Colorado School of Mines Telemark Club

Colorado has long been a breeding ground for young telemark skiers with people like Ned Ryarson and the Colorado Rocky Mountain School promoting minors to free their heels. But where does this support go after these kids graduate from high school? The Colorado School of Mines has found a solution, establishing one of the first collegiate telemark clubs in the state. Recently the host for the Tough Guy Production premier of Sessions, we caught up with co-president, Dave Brokering with the following questions.

What were your motives behind starting the School of Mines Telemark Club?
Katie Gallagher and myself (co-presidents) started the team because we both love the sport of telemark skiing. We both recognized how quickly the sport is expanding and figured that it was time for there to be more college students involved. We really wanted to expand and promote the sport. There where no telemark related clubs at the school.

Are there any types of terrain that you have a stronger emphasis in? Would you like to expand that emphasis?
Ultimately we want to give everyone a well rounded background. However, we have found ourselves leaning more towards the freestyle moguls and big mountain skiing. Basically we will do whatever interests people. As of now the members of the Mines Telemark Ski Team are interested in learning how to expand their skills on bumps and big mountain skiing. It is possible that we may expand to slopestyle and backcountry skiing in the future but nothing is set in stone.

What kinds of events has the Club participated in and what are some that you anticipate?
We are a new team that has not had much chance to compete. This year we are planning on doing different events in Colorado. As of now we are planning on attending the Mogul Mania in Vail or Beaver Creek (if they happen). Perhaps a few of us will make it to the Telemark Championships in Crested Butte (Extreme Skiing). We will also attend some clinics and possibly hold a few of our own. There has also been talk about doing some trips to free heel hotspots such as Alta or Jackson Hole.

As the Front Range of Colorado has several college telemark skiers, especially at CU, would the School of Mines Telemark Club ever consider expanding?
As of now we are willing to take anyone with us to the mountain and the comps. If there is strong interest at the other schools, it might be possible to set up clubs on their campus modeled after the Mines Telemark Ski Team, perhaps one day there will be a competitive college circuit for Freeheelers, with teams from colleges all over.

Is there a website?
www.mines.edu/stu_life/organ/telemark
Contributed by Josh Madsen 

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