 Poster: A snowHead
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 Following on from the brief diversion in the "Race training UK" thread, very odd that grass skiing should fall under Snowsport England's "Nordic" section, as paulhothersall confirms.
Never really understood why it hasn't caught on as a sport in the UK - there are varieties of ski suitable for free skiing as well as competition, it's exhilarating, ideal as summer training for skiers (and hugely cheaper than heading for the glaciers!) Outdoors, fresh air, what more could you want?
Just back from Le Sauze where we spent from Tuesday through to Sunday on the slopes, training and generally having a good time through to Friday, with the serious stuff over the weekend, the French Children's and Junior Championships. Perfect weather, relaxed atmosphere (unlike alpine racing), great to see kids putting their snow skills to use in this discipline.
With all the mountain boarding centres springing up around the UK, you would think that grass skiing would be making something of a comeback...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'll be adding some video sequences to the website eventually. One thing that was particularly noticeable last week was that those whose main sport is grass skiing have a different style to the average expert snow skier, when translating his skills to the green stuff. In France in particular this has led to alpine trainers resisting grass skiing as a summer training option, for fear that it will adversely affect stance when trainees are back on snow.
The majority of those taking part in Sauze however were snow skiers first and foremost, and to my eye, the technique used was almost identical. The "old school", still sceptical president of the Sauze (snow) ski racing club cam along to watch and was forced to admit - grudgingly - that it was very similar. (The best moment was when he singled out one skier for a little praise during her descent, to be told that she had never been beaten on snow by any of the girls from his Sauze club or indeed any others in the area  ...)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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PG, how did Hannou perform? Seem to recall she had a bit of a bad tumble last summer.... hope she is back to peak form.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
| Never really understood why it hasn't caught on as a sport in the UK |
Grass-skiing was very big in the UK in the 1970s - an annual circuit of recreational and racing events around the country.
It requires a lot of organisation, negotiation with landowners, portable rope tows, rental equipment etc. etc.
PG - are the French grass-skiing sites permanent, with winter ski lifts being used for uplift?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, the slope in Dizin (Iran) which is used for International events is permanent and is part of the snow skiing resort. In winter the grass is protected by snow (it's part of a Piste). Rest of the time it's irrigated. Probably 'mowed' by sheep or goats. It has a dedicated 'magic carpet' type lift which was not normally used in winter when I was there. While back, mind you....
http://www.iransportspress.com/?c=48&a=1914
http://www.skifed.ir/ski.asp
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 2-08-05 12:46; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I tried grass sking once when I was a kid, 13 or 14 perhaps. My only recollections are that it was fast and difficult. I thought I was a reasonably competent snow-skier at the time, but clearly what little technique I had didn't translate to grass-skiing. PG, I assume that grass-skiing involves 'carving' technique rather than 'skidding' technique? That's probably why I found grass-skiing difficult - flinging the skis to one side and skidding around turns just didn't seem to work for me.
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rob@rar.org.uk, yes, skidding is virtually impossible, especially on the very fast tracked skis used these days (way faster than in the 80s!). That said, you can get skis such as these...
... which have a rotating rear wheel. This guy (whom we christened Frank Zappa) turned up in Le Sauze hoping to interest us in his product, "Carval". I'm not knocking it, but it's no good for those needing to practise their carving technique as the rear wheel 'steers' the ski, encouraging you to do what is the equivalent of skidding the ski on snow. Otherwise it's robust, fun, and "go anywhere", something the tracked skis cannot do.
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PG, missing link or pic ??
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Of course if you want to try some DIY...
(For long grass, perhaps?). Someone (French obviously) actually tried these. Once.
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kuwait_ian, I can see it?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PG, odd - nothing in your latest post either. 1st time it's happened like this. Using Firefox. Usually if my ISP doesn't like a site or it's a busted link, I get a little box with an X in it. These 2 just look like 'fresh air'. Never mind - if it's OK for others, I'll survive.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| PG wrote: |
| Otherwise it's robust, fun, and "go anywhere", something the tracked skis cannot do. |
Like it - off-piste grass-skiing!
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PG, they're all better now. Worth the wait. Queer - the browser said it was 'done'. I hope the front wheels in the first pic also rotate. 
