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Classic Skiing
Antique skis
from the 40's.
I met Glen Parkinson at Saddleback Ski Area during 1996. He was giving a talk on early skiing in Maine. He showed us a wide range of skis from his collection. There were men and women that talked about their early experiences; before there were ski areas. Some of the people actually helped cut the first ski trails at Saddleback in the 50's.
The next day I noticed a pair of the old skis in a ski rack. I found Glen and he told me he planned to ski on them along with some matching ski boots. He allowed me to join him and use another set of skis and boots that he had with him. We skied a few runs on the beginner hill then proceeded to take a few runs from the top. The skis were remarkably easy to ski but did require constant attention.
I participated in a classic ski competition in 1997 and won first place. Although skiing was not required, only authentic costumes and equipment, I was able to take a few runs on my winning gear that all came from the 1940s. More recently the New England Ski Museum had a benefit at Mt. Cranmore in NH. Part of the program was a classic skiing demonstration and race. While dual format may not be traditional, I got the opportunity to race my brother for the first time. It was a great day with a pro-am race and awards banquet complete with classic ski wear fashion show.