Sticks & Poles - A Ski History

Nansen describes the state of skiing and “skistav” use in Norway and which had, by this time, developed into a sport:

‘…[O]f late years the sport of ‘skilöbning’ has been practised and developed in Norway to quite an astonishing extent…no doubt largely due to the public competitions which are…annually held…at Christiania…Before this time of resurrection the ‘skistav’ or pole…was generally considered quite as the ‘ski’ themselves…the ‘skilöber’ rode his pole like a witch’s broomstick…but this unlimited and servile use of an extraneous support and assistance…entirely deprives him of all control over his ‘ski’… But the Telemarken peasant…[w]hen he meet us in rivalry at Christiania he soon showed us that when one has really learned to control one’s ‘ski’ without having continual recourse to one’s staff one…can with ease and speed clear obstacles and difficulties before considered insurmountable…’¹³

Circa 1873 – Illus. showing a swift downhill skier with one pole not being used as brake. Fridtjof Nansen, First Crossing of Greenland, Vol. 1 (English Edition), London, England: Longmans, Green and Co., 1890 ,83

Circa 1873 – Illus. showing a Norwegian jumper, poleless. Fridtjof Nansen, First Crossing of Greenland, Vol. 1 (English Edition), London, England: Longmans, Green and Co., 1890, 105