![](pic%202.jpg)
Image
courtesy of
aboutskischools.com
History
Dating back to 3000 B.C.,
skiing was used as a means of transportation
by the Vikings and has since changed to a
form of recreation. In the 1850s,
Sondre Norheim invented the first heel-strap
bindings. He was an avid freestyle
skier and promoted the downhill maneuver of
zigzagging. His invention allowed
skiers to ski downhill as fast as
possible. A skier who heads straight
down a 30-degree slope can reach 150 miles
per hour, but traversing back and forth
across the slope keeps one’s momentum in
check.