Leisure Kicks - The essencial sport and leisure guide

Skiing evolved as a means of moving around on snow thousands of years ago. There is archaeological evidence of skiing found across Scandinavia dating back over 7,000 years! Cross country skiing originated here with a wooden plank strapped to each foot. This made travel in deep snow far less tiring. In the 1870s, Sondre Norheim from Morgedal in the Norwegian county of Telemark is widely credited with revolutionising skiing. He introduced the downhill zig-zagging skiing dicipline we today know as telemark skiing. He developed bindings and skis made for this style on the slopes and which would also become prototypes for today’s skis. The British were travelling around on snow in the 1900s and played a prominent role in developing Alpine racing. 

Snowboarding evolved in the 1960s in the USA, employing design principles of surfboards and skateboards. The three original disciplines of freestyle (acro, moguls and aerials) grew from when participants would try tricks on single runs. By the 1980s the sport was nationwide. The first National Championships in the United States were held in 1982. The country also hosted the first World Championships in 1983. Skiing has been a part of the  Winter Olympics in various forms since the first Games in 1924, while men’s and women’s snowboarding debuted at the Nagano Olympics in 1998. 

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Karl Schranz taking bronze in at the 1966 World Champs
Wikimedia Commons