What advanced Telemark techniques are covered in Part 2?

Part 2 covers dynamic Telemark turns, adapting technique for different snow conditions, Telemark in moguls and off-piste terrain, and performance refinement for advanced practitioners. These techniques build upon the fundamentals covered in Part 1.

Was this published by the national skiing body?

Yes, both parts of the Freeheel Skiing guide were originally published in English Ski Council News in 1999. The English Ski Council, as the national governing body for skiing in England, selected BASS's Telemark expertise for publication to their membership, demonstrating national-level recognition of BASS's instructional authority.

Archive article — British Alpine Ski School - BASS,English speaking ski schools

Freeheel Skiing 2- You Know It Makes Sense!

by Hugh Monney, BASS website 1999

Archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20000709103552fw_/http://www.britishskischool.com/articlesf.htm

To see the white text against your white screen you’ll need to highlight the page - or just read the clear text here:

In a previous article, I suggested that Alpine skiers could gain tremendous benefits, not to mention a lot of fun, by switching to Freeheel equipment from time to time.

Here are a few suggestions to help you consider how a spot of skinny skiing could fit into your Overall Scheme of Things.

Posture and Dynamic Balance

Everyone reading Ski News will know all about Hoops, Horizontal Eye lines and Pelvic Tilting. That goes without saying, but try saying it anyway.

Another Important Postural Consideration for all skiers, especially those of you planning to take a Club Instructor or ASSI qualification, is that the upper body should be tilted forward at least as much as the lower leg. It sounds a bit strange, and many skiers have trouble understanding the why of it.

You can read about it in John Shedden's Skiing, Developing your Skill; or George Joubert's Skiing... An Art, A Technique, and see if that helps.

You can watch kids using it naturally and racers using it as a result of accurate training.

You can discuss it with coaches and talk about it amongst yourselves.

But you can also see lots of skiers not using it, and that includes many, otherwise skilful, instructors.

If you observe National Coaching Scheme assessments, you will see many aspirant Club Instructors and ASSI's failing to impress the assessors, because they're not using the principle. This happens lots. Which is a shame, because the why of it becomes very apparent on Freeheel equipment.

If you don't use it, you fall over! This happens lots, too, until the penny drops.

The reason, for the technically minded, is that this Postural Principle allows you to stretch and bend fully and easily (and therefore control pressure), while staying centrally balanced over your skis. The result, for the kinesthetically minded, is that you feel balanced and can produce more finely crafted turns, with better centred pressure. Which is to say, it's fun!

Alpine kit can mask the issue and allow skiers to use a more upright upper body posture, but, as usual, Free heeling tells it like it is. The cumulative effect of all this is that accurate, flowing turns link together effortlessly, both on the skinny skis and when you switch back to the Alpine gear.

Equipment

A quick word about Freeheel skis, just in case you are moved to check them out.

There are two basic types.

The traditional mountain touring ski has steel edges, but the camber and flex pattern are governed by a wax pocket underfoot. This makes them first class for kick and glide type touring. You can make parallel and Telemark turns with them, but you need to jump up and down very hard to beat them into submission.

Every turn.

With these skis, you are likely to be too busy leaping about to worry yourself with issues like posture, crossover and pressure absorption.

Modern `downhill' Telemark skis. on the other hand, are lighter and narrower than Alpine skis, but their camber and flex pattern are designed to make turning a joy.

With these skis, you will soon be able to employ all the subtlety that characterises your Alpine skiing.

The transfer of skill, both to and from the Freeheel skiing, will occur much more easily with this equipment.

Boots are worth a mention,too. Many Telemark boots are very low cut and offer very little in the way of lateral stiffness. Freeheel purists may hate me for saying it, but with these boots, you will die in the bumps! Try boots which are at least cut a little higher, and have some internal stiffening to the leather outer. Or, go the whole hog and try the modern plastic boots.

The rest is pretty straightforward, you know the sort of thing; press the skis, edge the skis, etc., and, of course, you will need a feel for making curves.

Try it, you'll like it!