(Jasmin pictured yesterday with FIS Telemark Chairman Andrew Clarke and her coach Seb Mansart)
Jasmin Taylor, 21, has won Great Britain's first FIS Telemark World Championship medal in Steamboat Springs, USA.
Jasmin had arrived in Colorado just a few days ago from her training base in Les Houches, France, and was competing against the world's fastest Telemark ski racers at the World Championships.
Following official training on Monday, racing commenced yesterday with the Telemark Sprint race – the shortest of the three FIS Telemark disciplines with each run typically lasting 45 seconds.
Starting bib number 7, Jasmin skied into third position after the first run, just seconds behind Argeline Tan-Bouquet of France and Switzerland's World Cup leader Amélie Reymond.
During the second run Jasmin skied well in the GS gates before storming through the skating section at the bottom of the course and finishing with a combined time of 2:03.35 for the two runs.
"It's great to finally ski the way I know I can ski," said Jasmin after the race, "I felt so solid on the jump and went long. I'm so pleased to have won a significant medal at this level – feels awesome!"
Telemark skiing originated in Norway in the 1860s, around forty years before Alpine skiing, practiced by the majority of downhill skiers, came along.
"I am so very proud of Jaz; she has given it her all since starting her journey with telemark," said FIS Telemark Chairman and ex-British athlete, Andrew Clarke, adding, "What a transformation from the unsteady telemarker myself and Jack Harvard Taylor took for a trial ski in 2010. She deserved that today! When you put it into perspective considering the competition and see they all come from countries where skiing is almost second nature it makes it all that much sweeter."
Telemark racing is very similar to conventional downhill skiing and involves going through a number of gates with red and blue flags. Where telemark varies is the way in which the athlete has the extra challenge of negotiating a large jump half way down the slalom course as well as a cross-country skating section towards the end of the course to really test the competitor's endurance.
Jasmin has been a member of the British Telemark Ski Team since 2011. Jasmin lives and trains in Ipswich (Suffolk) during the summer months and competes on the FIS Telemark World Cup circuit from December through to May. Jasmin is sponsored by: Trowers & Hamlins, Landwood Group, TDS Safeguard, Skiers Trust, Ladies Ski Club and Laser-Life.
www.jaztelemark.com