Telemark enthusiast

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 42

Telemark enthusiast

Telemark ski-ing is the passion of an American, Jef Desbecker, a passion he is introducing to as many Queenstown skiers as possible this season.

Desbecker arrived in New Zealand a year ago and spent last winter instructing at Coronet Peak and the summer working as a rafting guide.

This ski season he is instructing telemark and cross-country ski-ing at The Remarkables ski area .and in his own time will be taking groups of enthusiasts on trips within the region.

He was also one of the instigators in a move to set up a professional telemark instructors certification course within the New Zealand Ski Instructors’ Alliance.

Telemark ski-ing had its origins over 100 years ago when Norwegians searching for a way to move quickly in the snow nailed their boots to strips of wood, leaving their heels unattached so they could walk easily. To travel and turn downhill they developed the technique of bringing the tip of one ski

against the boot on the other in a graceful drop knee position now known as the telemark turn.

Although this particular mode of ski-ing is fairly new to New Zealand, Desbecker says what is being done here is quality — good equipment is being imported and people are responding well.

Desbecker says that telemark ski-ing has huge appeal. “It appeals to alpine skiers looking for new challenges, to crosscountry skiers wanting to increase their downhill

techniques, to trampers not interested in being part of the social scene on the ski slopes and to beginners as the equipment is nowhere near as difficult to manipulate. “One of the real beauties is that it allows people to utilise all their joints and muscles rather than rely on the mechanisms and plastics involved in alpine ski-ing. It’s more of a dance than a rigid technique,” he said.

Desbecker learnt to alpine ski at the age l of three but it was not until six years ago when 'he took on a job as back country ski guide and telemark instructor at Sun Valley, Idaho, that he really got seriously involved in telemark skiing. ■

Now he is one of its biggest advocates, but at the same time believes all types of ski-ing are important. i “Alpine ski-ing is very fast and develops reflexes, telemark helps the skier to stay elastic and cross country refines their sense of balance. I try to ski all different modes as often as I can,” Desbecker said.