Heather Paul Featherman: Owner of Ultimate Groove K2 Tele ski camps for women, a National Ski Team member and World Cup competitor shares some free heel knowledge.
 
OD: Skiing in Japan must be exciting, are there as many female Telemark skiers over there as here?
HP:Maybe not quite as many but there are some amazing women on the national team spreading the good word of telemark skiing and running their own camps, etc.. over there.

OD: Does your little boy telemark ski?
HP:If so when did he begin? He does not tele ski yet, he is an awesome alpine skier now, making parallel turns and all but he is only 4 so the tele equipment available for kids is not that small yet. I can’t wait until he starts.  He just got cross country skis for Christmas and loves it too so I am hopeful!

OD: What do you do for off season training?
HP:I mostly mountain bike and trail run but also water ski, road bike and hike a lot too.  Mountain biking is fabulous here in Crested Butte so I am often found doing that in my free time.  I also have a best friend who is a trainer and I try to make her kick my butt with plyometrics and strength training at least once a week, (in an ideal world...mostly my strength training comes from carrying my kids up and down the stairs, and they are heavy!).

OD: You have clinics all over the world, Japan, Colorado, California, New Hampshire and Alaska....can anyone join a tour or do women need to be at a certain level to handle the terrain you take them on?
HP: We accommodate all levels from never ever tele to advanced and looking to take the sport to the next level.  We work with each level on the appropriate terrain.  We have some different locations which really support certain types of skiing better than others, for example the Alaska camp will be steep training but if we have a beginner, we’ll take them too, we have enough instructors to work everyone in.  The NH camp does not offer as steep terrain but we work on building on the easier terrain to take it onto the steeps...so it can be location specific but we accommodate everyone!

OD: You have been right on the forefront of women's telemark ski gear, what has been the greatest improvement?
HP: The greatest equipment improvement is really the movement toward making the gear specific for women. I think is helpful, both physically and mentally, for the skier. Companies are now using high level female skiers to test and design the gear which has made a big difference.  K2 women’s alliance team for instance, (yes, pumping my company...because they’re the most cutting edge of female gear), is a group of women who are out there on the snow all winter instructing, competing, touring, guiding and they are the ones developing the line, right down to the graphics, which is the fun part that plays a huge role at the retail level.  Other companies are following suit and there has been a huge increase on women specific products for telemark skiing.  It is really fun to be able to be a part of that movement and hosting my clinics has been a great source of feedback as well for the manufacturers.

OD: What is you ski of choice and what ski would you recommend for a beginner?
HP: I love the dawn patrol and am getting used to the fatter skis, it took me a while as I was a bit old school from my racing background, but now I love them.  K2 makes women skis that are bomber but light and forgiving, geared towards women’s bodies and ski styles.  For the beginner, you can’t beat the Schi Devil, it is forgiving enough to learn on and burly enough to accommodate a great deal of improvement.  I take my Schi Devils anywhere, steeps and groomers and they always perform.  Just make sure, if you’re a beginner, get fitted correctly, boots and bindings to keep it safe and comfortable.

Unless you shop with your eyes closed, there’s no denying that the women’s sports market is one of the fastest growing markets in the U.S. In the past few years there has been an explosion of merchandise designed specifically for women and now nearly every corner of the outdoor sports market has products built with women’s physiology in mind. Peruse a shop like Outdoor Divas in Boulder and Denver and you’ll probably find apparel cut to fit women’s bodies, snowshoes that accommodate women’s gate and foot size, sleeping bags with insulation around areas where women tend to get coldest and kayak paddles with smaller grips to better suit women’s smaller hand sizes. The ski market is no exception to this growing trend. Each year, ski manufacturers have introduced more models made specifically for women. In year’s past, this meant replacing the topsheet of a unisex ski with feminine graphics and offering shorter lengths. With so much competition, however, skis have moved far beyond “shrinked and pink.” Now there are numerous models to suit all abilities—from expert carving skis to powder boards to forgiving learning tools.

Here are the basic components used in woman-specific ski design:
Softer flex and lighter weight—It takes a lot of energy to bend a ski that’s too stiff. Since women tend to weigh less than men, many companies have addressed this problem by developing cores using lightweight wood or foam which makes the ski easier to flex and therefore easier to turn.
Forward mounting position—Wider hips, a lower center of gravity and smaller feet affect women’s ability to pressure the tips of their skis. Mounting the bindings 1-2 cm forward of center allows women to be closer to the tip so they can easily pressure the ski.
Smaller and lighter weight systems—Manufacturers have recently introduced systems (a binding and plate combination) that include shorter plates to accommodate women’s smaller feet and shorter ski lengths. The bindings are also typically made of lighter weight materials and include a slight ramp angle—where the heel is higher than the toe to put women in a more balanced position (from a “backseat” position) and to help with turn initiation.
Unique molds—Until recently, women-specific skis were unisex skis with a few adjustments. Now skis are being built from the ground up just for women. This includes a sidecut and shape designed for women’s physical needs and a forward mounting position built into the mold instead of having to adjust the bindings forward of a unisex center.

Don’t think that a ski labeled woman-specific means it lacks personality. High-performance women’s skis can satisfy even an aggressive ex-racer. Since there are more choices than ever, try to demo a variety of models and lengths and find the model best suited to your ability. For a great ski-testing experience and instruction, try over 25 pairs of next year’s women-specific skis at She Skis, a women-only ski testing clinic held on the slopes of Vail, Colorado. Or try and make it to one of outdoor DIVAS FREE ski demo days throughout the season.

