We now come to other more rapid, more brilliant, and more difficult methods of turning and coming to a sudden standstill. The stemming turn can hardly be performed quickly when running very fast without the aid of the stick, especially when long grooved ski are used. But with the “Telemark” and “Christiania” swings, about to be described, a good runner can stop suddenly almost anywhere when travelling much faster. It is indeed a worthy sight to see such a one come sailing past, his every sinew as pliable and strong as the good ash beneath his feet, yielding to each dip, as a smart racing vessel yields to the waves. Twenty-five miles an hour he is travelling, and not a furlong less. To stop suddenly at such a speed seems impossible. But, swish! and he is round as easily and as quickly as you can read these words. How was it done? It was all so rapid you could not follow. You saw a little sinking on one knee—perhaps not even that. The snow hid nearly everything. You slide up to our friend and ask him to show you what he did. He will be most polite and most anxious for you to learn—especially if he be a Norwegian, as will almost certainly prove to be the fact. You will be shown just how to place your feet, and just how to bend the knees, and just how to lean the body. And you will start off and fail hopelessly again and again. By and by, however, especially if your teacher be an intelligent man who has had previous experience with beginners, you will begin to understand the knack of the movement, and by the end of the afternoon you should be rewarded by some measure of success.
But perhaps you may not be fortunate enough to meet with such a runner, or, what is by no means improbable, it may be that, though a clever performer on ski, he is not a good instructor. He makes the swing, but knows not himself how he does it. And small blame to him, for how many people trouble to analyse the things they have learnt as children?
We venture to offer our services. But is it possible to learn these subtle manœuvres from a book? Most certainly it is; but you must either take it with you into the field, or else (what is as good, or better) have some preliminary practice in your bed-room, where you will have only your looking-glass for an audience, and no small boy in the immediate neighbourhood to point the finger of scorn. If you do this, we are sure that you will learn very quickly, or if you fail, then our instructions must be wrong. If, however, you simply glance through what we have written without making practical experiments, book in hand, we can accept no responsibility. These turns are really not at all hard to make fairly well, which is all that we can pretend to teach; but to make them with certainty requires long practice. And that is, of course, entirely your own affair.
We propose to deal with the “Telemark” first—not because it is easier or more useful, for in this respect there is little to choose between them, but because it is customary to do so. Besides, the Telemark is a much prettier swing than the “Christiania,” and it will make a greater impression on your admiring friends should you be so lucky as to succeed in making one when showing off.
You will not find your stick (on which we trust you are not in the habit of riding) of the slightest assistance to you in learning either of these swings. It may help you a little to make the Christiania once you have acquired the knack of it, but we are very doubtful even about that, and we strongly advise that from now on you do not use it at all. Hold it in your hand, except when jumping, as previously recommended (p. 45), but make no attempt to use it.
Fig. 27.—The Telemark swing.
Each of these swings can be made in two directions—to right or to left; and each has its special use for special occasions. Apart, therefore, from being a graceful accomplishment and from the excellent practice it affords, it is of considerable practical value to be able to make all four of them. Nevertheless, most people are content with one of each kind—a Telemark to the left and a Christiania to the right—which enables them under ordinary conditions to turn in either direction without changing the foot (see infra). But the best runners can make all four swings, and we recommend you to emulate their example.
The Telemark swing is easiest in loose snow, where there is little side slip. We find it rather easier on the level than the Christiania (e.g., to stop after making a jump), but it is more difficult to make quickly on a hillside, and in general it is not quite so rapid as the Christiania.
[Fig. 27] (a) shows the position in which the body and limbs are held throughout a Telemark swing to the left. It is convenient to call this position the Telemark position. [Fig. 27] (b) shows the position which the ski assume after the swing is over.