falls Flight

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Pro skier Steve Leeder telemarking, Falls Creek

Snow-business specialist Bronwen Gora heads to Falls

Creek in Victoria, home base of the Australian Cross-Country

Ski Team, to report on the revival of some old-school ski styles.

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n skiing, everything old is new again. Enter cross-country skiing, telemark and skate skiing. All three styles – which differ from downhill skiing in that the heel is free from the binding, with only the front of the boot attached – are enjoying a resurgence worldwide. Driving the revival is a desire among skiers to escape the bustle of commercial resorts in favour of traversing the mountains under their own steam, and to achieve a higher level of fitness than that afforded by regular downhill skiing.

Cross-country skiers use long, skinny skis and poles to propel them in a smooth, gliding motion across generally flat terrain outside ski resorts, usually valley floors or high plains. This form of skiing can be traced back to the Stone Age – wooden skis have been discovered in Russia dating to 6300BC. The theory is that as prehistoric man moved north, he encountered snow and was forced to develop a way to move across it in order to hunt.

Telemark skiing, where the heel is free but a strap around the back of the boot stabilises it, is the downhill form. Sondre Norheim is credited with throwing the first telemark turn in 1868, during a Norwegian national skiing competition. He carved the long, fluid turn after landing by sliding one ski in front of the other, dropping the back knee and then lunging forward with the front leg.

Skate skiing – think ice-skating or rollerblading on skis – emerged in its current form when an American Olympic silver medallist, Bill Koch, deployed an unusual technique in a 1982 World Cup competition. By pushing his cross-country skis out to each side like an ice-skater, he was able to go faster than the competition and was named FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski) Cross-Country World Cup champion 1981-82.

As home to Australia’s National Cross-Country Ski Team, Falls Creek is among the best places in the country to learn these styles. The resort has a large network of world-class cross-country ski trails and every part of its 65sq km is free to access at

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any time. the setting is particularly beautiful. Falls creek nestles in the thickly wooded hills of the Kiewa valley, its ski trails flanked by snow gums. Because Falls creek is a ski field more geared towards novice than challenging slopes, it is well suited to learners of all styles.

cross-country practicedownhill skiers might think their chosen sport is an excellent workout, but compared to other styles, it’s a doddle. thanks to the luxury of ski lifts and well-groomed runs, gliding around on even the steepest pitch is a relative breeze.

not so with cross-country skiing. participants are guaranteed to boost their fitness substantially as this style requires more physical action for forward propulsion. at Falls creek, cross-country tracks are groomed, enabling skiers to glide along in the grooves. even so, it can be physically punishing. in terms of technique, the key points are to relax the knees, keep the hips forward and not fight the skis. the objective is to create a steady rhythm of striding and poling.

“poling is very important because you’re using your arms as part of the perpetual movement of the technique,” says mark weir, manager of the ymca howmans gap alpine centre, which operates the Falls creek nordic centre. “realistically, to go out and have some fun, it would take half an hour to pick up cross-country skiing.”

still, first attempts at gliding on cross-country skis require serious concentration. For starters, the boots are more like trainers, providing far less stability than even a regular ski boot. consequently, it is easy for the skis to slip underneath and place a learner firmly on their rear end, or on their side, in seconds. But once settled into a rhythmic,

walking-while-gliding movement, assisted by poles far longer than those used in downhill skiing, the hard part is over. group lessons at Falls creek nordic centre (25 Bogong high plains road, 03 5758 3408) are $46 for 90 minutes; private lessons $92 an hour.

telemark, set, go telemark is the perfect complement to downhill skiing. it strengthens thigh, gluteal and core muscles, and improves balance. learners are presented with new challenges at every turn. First attempts to master the graceful, fluid technique – in which one ski slides in front of the other to create the deep lunging turn – are generally accompanied by much wobbling and hesitation.

compared to downhill equipment, telemark skis are lighter and skinnier, and the boots are nowhere near as stiff. most importantly, the heel is not attached to the ski in order to allow the hallmark turn to be executed. this also allows a skier to attach climbing “skins” for ski touring in the backcountry. skins are synthetic strips that stick to the bottom of the ski when a telemark skier wants to walk. they are covered with hairs that grip the snow, allowing them to slide the skis forward and glide along, even uphill, without sliding backwards. once atop the mountain, they are detached, rolled up and stuck in a backpack for the descent.

For those used to downhill skiing, gliding down the slope for the first time on telemark equipment will feel highly unstable. But the skills developed for downhill skiing are a big help in understanding the technique behind telemark’s classic turn. “the first thing students become very conscious of is where they are standing on the ski,”

Clockwise from above: executing a telemark turn; skate-skiing pioneer Bill Koch; cross-country skiers

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says Falls creek snowsports school director Francis Jackson. “there are none of the luxuries such as stiff boots that they have had with [normal] ski equipment to help them overcome their shortcomings.”

But diligent effort pays off. within a day, most experienced skiers will be able to master a few satisfying turns and experience the signature fluidity. “with modern equipment, telemark is just as easy to learn as downhill – and possibly more enjoyable,” says Jackson.

Falls creek snowsports school (03 5758 1000, www.fallscreek.com.au/snowsports) offers private lessons from $106 per hour.

get your skates onof the three styles, skate skiing requires the highest levels of fitness and strength as the skier moves forward by pushing from side to side like an ice-skater, instead of simply gliding forward as in cross-country. it also calls for the most patience, as the skis are narrower and shorter than those used in cross-country skiing. indeed, the first time on skate skis feels like balancing on a pair of chopsticks. and despite being stiffer than cross-country boots, the footwear feels far flimsier than the downhill kind.

crucially, skate skis cannot be used in a simple forward motion. thanks to their knife-like structure (compared to other skis) and lack of metal edges, they need to be used like a pair of rollerblades or ice-skates. the poles are longer again than those used in cross-country and feel even more unwieldy at first. “longer poles are needed because a skier really has to throw themselves forward,” says weir.

Because skate skiing is quite technical, lessons are recommended, but the rewards are substantial. “it’s the most aerobic of all the styles,” says weir. “skate skiers are some of the fittest people in the world.” and exhilaration is a large part of the payoff. “it’s a fantastic way to be out in the mountains, during the day or under a full moon.”

eat & stayas befits an area that’s home to such physically demanding forms of skiing, Falls creek has some of the best restaurants and lodgings in the victorian alps. new this season is three Blue ducks (3 sitzmark street, 1300 652 260, www.huski.com.au). located in the huski apartment complex, it’s run by a team that includes former tetsuya chefs darren robertson and mark laBrooy. their alpine eatery is named after its renowned sydney counterpart in Bronte. summit ridge (8 schuss street, 03 5758 3800) is another excellent choice, not only for its focus on local produce, but for its 240-strong wine list.

huski features studios, apartments and a penthouse. studios start at $432 a night for seven nights. quay west resort & spa (17 Bogong high plains road, 03 5732 8000, mirvachotels.com) is suitably luxu-rious and has rooms from $688 (minimum two-night stay). one of its biggest drawcards is the apartment balconies, which have been fitted with private hot tubs that take full advantage of the uninterrupted mountain views. three-bedroom apartments at alpine woodsmoke (216 Bogong high plains road, 03 5758 3182, woodsmoke.com.au) are $1465 a night (minimum two-nights). c

Clockwise: Quay West balcony;

Huski suite; Mark LaBrooy (left) & Jeff Bennett of

Three Blue Ducks

For airfares call Qantas on 13 13 13 or visit qantas.com. For holiday packages to Falls Creek call Qantas Holidays on 13 14 15.

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