Telemarking isn't just for blokes - Rachel Morgan
Wednesday February 17, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

I found out a long time after a ski crash last year that I'd fractured my sinuses after a nasty fall; coupled with a cracked front tooth and then an infection it would have been really easy to give up telemarking in favour of something more gentle - baking cakes? knitting? No chance!

After lengthy medical treatment, and a good 12 weeks too late, I got back to training but was really sad to miss to the first World Cup in Rauris, Austria, in January.

I started my season a few days after New Year with Jack, the youngest of the GB Telemark Team, in Les Houches, Chamonix.  We went to support the Anglo-Scottish children's races.  It was a great day and we were really impressed with the standard of alpine skiing and set up at British Ski Academy.

It was snowing hard; Jack and I went in search of some powder and found exactly what we were looking for in the trees. 

Bouncing, or bounding, through the waist deep powder we were skiing dynamically and with agility.  The light weight equipment is a dream to play with and freedom of movement has to be felt to be understood.  

Telemarking is such a great free feeling. 

I don't think it is too much to say it is liberating.  Having learnt to telemark initially, some fifteen years ago, I converted quickly and easily to alpine and started racing slalom; yet the clumsiness and dislike of the heavy equipment never went away and it was always a relief to be back on the free heel skis.  At times I have felt like I am surfing the mountain as each lunge carves my ski around.  I am as fast and stable as any alpine skier.  

I have never really worked out why more people don't telemark.  The equipment is easier to use, lighter and incredibly versatile.  The turns are fluid and free; almost like a ballet dancer.

Telemark recently entered a new era with the invention of the NTN (New Telemark Norm) bindings - click in and out bindings with a break system - rather than being over engineered they suit racers and those with an aggressive style. 

Cable bindings will continue and will serve anyone fully and are reliable and easy to use. Long gone are the days when there were special telemark skis - put your tele bindings on any ski and go skiing. Simple. 

Historically I think telemark attracted pure mountain men - those who were happier leaving their wife and family to trek out into the back-country for a week or so.  What an incredible change we have seen in the last decade as telemarkers are just as likely to be seen racing down steep icy GS pistes or in the park on twin tips.  

What you simply can't beat is that having lighter kit, which is just as easy to walk-uphill on as ski-downhill on, that can take a jump and a powder field with ease makes the mountain experience all the more pure.  

Why don't more girls telemark?  Why indeed?

There seems to be no real reason.  The first few days of tele are unbelievably hard physically, mentally demanding and unbearably frustrating.  But in life you get what you pay for and you get out of life what you put in. The rewards are massive.  You will be fitter, stronger and more agile than on your alpine equipment.  You'll be part of a crowd of purists that get more out of their mountain experience.  You'll also look amazing!  

For a second season I  am competing on the World Cup circuit, this year with another girl, Sarah Hannibal, and a long list of fabulously cool GB guys.  If you're interested in what we are up to then check us out on gbtelemark.co.uk. 

Racing tele is a whole different experience too - it includes GS gates, a jump (sometimes two), a 'rap' (large circular snow wall with a gate in the middle to spin around)  and then if that's not enough a lung burning skate to the finish.  It's a fabulous spectator sport!

Liberate yourself from your heavy restrictive kit, get fitter and better at skiing.  It would be a travesty if it was just the boys getting a kick out of telemark.  Free your heel and your mind will follow -  it's très cool.

And if you want to know more about Rachel see her Q & A, on the team's web site.

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