This season ask for gear~ so you can get out and enjoy your winter in comfort and style. Get on a new pair of women's specific skis and improve your skiing. Try a pair of Tubbs Snowshoes and explore your own back yard. Take up a new sport with a women's Neversummer Snowboard. Stretch your mind and body with a pair of Stonewear Designs yoga pants or better yet outfit yourself in a new winter Kjus jacket  or a pair of Orage snowpants.

Buy the goods to go beyond! Journey on ladies.

This winter there are numerous opportunities to get out on the trails, be it by ski, snowshoe or foot. The frozen foot 5k is a great opportunity to get some exercise, help out the CU triathlon team and show off your cute winter running gear. Register today or give a race entry as a holiday gift with a new pair of winter running pants by Sporthill, a Brooks running jacket or the new Sycro Seek water resistant running shoe by Pearl Izumi. It is also great opportunity to test the Ice Queen Skirt Sports winter running skirt. Run like a girl!

From tele tips to Nordic nose dives the stories were colorful and inspiring, our SNOW DIVAS event for all the free heel ladies was a smashing success. The information on women's telemark gear and ladies Nordic skis was very informative and interesting. Rossignol skinny skis, Tubbs snowshoes, G3 skins and tele turns; we covered all freeheel aspects. Women's Quest, Babes in the Backcountry, Eldora women's ski program and the K2 Ultimate Groove Women's Telemark Camp all provided excellent information on their women's specific camps and clinics. Plus Redwood Creek wines were extremely generous in their wine sponsorship, thanks.

Janice Bachmeier a K2 Ski Alliance member as well as also a full time fire fighter and mom. Earlier in her days, Janice competed in moguls and aerials circuit. Today she competes in water skiing comps and is a nationally ranked water skier. outdoor DIVAS wanted to ask this extreme mom a few questions.

outdoorDIVAS: Would your kids call you a "cool" mom or are they at that "everything my parents do (no matter how cool) is lame" stage?
Janice:  "Cool" mom for sure! We have two girls ages 13 and 16. We do a lot of stuff together and I love skiing with my girls - they rock! I know they like me around cause I get a lot of "flack" if I don’t show up to support them when they compete, have school events, etc. My kids say I am an "up for anything" kind of mom. I'd say were pretty close.

outdoorDIVAS: As a mature athletic in the ski industry you have truly seen the industry change, (as in more women’s specific), what has been the biggest leap you’ve seen in technology and in fashion?
Janice:  Wow, everything has changed! When I was 18 there were hardly any good girl skiers. Now, there are tons! Aggressive girl skiers - I love it!

Probably the biggest leap in technology would for sure be women’s skis! Back when I started skiing, I don’t even think ski companies offered women’s skis. Plus, I wouldn’t have considered skiing on them. About 9 years ago, K2 recognized that there were women’s skis available on the market and there were a lot of women skiers on the hill, but women were still skiing on men’s skis. There were no high-quality women’s skis on the market. K2 set out to change this and put together a group of strong women and formed the first K2 Alliance Women’s Team. And changes they made! Today’s skis have lighter weight core materials, forward mounting binding positions, forward side cuts, innovative flex patterns, modified dampening systems. Plus, they look pretty hot! Today’s K2 T-Nine women’s line offers a ski for every woman skier out there, from beginner to intermediate, hard skiing ex-racers, and every condition-- flats, ice, moguls, power, and backcountry. I have skied every one and they are all great!

Fashion has changed too - for the better. There are more manufacturers making women’s clothing. I think the snowboard influence really changed the ski clothing industry in recent years. Better functionality, fabrics, fit and designs. I love ski clothes, I have so many that I probably could outfit a small army!

outdoorDIVAS: Can you tell us how you got started in the ski industry?
Janice:  When I was 16, I tried out to be a ski instructor up at local ski area. My life changed completely. I made a whole new group of friends (mainly boys) and whatever they did on the mountain I followed! Jumping off stuff, skiing fast, doing tricks. I was "hooked" having so much fun. I skied every weekend and a few nights midweek. A good friend coached me in moguls, ballet and aerials and I started competing at a local level. I would also help the local ski reps at ski shows. After high school, I taught full time at the local hill, kept competing and earned a spot on the US Freestyle Team. I competed in the World Cup events in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and France in three events (ballet, aerials, and moguls). It was a great experience.

I taught skiing for 15 years both as an instructor and a clinic instructor and taught at many ski camps. I also did a lot of Masters Racers after I retired from Freestyle. Today, I have a full-time job as a firefighter and am still as passionate about skiing!

I spend a lot of time supporting my kids doing their ski activities. My youngest ski races and my oldest competes in Big Mountain Extreme Comps. Over the years, I have done a lot of volunteering for our local Ski Club and of course a lot of driving to events and making sure my kids equipment is ready and they are mentally ready.

outdoorDIVAS: Do you have any pre-competition rituals?
Janice:  I do! I am a three-event water-skier and here’s what I do! Goofy as it sounds I don’t watch my competition. I focus entirely on me. I will either listen to a really rocking, loud song on my iPod or joke around with friends. I try to relax and have fun. Oh, and I do wear only "good" luck shorts. Some get only one wear, some a lot!!!