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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1.
From George Bailey to the Winter Warlock: Life Lessons for the Season From Thankful Jars to Turkey Trivia Align Your Estate Plan and Beneficiaries Before It Is Too Late Sit Down, Mom and Dad, Class Is in Session Apple-Cranberry Salad Skiing Through Time: The Fascinating History Behind the Slopes
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THE UNEXPECTED HISTORY OF DOWNHILL SKIING
There is something breathtaking about downhill skiing on a crisp winter day with blue skies above, perfectly groomed trails beneath, and the quiet rush of snow as you glide downhill. But how downhill skiing, or alpine skiing, came to be is just as fascinating as the sport itself. Surprisingly, while skiing can be dated back to 8000 BC in Northern China, alpine skiing as a recreational activity is relatively new. In the 18th century, it was actually not about leisure at all. Norwegian soldiers were among the first to use skis for downhill speed and mobility, even competing in military exercises that combined skiing with rifle shooting. These early competitions eventually inspired the Olympic Biathlon, keeping the spirit of those challenges alive today. Innovation soon followed. In 1809, Olaf Rye became the first recorded ski jumper, soaring nearly 10 meters through the air (and surviving), a remarkable feat for the time. By 1928, Rudolph Lettner introduced steel-edged skis, giving athletes greater control on snow, while Austrian pioneer Hannes Schneider developed modern turning techniques and established the first ski school. Schneider’s influence helped transform skiing into a sport enjoyed worldwide from Chile to Japan! The 1930s brought two major breakthroughs: the invention of chairlifts and the debut of downhill skiing in the Winter Olympics. For the first time, skiers could reach mountaintops without exhausting climbs, making multiple runs in a single day possible. Television broadcasts in the 1950s and the invention of snowmaking machines later that decade fueled the sport’s popularity even further, ensuring that skiing would continue to grow as a favorite winter pastime. So, the next time you find yourself on a pristine slope with the sun shining overhead, remember that you are part of a tradition that began centuries ago with soldiers, inventors, and visionaries who saw the magic in gliding over snow and made it possible for the rest of us to enjoy it today.
MILITARY DRILLS, CHAIRLIFTS, AND
DARING PIONEERS BUILT MODERN SKIING
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