09.-11. April Galtür/Paznaun Austria

The several stops of the World Masters Series Telemarkers from across Europe have had the chance to qualify for the Freeheel World Masters in Galtür, Austria at national events for the past four years. Individual Masters races are held in an elimination system telecross with four starters and can be held in the backcountry or on the slopes, depending on the ski resort, weather situation and snow conditions. The two fastest skiers in each run advance a round, but telemarkers who push, foul or neglect the tele turn too often are disqualified.

This year’s international series launch will be held at the Stubai Telemark Festival, a perfect setting for the Freeheel Austrian Masters, and will be followed by the Italian Masters in Carezza and the Kvitfjell Telemark Festival in Norway in January. Ambitious telemarkers can also look forward to events in France,  Switzerland and Germany as a chance to qualify for the big season’s end finale in Austria’s Paznaun Valley; The three best telemarkers at the national elimination rounds will receive a spot in the finale, too. There’s also a good chance that the starting field in Galtür will once again be filled with lucky losers. As last  year, Rottefella NTN and boot partners Crispi and Scarpa will sponsor the Freeheel World Masters with prizes valuing 13,000 euros for the national masters and finalists.

One on one. Men. Women. Shoulder-to-shoulder through the racecourse. Four starters each race, but only the first two will make it to the next round. Telemark races, the most spectacular ones - a true adventure for skiers and spectators. That's the Freeheel World Masters.

For the third time, telemark skiers from all over Europe were able to qualify in national events for the World Masters finals in Galtür. Stubai (A), Schwemlalm/Ultental (I), Garmisch Partenkirchen (GER), Gourette/Pyrenees (F), Kvitfjell (NOR), and Andermatt (CH) – these were last year’s qualifiers to get the desired ticket for Galtür.

The skiing level was extremely high everywhere and the races were very competitive. Exclusively for the finals, the organizers of the Galtür lift company created a racecourse that could withstand any international comparison. Christoph Pfeiffer and his aides from the Galtür ski school, in collaboration with race director Patrick Couapel guaranteed a smooth flow of the entire event. Last year’s champions, Sepp Brunner and Alena Stiefl , six national masters, and another 20 qualifi ers showed some really exciting shoulder-on-shoulder heats.