is one of the parallels I drew right away and went for OC (amongst other factors).
"It is graceful, it is different and with some dedication and training you can do what the "others" do." Could describe either or
Can't describe the feeling first time I landed a double back or skied switch the total height of my resort to the total befuddlement of anyone else on the slopes that day...wishe I was still riding (these days I'm lucky if I get more than 5 days a winter).
I went that feeling with OC.
I was the only one about my valley for 5 seasons, went with boarder skiers all the time...it was different.
That is one of the parallels I drew right away and went for OC (amongst other factors).
"It is graceful, it is different and with some dedication and training you can do what the "others" do." Could describe either or
Can't describe the feeling first time I landed a double back or skied switch the total height of my resort to the total befuddlement of anyone else on the slopes that day...wishe I was still riding (these days I'm lucky if I get more than 5 days a winter).
I went that feeling with OC.
Erick Baillot