Champion old-timer skiers race in Embach

Wouldn't you just believe it! While the ski industry is busy developing skis that are faster, safer and easier to learn on, and clothing companies are turning the slopes into a couturier's catwalk, there is a body of enthusiasts resurecting the time when skiing was done in woolly clothes on simple wooden boards.

The Nostalgie ski racing in Embach over the weekend attracted a hundred racers, some from as far away as Berlin and Slovenia as well as from Embach and neighbouring villages. Not only did they come with ancient, long, wooden skis but they dressed the part as well.

Much in vogue were lederhosen or plus-fours and bushy beards for the men, and ankle-length, flowing, heavy skirts hiding thick woolly socks for the women. Hats were adorned with badges and often with the old-style aviator goggles – later to be pressed tight across the eyes as they rushed down the slopes.

Believe it or not, Embach was playing host not only to a bunch of ski-nostalgia enthusiasts but former nostaliga world and national champions.

The racing is divided into two broad categories – those on the most basic of skis with no metal edges to help with the cornering, and those slightly more recent models with „kanten“ and from there by age and gender.

Speeding round the gates, skirts and baggy trousers flapping in the wind, crouched to gain the maxium speed and occasionally coming a-cropper. the racing on these skis requires special skills and often a long wooden pole to help with the steering. Modern bindings which release the ski during a fall, don't qualify, so mistakes can be painful.

It wasn't just the skis which were the old-timers – not surprisingly some of the best skiers had grown up the hard way riding on these unwweildy boards and could show all the flash young freeskiers a thing or two.

The Embach Nostalgie Ski Team