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Interski. ‘Federation of Ski Instruction’ 50 Years old. by Sepp Redl. 1951 Zürs 1953 Davos 1955 Val d'Isere 1957 Storlien 1959 Zakopane 1962 Monte Bondone 1965 Bad Gastein 1968 Aspen 1971 Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1975 Strbské-Pleso 1979 Zao 1983 Sexten 1987 Banff 1991 St. Anton/Arlberg 1996 Nozawa Onsen 1999 Beitostølen 2003 Crans Montana Karl Gamma describes it as a worldwide contact, a control facility, a place for considerations and new ideas within itself and a stage for demonstrators. How has that all come about? 1928. Everybody skied in ‘stemmed’ turns and ‘wide’. In that year the competition in downhill and slalom started with the first Arlberg-Kandahar-race. The winner was the one who won the combination. Approximately at the same time Rudolf Lettner put metal bands on his skis to be able to master icy snow conditions. In only a few years the metal edge changed the skiing technique - it lead to a narrow position of the skis, to a narrow track. Toni Seelos trained the slalom technique in a most particular way and showed admirable stamina. Seelos used ‘parallel’ turns and in slalom he could not be beaten for 10 years. Seelos became the shining example for all competitors and – what was even more important – for all skiers, for all good skiers. A new model was born. ‘Only those who ski with parallel turns and with a narrow track ski “beautifully”.’ 1937. For the first time a Frenchman (trained by Seelos) won the World Championship. In Chamonix Emile Allais outclassed his opponents in the downhill and the slalom competition. In the same year he also won the Kandahar race and again the World Championship in the following year. 1947. The French won and they knew how to utilize their victories. And regardless of the consequences there was only one way for ski instruction: to the parallel turns without stemming. In a at that time completely new, centralised state training Stefan Kruckenhauser considered in St. Christoph am Arlberg to follow this successful tradition or to get away from a rotation step by step. Kruckenhauser: ‘One way to solve all the open questions and to get to know different techniques applied by others was an invitation. The first Congress for Ski Instruction was born. 1951 Zürs Austria - April, 9th-16th (110 participants, 8 nations) But it was not that easy. International relations still suffered from the aftermaths of World War II, the thought was still too revolutionary for a large number of people. Only in 1951 everything started. The Austrian Minister of Education personally opened the first Congress of Ski Instruction. Kruckenhauser (Congress of a New Beginning): ‘Austrians exclusively gave the demonstrations. The news was: The French rotary technique dominated. Slalom came to our rescue as young Austrians using a remarkable technique started winning. They skied with ‘anti rotation’, turned the skies with their legs. We created the terms ‘Beinspieltechnik’ and wedeln, we thought we were on the right track: The Austrians had their most famous sportsmen demonstrate: Toni Spieß, Othmar Schneider, Erika Maringer, Trude Beiser and of course Toni Seelos. Already at that time the change in the Austrian skiing technique emerged. Kruckenhauser’s film (Basic Level) also showed this tendency. In spite of all that the technique shown in the demonstrations was still based on a moderate rotary movement and that was according to the Austrian Skiing Curriculum back then. All nations present agreed that the idea of arranging Congresses for Ski Instruction had to be continued. On the final day Switzerland confirmed that they were prepared to organise the second Congress in Davos two years later. 1953 Davos Switzerland - April, 6th - 12th (180 participants, 10 nations) High participation: At the beginning only Switzerland as the host of the Congress demonstrated their national Skiing Curriculum. Kruckenhauser: In a small group the development of ‘Beinspieltechnik’ and with it also wedeln had almost been completed (not knowing how far we were ahead of time). In Davos Austria ‘officially’ refused to give a demonstration. After my rather open speech I showed my film: Further Training. Which ended with wedeln. Speech and film exploded like a bomb. The Swiss ski experts, especially the man in charge of the Congress Christian Rubi from Wengen feared the influence of this new technique on the Swiss Skiing Curriculum. Rubi organised an improvised comparison, skiing in softened deep snow. In addition to all that the Austrians were of different opinions among themselves: On the one hand Seelos showed his exceptionally soft, gliding, slightly rotated speed turns, whereas the other two demonstrators Franz Furtner and Gsellmann tried to show the brand new ‘wedel technique’ which they did not manage properly due to the difficult conditions given. Kruckenhauser: ‘The defeat was as total as it was undeserved. The Austrian press fought against us in ‘instalments’ – at home we were considered as completely defeated.’ Although this was very sad and bitter, we still believed thoroughly in the success of ‘Beinspieltechnik’, in the victory of wedeln. ‘Give me two years and a team of 9 men to be able to justify my opinion at the third Congress.’ – was my only, but strict answer to all sometimes even nasty attacks.’ Also to be found at the Congress: the lecture of a certain Hannes Marker, skiing instructor in Garmisch Partenkirchen on the topic: safety bindings. One agreement of this Congress gained importance for the future: the foundation of an international Study Commission for Ski Instruction chaired by the French Dr. Pierre Guillot who was looking for a compromise. 1955 Val d’Isere France - March, 27th to April, 1st (500 participants, 13 nations) ‘The deed is everything. Speaking quite often does not lead to anything!’. There were less lectures and films, demonstrations ruled the Congress. Not the complete teaching method, but only particularly important or also controversial parts should be demonstrated. Only the Austrians and the delegates from northern countries fulfilled this request. Kruckenhauser calls it ‘Congress of Demonstrations – Congress of Victory’. He remembers, ’Austria lead off. We have copied wedeln from the striking new slalom technique of a couple of Austrian racers: Spieß, Pravda, Molterer, O. Schneider, Hinterseer and T. Sailer. Only Furtner and I ‘knew’ what it was all about. 9 selected young skiing instructors suspected something. They had to show the sophisticated form of the stem turn and how to teach wedeln. Everything went perfectly! I will never forget the applause as well as the ‘shock’ of the other nations as wedeln had never been shown in such perfection. The headline of a French journalist was: ’A short turn takes the world by storm.’ The whole world wedels – total success of ‘Beinspieltechnik’. After this overwhelming success of the Austrian demonstration Kruckenhauser had nobody against him on the one hand, but he had also not been able to gain somebody’s support. Most of the experts admired the new Austrian technique, but saw its chance only with racers. But: Many participants of the Congress tried wedeln openly or secretly. The Austrian Karl Koller showed short skis as teaching support, something that was ignored by the public for the second time. The difference to the rotation technique remained, questions concerning the future remained unanswered. The show had gained an important position within the Congress by a mega demonstration of the French on a demonstration slope that started at 3000m and ended at 2000m. Dr. Pierre Guillot, the man in charge of the Congress suggested the foundation of an ‘International Federation for Ski Instruction’ and became its first president, Christian Rubi and Stefan Kruckenhauser his secretaries. A big advantage for the further development of the Congress, however, was the fact that Sweden accepted the organisation of the next 1957 Storlien Sweden - January, 6th - 13th (14 nations) The fourth International Congress for Ski Instruction was held in Storlien (Jämtland, Sweden), close to the Norwegian border, not far away from Are. It was organised by ‘’Frilufts främjandet’ chaired by Gösta Frohm. There were no hotels, not a lot of lifts – a Nordic skiing resort! These circumstances and the Swedish hospitality are the reasons why this Congress is remembered as the Congress of Comradeship. To make things clear, Kruckenhauser designed the ‘Comparison of Nations’. The Northerners were interested in ‘Beinspieltechnik’ to intergrade it into cross-country skiing. France and Switzerland were still rotating, Austria offered advanced ‘Beinspiel’. Very broad statutes were formulated for the ‘International Federation of Ski Instruction’. Also the professional skiing instructors tightened their cooperation and remained in the international federation. What nobody had expected: Poland was assigned with the organisation of the next Congress 1959 Zakopane Poland - April, 6th - 13th (122 participants, 16 nations) The first Congress in eastern Europe helped to bring east and west closer together. Again a late date was decided on. Zakopane had snow problems. The programme had to be changed again and again. Kruckenhauser: ‘Four demonstrators accompanied us, all the other nations had only one or none at all – their mistake. Bad weather forced into the lecture hall. It became the Congress of Lectures.’ For the ‘east’ all the questions about skiing techniques and methodology were of interest: Whereas in Zürs the rotation technique was demonstrated, only France still stuck to this way of skiing. Kruckenhauser’s presentation, which was supported and relieved by excellent slides received high appreciation and his ‘Wedelfilm’ (Master Class in Skiing) created a lot of enthusiasm among the audience and was awarded with a silver medal in Cortina later on. The International Federation was unanimously declared to be the umbrella organisation for three study groups worldwide: 1. Professional Ski Instructors (professional), 2. Ski Instructors (Instructors), 3. Skiing in Schools Stefan Kruckenhauser was elected president.

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