Fig. 12
To Make the Jump the Skier Assumes the Easy Position Required for Coasting Downhill
The Telemark swing is more difficult to master than the Christiania swing, because it is done on one foot, or ski, instead of using both, and as it is less powerful than the latter, it is of far less use for stopping. To make the Telemark swing to the right, assume the regular position for downhill coasting, and, advancing the left foot, turn the ski so that it rests on its edge as when making the snowplow, throw the body to the right and lean in toward the slope to keep the balance. To make the swing to the left, advance the right foot, turn the body to the left and lean as before. This is shown in [Fig. 11]. The Telemark turn is, in fact, made in the same manner as stemming, and the sharpness of the swing rests altogether upon the quickness with which the heel is thrown outward and the body turned in the direction the skier desires to swing. The swing is made upon one ski, and the key to the whole swing is the knack of raising the heel of the other foot off its ski until it rests upon the toes. That this is hard to do goes with the telling, and the novice should first acquire the knack of balancing by running straight downhill with the weight thrown on one foot. When this can be done, and not before then, the skier is ready to practice the turn. The Telemark swing, like all other turns, is easily acquired at slow and moderate speeds, and becomes more and more difficult to make as the speed is increased and the turn is made more sharply and quickly.
Jumping on skis is one of the most exhilarating winter sports, and it is a pity that it is not more popular wherever a medium-heavy fall of snow occurs. While touring on skis across a hilly country, there will be many natural jumps to encounter, for drifts, stumps, rocks, and other rises in the ground, when well covered and padded with snow, make good jumping-off places. While but a few skiers may have attempted such high leaps as the famous Holmenkollen, Fiskertorpet, or Foldberg, all who have done much ski running have done a little jumping, since, when running downhill, an unexpected dip is often encountered, and a rise in the ground causes the skier to leave the ground for a short distance and alight several feet below. Doubtless the skier has enjoyed the flying-like sensation of this brief moment, and very likely he has climbed the hill to repeat the jump. Moreover, this has very likely demonstrated that the distance of the jump depends upon the height of the dip, the speed of the skier passing over it, and likewise upon the spring of the body on the take-off. In making a jump of any height, the take-off may be level, pointing up or even downhill, and constructed with framework extending out from the hillside, or consist merely of a large boulder, or a pile of logs, well padded with snow. The height of the slope chosen will, of course, regulate the distance of the jump, and the place where the jumper alights should be fairly steep, since, if the skier lands upon a level place great difficulty will be experienced in keeping the balance, therefore the usual jumping hill, where jumping competitions are held, is provided with a 30°, or steeper, landing place, and this merges gradually into the outrun, or slope, connecting the hill with the level ground below.
Fig. 13
Each Member of the Party should be Provided with a Ruck Sack of Good Capacity
For the safety of the skier, the snow should be firm but not icy or hard, and this is easily done by packing the snow down well by means of the skis. A good, thick padding of snow is of course essential, and a thickness of 2 ft. is really needed at the landing place and at the take-off. In our more northerly sections, plenty of snow usually falls, but wherever a few sportsmen get together, it is an easy matter to shovel sufficient snow to prepare a good and safe jumping hill.
To gain confidence and acquire some useful experience in jumping, the novice should practice leaping from a 2-ft. rise and gradually increase the height of the take-off by piling more snow upon it to increase its height. One or two packing cases firmly placed upon a smooth, steep hillside, and well padded with 2 ft. of well-trodden snow, will make a nice take-off. For the beginning the take-off may point slightly downhill or be fashioned level, and as the skier becomes more proficient, snow may be added to the edge so that the take-off will send the jumper well up into the air.
The knack of jumping is nothing more than balancing the body upon alighting, and the steeper the landing place the easier it is to keep the balance. To make the jump in good form, the skier assumes the easy position required for coasting downhill, as shown in [Fig. 12]. When within a dozen yards of the take-off the body is lowered until the skier is in a crouching position with the arms extending back as in the act of jumping. Arriving within a couple of yards of the dip the body and arms are thrown forward, which transfers the weight of the body upon the toes, and the body is straightened up and the arms are raised not unlike the wings of a bird, to keep the perfect balance of the body. The straightening up of the body, known to skiers as “the sats,” is the leap proper and must be timed so that the body assumes an erect position when the jumper is not less than 12 ft. from the edge of the take-off. The beginner will invariably jump too late, but after a little practice, and profiting by numerous mistakes, the take-off will be timed correctly. Alighting after a jump is best done by advancing one ski a trifle to keep the balance, and bending the knees a bit to lessen the impact. The jumper ends with the Telemark or Christiania swing.
When taking tours of any length on skis, each member of the party should be provided with a ruck sack of good capacity. That of the expanding type, made with two outside pockets, and with gores at the sides, is a good, sensible pack. It should be made of 8-oz. waterproof khaki and fitted with shoulder straps of good width, to prevent chafing the shoulders. Leather ruck sacks are sometimes used, but are heavier in weight and more expensive but no better. One member of the party should carry some kind of repairing outfit, consisting of an awl, a length of leather thong, a few spare straps and a stout cord, or string. These sacks are shown in [Fig. 13].