ORIGIN OF SKI-ING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 August 1938, Page 4

ORIGIN OF SKI-ING

TWO THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE CHRIST. Ski-ing and golf have certain fundamental aspects in common. Both look so tantalisingly easy, and are yet so difficult. Both for the learner constitute complete proof of that saying that hope springs eternal—with the emphasis, in the case of ski-ing, on the spring rather than the hope. And, finally, both are attracting increasingly large numbers of beginners each year. But how many of those who go each year to New Zealand’s snowlands either to ski or to try know that it is one of of the oldest of sports? Something of its absorbingly interesting history was told to members of the Taihape Alpine Club recently by Mr Ernst Skardarasy, expert at the Chateau Tongariro. The speaker maintained that skis were first used in 2000 B.C.—though, indeed, the first reference was in the Bible, when that good book spoke of “the fall of man.” • Early skis, he said, were made from the large bones of animals, the object of them being to prevent sinking in the soft snow. Latterly these was covered with seal skin to preVent slipping. Early skis were used on Lake Baikal in Asia. Later skis were introduced to the Scandinavian countries, where wood was first used. The first running skis were one of wood on one foot, with one of skin and bone on the other to push with. In 1550 the first jumping on skis was done by' Austrian peasants, but the sport soon died out and was not heard of again until it was revived by English mountaineers, who introduced the sport. into Switzerland.

The year 1870 found the peasants in the valley of Telemarken making skis. They were almost the same as those used today, and rough various shapes and sizes were tried and considerable research was carried out. They found, that they could not improve the design.

The present technique of teaching ski-ing was evolved by Hanns Schneider. Schneider was retained in Austria, where he trained 400 soldiers for three months so that they could use skis to patrol the snowy passes in the mountains. . .

Mr Skardarasy mentioned that he had been often asked how New Zealand’s mountains, compared with those in Austria. He said the mountains here compared very favourably, though the ski slopes on Ruapehu were steeper than any in Europe. The wind experienced in New Zealand after a fall of snow had the effect of hardening the surface, and although this did not affect, the experienced skier, the beginner would find a fall rather uncomfortable. On the other hand, the snow in Europe remained soft all the time. The speaker pointed out how in the Tyrol the postman did his round on skis, while school children also received two afternoons, of %ki lessons a week.- If those lessons were not a part of the syllabus, a great number of children would not be able to attend school for perhaps three months.