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You know it makes sense.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| PG - are the French grass-skiing sites permanent, with winter ski lifts being used for uplift? |
Some are, some not. Lower altitude resorts in France are waking up to the need to promote summer activities, for two reasons - both the shrinking winter season, and the general slump in summer tourism in France (the French are taking shorter summer hols, more quick long weekend breaks, when they can afford it).
Here's Frank Zappa again on Saturday, knees nailed together, obviously a product of the 70s school...
 Back to summer skiing, click on the thumbnail to see more pics of summer facilities on the Mont Ventoux as an example, with lifts being used for both freewheel karts and grass skiers...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| kuwait_ian wrote: |
| PG, how did Hannou perform? Seem to recall she had a bit of a bad tumble last summer.... hope she is back to peak form. |
Fine, a few tumbles over the week, but of these winners (see pic) of the different categories, she actually came third overall, boys included, just behind a couple of Junior I sixteen year old lads.
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Poster: A snowHead
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PG, great news. Give her my best.
I see bogies have progressed a bit since my childhood days with old pram wheels and a plank. Steered withy a bit of string.
Those karts look like fun. How do you get back up - hang onto the drag ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kuwait_ian, there's a specially-designed clip which, when you hold the wheel, secures the 'button' in place. At the top you just let go of the clip to disengage the drag, your forward momentum taking you into the run, just like on skis.
Bring a cushion though! As you can see from the photo, they bounce around a lot, and the suspension isn't up to much!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Britain used to have its own grass ski manufacturer in the 1970s - Grilson - which shows that the sport reached some significance. At a guess Grilson probably made a couple of thousand pairs. They were pretty crude grass skis - a row of big plastic rollers in an aluminium chassis.
Those who bought grass skis then bought Rollka, which I think were made in Germany or Austria. They were based on caterpillar tracks, which I guess remains the 'lead technology' - haven't been grass-skiing since about 1979!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Grass skis have no sidecut, but in fact they do have permanent reverse camber. If you look along the rail you can see that it is slightly curved. They are therefore able to "carve" an arc when tilted on to edge, because slight ground compression takes place. (In fact you can usually see the tracks cut into the turf after a race.) Physicsman did say he was going to test this theory through observation but I don't know if he ever got around to it.
You do not need to force grass skis through a turn, just edge and carve like you would with snow skis. That is why it is very easy for good snow racers to switch to grass skiing and immediately produce fairly good race performances.
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The above from this recent thread on Epic (Martin Bell)...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, yes, Hillend had Grilsons or Rollkas for rent. (Rental price for the former was less than half than for the latter!)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
| PG wrote: |
| Otherwise it's robust, fun, and "go anywhere", something the tracked skis cannot do. |
Like it - off-piste grass-skiing! |
I think his technique dates back to the day he bought his last pair of ski boots! They're not that far short of reaching his knees.. 
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What would help promote this sport would be grass reports and
webcams.
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This is a good source of info if you want to know how the skis work, are maintained, etc. Czech Martin Štěpánek's site, loads of great images and detailed technical stuff for those interested, all in good English too.
See http://www.grasski.net/html_casti/ENG_main.html
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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beanie1, that's an old pair of Rollkas ('Erbaski' on the Ebay site...?) Rollka skis are pretty robust, but given that the makers have been out of business for years, it's hard to get parts.
They're not the fastest either, but fine for beginners.
Grass ski boots? Don't need those, your normal ski boots are just fine.
The price of £600.00 is absolutely ludicrous !!!! Who wants a smelly old pair of boots you don't need anyway, and you can get a brand new pair of Christian Balek's "state of the art" skis from Austria, or his concessionary in the Czech Republic (see link in post just above the Ebay one) for around £150.00 !!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ah - have just noticed it's 78 pairs of boots, and 38 pairs of skis! That's a different matter. Phew, I was worried.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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beanie1, PG, Have you seen the pix of the boots? They're really old. Several leather and thin clips + early plastic stuff. I emailed the guy re boots, to see what happened, but he wants to sell the whole lot together!!!!! I haven't seen boots like those since I was a kid!!
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Hampshire, sounds like the Butser Grass Ski Club finally selling off their rental equipment.
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You know it makes sense.
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They do look pretty grim. I certainly wouldn't want to put my feet in them, let alone ski with them.
(EDIT: major typo! how does certainly become sently...)
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Sat 6-08-05 17:37; edited 1 time in total
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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