History
Our Histories encompass speed-skiing records since the mid-1800s to 2000, plus a century-and-a-half Timeline of Important Ski History Dates. As a work in progress, the list of ISHA historical resources is constantly growing, as our archive expands and updates. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know by joining ISHA’s Facebook page
A Short History of Skis
Painting: Håkon Håkonsson, the two-year-old future king of Norway, being taken from Lillehammer to Østerdalen in 1206. Ultimate safety for the prince lay further on, in Nidaros (now Trondheim). The...
NASTAR Championships: Leaders and Statistics Through 2012
Overview of Leading Racers at the NASTAR Championships This page contains an overview of leading racers in three categories: (1) number of first-place medals; (2) number of podium appearances; ...
When was first downhill race?
Crans-Montana, Kitzbühel dispute first downhill race In early April 2011, a commemorative race was held on the ski slopes of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, to mark the 100th anniversary of the first...
Timeline of Important Ski History Dates
Before 10,000 years ago: With the retreat of glaciers after the last Ice Age, tribes move into the forest and tundra south and east of the Baltic Sea. Travel and hunting across the frozen lakes and...
Evolution of Ski Shape
When the first “shaped” skis arrived at ski shops in 1993, they were a revelation. Deep sidecuts to help skis carve short, clean turns had been sneaking up on us for a century – so slowly that only a...
Release! History of Safety Bindings
The first “safety” bindings, by Portland skier Hjalmar Hvam, weren’t all that safe. But 50 years ago, Cubco, Miller, Look and Marker began to change skiing’s broken leg image. By Seth Masia (First...
Ski Trains: A History
Caption: North end of Gotthard Tunnel; train to Andermatt climbs away to the right. Skiers have been following rails into the snowy mountains for 140 years now. 1868 was the year the Mt. Washington...
Grip and Glide: A Short History of Ski Wax
From pine pitch to perfluorocarbons, ski waxing has come a long way since the days of Scandinavian ski-sport and Sierra longboard racing. During the Vancouver Olympics in February, skiers contended...