Telemark

The telemark turn came to the attention of the Norwegian public in 1868, when Sondre Norheim took part in a ski competition, impressing them with his ability to turn easily and fluidly. The technique soon dominated skiing - and in Norway it continued to do so well into the next century.

However, new types of technique based on the 'stem' were gradually starting to replace telemark in the Alpine countries in the 1910s, since it was easier to master and enabled shorter turns better suited to the steeper alpine terrain and skiing downhill. The telemark turn became the technique of ski touring in rolling terrain.

The technique is named after the Telemark region of Norway, just as the Stem Christie turn was named after Christiania (now Oslo), Norway.