The fast and curious unreal world of skijoring in the American West
Perhaps nothing epitomizes the American West today better than a fast
and curious venture called skijoring. Never heard of it? Few have. It
fuses two cultures this part of the country is known for — rodeo and
skiing — into an action sport that is catching on more every year.
It’s a mashup of “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “Life in the Fast Lane.”
The
funny name is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, which means
ski driving. The roots go back hundreds of years to Scandinavians
harnessing reindeer and strapping on Nordic skis to cross vast expanses
of frozen tundra.
In the modern version, cowboys and cowgirls on horseback tow skiers
(and snowboarders) holding a 30-foot-long rope hooked to the saddle over
a snow-covered obstacle course at breakneck speed. The skier must
navigate slalom gates, hit jumps, grab rings and make sweeping turns.
Reaching
speeds of nearly 40 mph, it’s over in under 20 seconds for the fastest
teams depending on the track. Let go of the rope — or crash — and it’s
over a lot quicker.
More than two dozen skijoring races are held
each winter in mostly Western states including Colorado, Montana, Idaho,
Wyoming and Utah as well as in Maine, Minnesota and Calgary, Canada. A
competition in Heber City, Utah, this month drew record teams and
crowds. It’s popular enough that there’s talk of it becoming at least an
Olympic demonstration or exhibition sport, with some eyeing Salt Lake
City, the International Olympic Committee’s preferred host for the 2034
Winter Games, as an ideal showcase.
VERY LONG ARTICLE. Have a good read .
