New Season, New Direction!

Ahh, if only the almanacs speak true! I have been hearing a rumor that this year will be better than last in Quebec, could it be true!!!!

The winds have turned in any case, as I have seen my last days as an athlete. I am very pleased to have had so much support and luck these past three years and would like to thank those of you who believed in me. I have learnt many valuable lessons and seen telemark evolve in Quebec due to the valiant efforts of the small groups of volunteers that have devoted time and energy to the cause! There efforts will pay off in the future!

As for myself, I will now pass on my passion through teaching, coaching and therapy! I have returned to school to become an Athletic Therapist. You never know, maybe one day our teams might need one! ;-)

I will also be taking a number of teaching levels with CANSI, CSIA and NCCP to complement my understanding of our sport.

Look forward to catching you on the slopes!

Victoria

Telemark Binding Bench Test - telemarktips.com

I have just read this test and there are some interesting conclusions. When will be the day when we can try the gear out on a hill????

For those of you interested in the technical side of things you may find this interesting.

http://www.telemarktips.com/BindBench.html

Inaugural Telemark Coach course.

What a phenomenal weekend. I have just come back from Mont Blanc, Qc where we spent three incredible days on the snow with Sébastien Michel for the Inaugural CANSI(Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors) Telemark Coach 1 course. A first for Canada.

There was most definitely a convergence of power and skill at this meeting. Among the participants we found people such as, the provincial and national team coaches, the presidents of Telemark Quebec and Canada, the president of Cansi Quebec, the chair of the National Technical Committee for CANSI Canada and a few national team racers. Needless to say the weekend was very interesting.

Lead by Sebastien Michel (World Cup Coach CDAST(Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team) we where taken through the steps as defined by CSCF(Canadian Ski Coaches Federation)level 1 with a few small changes. Sebastien Michel showed his magnanimous ability to be creative. Not only was his coaching and teaching ability unparalleled, but he put on a pair of tele's for the first time on Friday morning and taught the whole course on this unknown equipment. BRAVO.

We have all left this course with a number of questions answered and a few more tools to add to our 'toolbox' so to speak. Most of all I believe we have a new sense of purpose. There are more and more people being introduced to telemark skiing every year. It feels like the timing is right for the structure to find it's place and offer a development path for those changing over.

A huge thank you to Norman Thibeault and Cansi for finding a way to make this happen.

I believe that we are still looking for the 'perfect image' of a telemark skier in Canada. The most powerful and efficient position. We may have just come one step closer to figuring out this puzzle.

Schweitzer 2006