Mathias Zdarsky (25 February1856 in Kozichowitz, Czech: Kožichovice near Třebíč District of Austria, present Czechia – 20 June1940 in St. Pölten, Austria) was an early ski pioneer and is considered one of the founders of modern Alpine skiing technique. He was probably Austria's first ski instructor. He was also a teacher, painter and sculptor.
Inspired by Norway's Fridtjof Nansen's 1888 crossing of Greenland, he adapted skis for use on alpine ter...
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Mathias Zdarsky (25 February1856 in Kozichowitz, Czech: Kožichovice near Třebíč District of Austria, present Czechia – 20 June1940 in St. Pölten, Austria) was an early ski pioneer and is considered one of the founders of modern Alpine skiing technique. He was probably Austria's first ski instructor. He was also a teacher, painter and sculptor.
Inspired by Norway's Fridtjof Nansen's 1888 crossing of Greenland, he adapted skis for use on alpine terrain. In 1890 he developed a steel binding (the "Lilienfelder Stahlsohlenbindung"), which made steep mountain slopes and gate runs possible. Zdarsky felt the earlier bindings did not hold the foot firmly enough, and so he designed binding with a strong, sprung, steel sole, which is the basis of modern ski bindings. As in the earlier Norwegian skiing, he used only one ski pole. Unlike today, the skier steered by using their elbows.
In January 1905, Zdarsky demonstrated the first steep downhill descent. To show the superiority of his ski...
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