Saturday, January 23, 1999 -- Canaan Valley, Timberline Resort
Timberline Classic Telemark Series #1

[Coverage/Recap w/Pics] [More Pics] [Results]

On Saturday, telemark racers gathered for the second annual Timberline Classic Telemark Series I. Mother Nature cooperated with mild temperatures and sunshine. The racers gathered at approximately 10:30 a.m. at the top of Lower Thunderstruck and were ready to go. The Timberline Classic Telemark was indeed a true telemark classic race. A telemark classic race can incorporate any terrain such as a vapalution, which is a 270° turn for a change of direction into a skate portion that may go uphill. Skate sections are usually 20%-40% of overall course time. It may incorporate jumps, that must have a penalty distance and require a telemark landing.

Bruce Wohleber races toward an uncontested Masters victory

Penalties of 1 second are added to racers time for the following:

1. No telemark landing
2. Not clearing distance line
3. Not making telemark turns at each gate (first and last gates are sometimes optional)

Other variations in the course might have Super Tele, which is like Alpine Super Giant Slalom as well as an open section in which consists of a Alpine Downhill type section. (Thanks to Darell Hensley, the technical director at Timberline, for providing a description of a telemark classic race.)

Racers were required to complete two runs. The combined time of both runs was then tabulated for the final results. Each racer finished in the midst of supportive yells from fellow participants as they skated UPHILL at the bottom of Lower Thunderstruck. Darell Hensley was the overall winner with Nancy Mammarella taking the Womens category, Cory Chase the Youths, Joshua Sneideman the Seniors, and Bruce Wohleber the Masters category. Tough luck for Shawn Riggle, who was disqualified for missing a gate near the middle of the course. (That's all right Shawn, you still looked great out there.)

Dickie Hall (far right) gives his happy students instruction on the finer points of telemarking

Thanks to Greg Bair, Tim Warden and Teddy Fries for officiating, Mary Jefferson for announcing, and especially Annie Snyder for supporting the whole event. Visit the ski calendar for upcoming events at Timberline and other resorts around the state. You don't want to miss the Norpine Festival in February (contact Annie Snyder at the Timberline Ski School, (304) 866-4801).

Speaking of telemarking. Timberline Resort hosted the President of the North American Telemark Organization (NATO), Dickie Hall. Dickie travels all around the United States offering a comprehensive telemarking clinic and is regard as one of the best telemark skiers in the nation. Over 35 students participated in the one day instruction class. Dickie Hall visits Timberline usually twice a season with his clinic. Check out the NATO website at www.telemarknato.com.