X. Kongres INTERSKI INTERNATIONAL Štrbské Pleso 1975
50 YEARS SINCE THE SUCCESSFUL 10TH INTERSKI CONGRESS IN HIGH TATRAS IN 1975.
The International Association for Ski Instruction, INTERSKI INTERNATIONAL, has been organizing its official congresses on ski theories, methodology, and safety since 1951. For the right to host the 10th INTERSKI Congress in 1975, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Japan, and Switzerland were in competition. Following a secret ballot, the event was awarded to Štrbské Pleso in the High Tatras.
The Congress took place from January 19 to 26, 1975, with delegations from 22 member countries participating. The program consisted of expert presentations, lectures, and theoretical discussions, supplemented by practical on-snow demonstrations. A total of 30 expert contributions and 19 practical demonstrations were presented.
The main themes of the Congress included:
Theory and methodology of ski instruction in Alpine and Nordic disciplines
Ski techniques
Slope safety and injury prevention
Legal aspects and organization of ski sports
One of the key moments of the Congress was the introduction of the 'Skills Concept' by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). This model emphasized three fundamental elements of skiing technique: rotary movements, edging, and pressure control. This approach later became the foundation of modern ski instruction.
To improve the sports infrastructure, a new ski lift from the French company Pomagalski was put into operation during the Congress, with a transport capacity of 900 skiers per hour.
The Congress also had a significant social dimension. Every day, 15,000 to 20,000 visitors watched the event at Štrbské Pleso, and the final program attracted up to 40,000 spectators. The most interesting moments were the Alpine skiing demonstrations, presented by delegations from France, Japan, Yugoslavia, Canada, West Germany (FRG), Poland, Austria, the USA, Spain, Italy, and Czechoslovakia. Among the 12 Czechoslovak ski demonstrators were Slovaks Karol Suchánek, Kamil Porvazník, and Vladimír Hellebrant.
Nordic skiing disciplines were showcased by teams from Finland, West Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Czechoslovakia. The cross-country skiing demonstrations included students from the Štrba University sports training programs, including future ski champion Alžbeta Havrančíková. Ski jumping demonstrations were led by Ladislav Rygl, the 1970 Nordic Combined World Champion.
M. Zálešák (Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University in Bratislava) – "Characteristics of Movement Activity in Modern Alpine Skiing Technique"
F. Chovanec (Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague) – "Didactics of Cross-Country Skiing"
Z. Remsa (Central Committee of Czechoslovak Physical Education and Sport – ČSZTV) – "Development of Motor Skills in Ski Jumping Training"
The motto of the Congress was:
'Interski is the Olympic Games for ski instructors and teachers.'
The Congress significantly contributed to the promotion of skiing and the development of tourism in Czechoslovakia. It also confirmed the ability of the Tatra organizers to host even the most demanding international events. At the closing ceremony, Interski President Dr. A. Odermatt praised the event with the words:
'You are known all over the world as hosts, but now you have proven once again what excellent organizers you are.'Today, the 10th Interski Congress of 1975 is considered a historical milestone because it was the first congress held in the Eastern Bloc and helped bridge the gap between the Eastern and Western worlds in the field of skiing. Furthermore, the International Commission for Ski Terminology was founded during this congress.
Autorizovaný lyžiarsky demonštrátor
„Our vision is to build upon the success of the 10th Interski International Congress and, in the future, organize an event at least as successful as the one our predecessors managed to host during the difficult times of the totalitarian regime.“
Archival materials and oral testimonies from direct living participants of the Congress – demonstrators PaedDr. K. Povrazník and K. Suchánek – were utilized.